Campaigners opposing plans for a new town the size of Cromer in the heart of Norfolk say they are determined to keep up the pressure to prevent the controversial 'railway village'.

Norfolk’s first new town in centuries would see up to 5,000 homes built on farming land between the villages of North Elmham, Billingford and Bintree, north of Dereham, in Mid Norfolk.

The use of farming land for housing was speculatively put forward by Bristol-based planning consultant Black Box Planning as part of Breckland Council's process to develop a new local plan.

Eastern Daily Press: Up to 5,000 new homes could be built on land near BintreeUp to 5,000 new homes could be built on land near Bintree (Image: Denise Bradley)

The settlement has been dubbed the 'railway village' or 'railway town' as it would lie close to the heritage route of the Mid Norfolk Railway - but campaigners want to stop it in its tracks.

The Campaign Against New Town group has made clear to Breckland Council that it hopes the authority will not allocate the land where the new town would be built within its local plan.

Eastern Daily Press: The Mid Norfolk RailwayThe Mid Norfolk Railway (Image: Archant)

More than 30 parish councils have joined forces to oppose the inclusion of the land in the council's blueprint for growth.

Inclusion in that plan would increase the likelihood of a future planning application for the town securing permission.

Eastern Daily Press: Mid Norfolk MP George FreemanMid Norfolk MP George Freeman (Image: Archant)

And members of the campaign group will this week meet Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman, who had previously written to district council leader Sam Chapman-Allen urging him not to include the proposal in the local plan.

Eastern Daily Press: A campaign flyer against the new townA campaign flyer against the new town (Image: Campaign Against New Town)

John Hoskins, coordinator of the Campaign Against New Town group, said: "It's a chance for us to say how important we feel it is that Mr Freeman keeps his focus on this issue.

"The danger is that the council has now got six months to come out with its reasons for including, or not including, sites in its local plan.

"That's quite a long time and there's a danger that they might think the opposition has gone away. We're keen that they realise that is not the case."

Eastern Daily Press: Land where the new railway town could be built Land where the new railway town could be built (Image: Google)