New plans for a major development on the city's outskirts have been revealed.
A public consultation has been launched as proposals for 450 homes are revived as part of the White House Farm development in Sprowston.
The development is intended to be made up of three phases. Phase one saw around 1,300 homes built north-east of Blue Boar Lane as part of government orders to deliver 7,000 new homes for the area by 2026.
Phase two plans for the land off Atlantic Avenue, between Sprowston Manor and Salhouse Road, were unveiled on Wednesday by planning consultants Bidwells.
The original plans for phase two fell through in March 2023 when developers Persimmon, Hopkins Homes and Taylor Wimpey pulled the plug.
The landowners at White House Farm have rebooted the development with new plans, with the intention of housing developers coming on board if outline planning permission can be secured.
If achieved by the current summer 2025 target, the first homes could be built in 2027.
The new homes will surround the north, west and south of the current farm site, which includes a cafe, shops, salons and a nursery.
The fresh proposals, revealed at a public exhibition in a barn on the farm, would see 450 homes built alongside up to 1,500sqm of commercial floor space to make White House Farm more of a community hub with additional leisure facilities.
Lots of the site will be open space, with four main housing areas built, each with a different character.
Around 33pc of the homes would meet affordable housing criteria.
Staff from Bidwells answered questions that Sprowston locals had at the event, including the lack of a doctor's surgery within the initial plans.
Sarah Hornbrook, a Bidwells planning consultant, explained that the government provides the funds for healthcare, not individual developers, who only contribute if their building work creates an additional burden on the system that wasn't anticipated.
She said: "We will consult the NHS as part of this planning process, who will guide us in what they feel we should contribute.
"Development can only fund capital projects, like the building of a surgery, not revenue, such as the provision of the staff.
"As this has been in the plan since 2016, it is likely that the additional population that this development would bring to Norwich has been factored in."
Concerns were also raised about Atlantic Avenue, with locals worried about parking issues as well as the speed of vehicles using the road.
Ms Hornbrook continued: "As part of our proposals, we are looking at what needs to be done to that road.
"We are looking at introducing some pedestrian crossing points - both traffic light controlled and uncontrolled not - and looking at any other changes that we could bring in to change the character of the road and encourage drivers to slow down.
"There is a limit to what we can do, as the road is currently privately owned."
READ MORE: 'There are worries about over-crowding': Concerns raised as 3,500-home plans return
Jon Ashcroft, the highways consultant for the project, also confirmed that they would consider issues raised around the current bus routes: "We are looking at improving bus services, including a service that runs the whole length of Atlantic Avenue."
Martin Booth, Labour councillor for the Sprowston East ward, said: "The initial plans look really promising.
"It is very early days in the process but this is definitely a step in the right direction and an improvement on previous plans.
"I'm impressed by the amount of green space included.
"There will be a need for another doctor's surgery in the area in the future, but I believe that it might be linked to phase three, as this proposed development is quite small.
"We will insist that the infrastructure is prioritised during the build, with pedestrian crossings along Atlantic Avenue being built early in the process.
"Overall, I think the design looks good, as is the idea of making White House Farm a village centre."
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The consultation is available to complete online at whfdevelopment.co.uk until 5pm on May 10.
The White House Farm development
1,300 homes have been built in recent years as part of phase one.
The 23-hectare site was adopted as part of the Broadland Growth Triangle in 2016 following government orders to deliver 7,000 new homes for the area by 2026.
The original plans for phase two would have seen 456 homes built north of Atlantic Avenue, between Sprowston Manor and Salhouse Road, by Hopkins Homes, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey.
Rules around nutrient neutrality were passed just before the developers signed to start the building in 2023, which led to a delay and, eventually, the plans fell through.
Additionally, management of the Sprowston Manor hotel and golf club objected to the plans, saying the new homes would limit the use of its marquee for weddings and events, which it said could lead to its closure and a large number of redundancies.
Phase three, of land for around 1,200 homes stretching towards the NDR and Rackheath, is also included in the Greater Norwich Local Plan.
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