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Search the Public Notice PortalVillagers have been left furious after a County Hall-backed housing development sought to avoid offering any affordable properties in an area where house prices are sky high.
Norfolk County Council-owned company, Repton Property Developments (RPD), has been criticised for its plans to build 20 homes on the site of a closed primary school in Sedgeford.
It says it is "not viable" to provide any affordable homes on land owned by the council and a recent report estimated the scheme would generate a loss of £569,000.
But it has left villagers wondering why the project continues to progress despite the predicted loss and offering little in return for the area.
In a scathing objection letter, members of Sedgeford Parish Council said: "We made it clear on several occasions that we wanted affordable housing.
"Norfolk County Council (NCC) owns this site and apart from the purchase of the former headmaster's house, has incurred no land costs.
"To say that it is not viable to develop with affordable housing is beyond belief.
"Surely NCC has a moral responsibility to take into account the needs of local people?"
A viability report claimed that if 20pc of the homes were built to be affordable, it would result in a £569,000 loss.
But even without providing any affordable housing, it would still likely incur a £400,000 loss.
Savills, which authored the report, said: "The scheme is not considered commercially viable in development terms. Despite this, the applicant has the intention to deliver the housing."
The move would also conflict with West Norfolk Council's policies, which state that developments of 10 or more houses outside of King's Lynn must provide 20pc affordable housing.
Sedgeford has a high number of second homes, which have pushed house prices and private rents to high levels - average house prices are £359,950.
About 40pc of the properties in the village are not lived in permanently.
It has faced a falling population due to these issues, which led to the school being closed in 2020.
NCC has said conditions will be placed on the properties requiring them to be sold as a permanent residence rather than a second home.
But the prices could still be unaffordable for locals.
The parish council added: "Villagers cannot afford to rent or purchase houses in Sedgeford at full market price. Affordable housing is in great need and is a non-negotiable."
RPD is wholly owned by NCC and aims to "maximise financial returns to support service delivery through property developments".
Public money would be used as part of the scheme, with the hope that this investment will produce a return, but in this instance, that seems unlikely.
A spokesman for Conservative-controlled Norfolk County Council said: “Planning permission is just one stage of the process and does not commit us to proceeding with the development.
"We will continue to assess and refine the scheme to ensure it is viable, but development will not start on any scheme that fails to provide a clear return."
The spokesman added that Repton Homes as delivered "strong financial results", creating £1m for the council this year and £735,000 last year.
"By delivering consistent returns, Repton helps to reduce the pressure on council budgets while delivering high-quality housing schemes in our own county,” he said.
Simon Ring, leader of the Independent Group at County Hall, has criticised the scheme.
He said: "It is deeply concerning that, at a time when the county council is promoting the idea that a single authority based in Norwich can effectively serve all local needs, it is actively seeking to bypass local policy on affordable housing in West Norfolk.
"In Sedgeford - a village with high housing values - the county has commissioned a report aiming to secure an exemption from providing one affordable rental home and shared ownership home, claiming the site would be unviable otherwise.
"Given that the land is county-owned and the homes will benefit the council's own housing company, this move is troubling.
"It highlights the risk of centralised control and raises serious questions about the county council’s commitment to meeting local housing needs.”
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