The builder behind one of Norwich's biggest housing schemes could be excused from providing almost 200 affordable homes at the site, prompting fury from those living nearby.
Persimmon's application to vary the conditions agreed for its 1,000-home development at the former Royal Norwich Golf Club in Hellesdon has angered people living in the area.
Critics say that if the developer is allowed to reduce the number of affordable homes at the scheme, off Drayton High Road, it will make it harder for local people to get homes in the area.
But Persimmon could get their way - as well as the go-ahead to chop down more than 200 trees - because Broadland District Council is struggling to show it has enough land allocated for new homes.
Hellesdon Parish Council and local councillors have objected to the move.
"And I don't see why the people of Hellesdon should have to suffer with the loss of that tree line, especially when the council has declared a climate emergency. Some of them are hundreds of years old."
Affordable homes are offered at below-market value for rent or sale to help those unable to buy at market prices.
But Persimmon says market conditions have changed and it is no longer viable to build so many homes or to make as many of them affordable.
The company says, because of rising build costs and part of the site not being developable due to surface water flow concerns, it is now likely to only build 780 of the initially proposed 1,000 homes.
While affordable homes have been built through the first two phases, Persimmon wants the condition removed so it does not have to provide any in the subsequent four phases - which will lead to 185 fewer affordable homes.
Persimmon is also asking to be permitted to only provide two-and-a-half acres of playing pitches, rather than the initially agreed five acres.
And they want a requirement to provide land for a new primary school to be removed.
Norfolk County Council, which recently warned declining birth rates means some schools could have to close or merge, does not have an issue with that.
And Broadland District Council officers are recommending that members of the authority's planning committee approve the variation when they meet next week.
They say that the reduction in affordable homes needs to be balanced against the delivery of housing - at a time when Broadland cannot demonstrate it has a five-year supply of housing land.
That is a requirement by the government for councils to show they have enough sites for new housing - and if they cannot, then policies in place to control where housing is acceptable are deemed out of date.
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Officers say councillors should give "significant weight" to how the new homes - 528 in total - will contribute to that five-year supply.
They suggest that councillors consider imposing a "clawback" condition, which could mean the developer has to provide affordable housing in later phases should market conditions improve.
'IT'S QUITE OUTRAGEOUS'
The developers are also looking to remove more trees than originally anticipated - all supposed to be protected by tree preservation orders. That will lead to a loss of almost 220 trees.
Shelagh Gurney, district and county councillor for Hellesdon, said: "The felling of large trees which are hundreds of years old is quite outrageous.
"I think Persimmon are doing a great disservice to the residents of Hellesdon.
"They want to take away land we were promised for formal amenity and they want to destroy the tree line. I think this is appalling."
But officers, while acknowledging the tree loss would be against policy, are recommending approval because of the need for new homes.
Decisions will be made when the planning committee meets on Wednesday (September 10).
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