A decision over one of the biggest housing schemes in Norwich - on a site which has stood empty for almost two decades - will finally be made this week.
Controversial plans for 550 new homes on and around the former Pinebanks site in Thorpe St Andrew will come before councillors on Wednesday (November 5).
Officers at Broadland District Council are recommending that developers Berliet Ltd be given permission for most of the homes - but say 70 should be rejected because of the impact on neighbours.
The application for the site, off Yarmouth Road, splits it into four areas - with 260 homes proposed for Pinebanks, 90 for Langley North, 70 for Langley South and 130 at Griffin Lane.
Plans for the site - formerly the sports and social club for Norwich Union workers - have been in the pipeline for years.
But they have met stiff opposition from families who live in the area, who say roads and infrastructure cannot cope with such a huge increase in population.
More than a thousand people signed a petition objecting to the plans during the first round of consultations, while hundreds of individual objections were received over each of the four elements of the scheme.
Thorpe St Andrew Town Council raised concerns about the heights of the buildings, the potential for flooding and the impact on nearby roads.
A number of councillors for the area have objected, including Ian Mackie, Norfolk county councillor for Thorpe St Andrew.
He said it would place an "unsustainable burden on the local community".
Independent Conservative Trudy Mancini-Boyle, who represents Thorpe St Andrew South East on Broadland District Council, said: "The total number of dwellings on all four sites is over development of the land available, leading to unacceptable impact upon surrounding road networks."
Broadland district councillors Peter Berry (Conservative), who represents Thorpe St Andrew North West and Eleanor Laming (Green), who represents Brundall, have also objected, citing overdevelopment and the potential for congestion.
Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust were worried about the effect of the proposal on the ancient woodland and veteran trees.
Despite the objections, Broadland District Council officers recommend that three of the four sites are given the green light.
They say the 260-home Pinebanks scheme, the 90 homes at Langley North, the 130 houses at Griffin Lane are "acceptable in planning terms" subject to certain conditions, a legal agreement and the completion of ecology survey work.
But officers say members of the committee should reject the proposal for 70 homes at Langley South.
Officers state: "There are significant concerns about the ability of residential development to satisfactorily coexist with the adjacent ancient woodland given their close proximity to one another.
"The relationship is ultimately an unacceptable one in terms of the woodland, ecology and the amenities of future residents."
A decision on whether to grant permission was due to be made last month, but was put on hold because the planning committee chairman was unwell.
HISTORY OF THE SITE
The site was also home to the 19th century house Pinebanks, where Norwich solicitor John Oddin Howard Taylor lived.
It later became the Norwich Union Sports and Social Club - the largest privately owned leisure facility in East Anglia, with some 10,000 members.
But the club was closed in 2008 and owners Aviva sold the land the following year.
Plans to redevelop the disused site were then put forward in 2013.
In 2014, the Pinebanks building was badly damaged in a suspected arson which saw 66 firefighters battling the flames.
Neighbouring Langley North and South were once home to Langley Prep School, while the Griffin pub used to stand on the Griffin Lane site.
The plans for the Pinebanks, Langley North, Langley South and Griffin Lane sites were submitted in early 2022 when development firm Ocubis outlined its vision to build 575 homes.
New plans were put forward at the end of 2022 reducing the proposed number of homes.
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