Developer changes plans for 185 homes to keep 'historic association'
Breckland Council's planning committee has approved further plans from a developer, BDW (Cambridgeshire) Forder Way Cygnet Park, to build 185 homes on land south of Norwich Road in Swaffham. - Credit: Google
A developer has changed its plans for a 182-home development so a town can maintain a more familiar feel.
A section of Norwich Road, heading into Swaffham. Picture: GOOGLE STREET - Credit: Archant
Breckland Council's planning committee has approved further plans from a developer, BDW (Cambridgeshire) Forder Way Cygnet Park, to build 185 homes on land south of Norwich Road in Swaffham.
The plans, which include three two bedrooms, 74 three bedrooms, and 62 four-bedroom homes, have been altered after Swaffham Town Council (STC) objected to the use of black weatherboarding and requested the developer use flint, as it is more in-keeping with the town.
Swaffham Town Council clerk Richard Bishop. Picture: Matthew Usher. - Credit: Matthew Usher
Richard Bishop, STC town clerk said: "There are very few examples within Swaffham of black weatherboarding, and it is not recognised as a characteristic of this Breckland Town.
"After red brick, the most commonly used building material by far is flint. It occurs naturally in the local area and has a very long historical association with the Brecks."
The developer has now agreed to use the material on 24 of the 185 plots, a total of 46 of which will be affordable homes.
If approved by Breckland District Council, work on the former premises of Harvey Longsons estate agents, located on Market Place in Swaffham. - Credit: Matthew Usher
Breckland also received nine letters of objection from residents, which included concerns over the impact on traffic and disturbance to wildlife.
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However, Norfolk County Council highways and Environmental Health had no objections to the development.
At a Breckland Council planning committee meeting on March 15, councillor Helen Crane requested the developer plant some hedges on the south-eastern boundary to help with wildlife.
She said: "I looked in quite a lot of detail at the boundaries of this site, and I can see that on the south-east boundary that goes adjacent to the allotments that there's going to be post and rail fencing.
"What I really would like to see is some native hedging planted alongside this post and rail hedging so that we have some corridors for wildlife."
The developer agreed to this condition, along with the children's trim trail being included as a condition of the amended plans.
