The decision to approve 226 new homes in King’s Lynn while failing to provide funds for local schools has been branded "disgraceful" by a councillor.

Liberal Democrat county councillor Rob Colwell, who has campaigned for the rejection of the Parkway project in Gaywood, said he was “shocked” that permission was granted for it by West Norfolk Borough Council’s planning committee on Monday.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Colwell said the borough authority had put “profits before children” because it had decided not to provide £921,908 in funding for 62 local school places - which the county council had said would be needed for the new homes.

%image(14372910, type="article-full", alt="Rob Colwell, Liberal Democrat county council for Gaywood South")

A borough council spokeswoman said the scheme would have been made “unviable" if the money was contributed which would have been against government policy.

She added: "This is a highly-sustainable scheme that will help to address housing needs in King’s Lynn.

"A £1.7m investment in environmental measures is built into the scheme to minimise emissions."

The borough council had applied for permission from its own planning department for the development.

At the meeting, concerns were raised about issues ranging from traffic, trees being cut down, pollution, flooding and the homes’ affordability.

Council officials insisted the scheme met all of the borough’s policies on those concerns - and would even “enhance the quality of life” for existing residents.

Independent councillor Alun ‘Tom’ Ryves said he believed the development had “the potential to be a complete death trap” because access for emergency vehicles would only be via St Mary’s Road.

%image(14391217, type="article-full", alt="Councillor Alun 'Tom' Ryves asked Mr Dark why he had "stabbed" the borough council "in the back".")

Council officers suggested that councillors place a condition on the plan to ensure that an emergency access is, if possible, created using a cycle lane which currently links Bishop’s Road with Gaywood Hall Drive - which the committee voted through.

Several councillors spoke positively about the scheme, with Conservative Elizabeth Nockolds saying: “How can we talk about traffic when people need homes? We’ve got a huge waiting list of people who need homes.”

Despite the committee approving the project, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has requested the plan first be considered by them before any official permission notice is issued by the council.

If DLUHC decides to 'call in' the project, it would be looked at by secretary of state Michael Gove who could potentially block the scheme.