Meetings will be held with members of the community to discuss the biggest housing development in west Norfolk for generations.

Some 4,000 new homes are planned for land around West Winch, south of King's Lynn.

Norfolk County Council has applied for £50m in government funding towards the cost of a £65m link road between the A10 and A47, which will be the first part of the scheme.

Now West Norfolk council, whose local plan has designated West Winch as a strategic growth area, is set to resume meetings with stakeholders and the local community to keep them informed about the progress of the plans. Face to face gatherings have been put on hold because of lockdown.

Richard Blunt, the council's cabinet member for development, said: “We are absolutely committed to working with local stakeholders around the development and delivery of the West Winch strategic growth area and I am pleased that our meetings with the local stakeholder group are starting again.

“The West Winch strategic growth area provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring much needed homes, access and facilities. It has the potential to bring huge benefits for the community.

“We really value the ongoing input of the stakeholder group. This includes in providing the very foundation for the proposals for the area – the Local Neighbourhood Plan – which was developed by the parish councils and adopted as the outline for the whole strategic growth area."

Alexandra Kemp, independent county councillor for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South, previously said people living there feared homes would be built before the road.

Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We’re pleased to be working closely with the borough council on this scheme as the £65m West Winch Housing Access Road aims to put appropriate infrastructure in place before the development of 4,000 new homes in the area.

"A new connection between the A47 and A10 will reduce traffic through the village of West Winch and cut congestion on the A10 to the Hardwick junction. We have submitted a strategic outline business case to the Department for Transport with the ultimate aim of securing approximately £50m government funding for the route, and are hopeful of a positive response.”

Homes will be built in phases on the site over 18 years. The growth area will also offer employment opportunities, commercial space, community resources, health facilities, education, play facilities and public open spaces.