Decision day for 135-home plan for village near Norwich

Glavenhill Strategic Land Ltd has lodged an application with South Norfolk Council for permission to build 135 homes on land off Norwich Road in Mulbarton,

More than 600 members of the community signed a petition calling for the plans to be refused, while 123 letters of objection were sent to the council.

South Norfolk Council's planning committee is due to consider the application this week and council officers have recommended refusal.

In his report to the committee, case officer Tim Barker said the proposals do not provide enough benefits to outweigh the fact the site is outside of the village's boundaries.

He also said the proposals would cause harm to two listed buildings in the area - St Mary Magdalen Church and Paddock Farmhouse.

He said: 'The development would result in a significant harm to the rural character of the landscape, including views from the public footpath to the east of the site.

'The proposed housing is not supported by any specific policy which allows for development outside of the boundary.'

Previously, concerns that the proposed site had been used for the burial of cattle carcasses during outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the 1950s and 1960s were raised by the Mulbarton Residents' Group. However, Lanpro, the agents acting on behalf of the applicants dismissed these as 'nonsense'.

Chris Leeming, managing director of Lanpro, said at the time: 'We have had confirmation from the animal and health agency that there is no record of foot and mouth burials on the site and the land owner - who has been on the site since the 1950s - has told us the same.

'We have no concerns about this whatsoever - it's absolute nonsense.'

Since the plans were originally submitted last April, the developers have made a number of amendments, including tweaks to the proposed site's layout.

Meanwhile, the same committee will consider whether to rubber-stamp fine details of a previously-approved plan for 67 homes in Cringeford.