Controversial plans to build 170 new homes in a Broadland village could get the go-ahead - less than a year after being turned down by councillors.

Quantum Land’s hopes of developing a 43-acre plot of land east of Memorial Hall in Brundall were dashed last summer, when Broadland Distict Council’s planning committee voted to refuse the proposals.

The decision was greeted with joy by campaigners from the village who attended the meeting in hopes of persuading councillors not to approve the scheme.

However, the council will now have to defend this decision at a planning inquiry later this year, after the developers appealed against it to the Planning Inspectorate.

In its submission to the inquiry, Quantum Land will argue that the development will come with a variety of benefits, including a 33pc affordable housing provision, the creation of a new country park and a community green.

However, the council will defend the refusal by arguing that the majority of the site is outside of the village’s settlement limit and that the development would be harmful to the village’s rural setting.

The council will also argue that it had achieved its five-year land supply by the time it considered the application - Quantum says this was not the case when the bid was first submitted.

Ahead of the plans going before councillors in July more than 240 neighbours submitted objections to the proposals, particularly citing concerns over how the village’s amenities would cope with such a large number of new homes. These concerns especially related to the village medical centre and its roads.

Quantum’s submission reads: “Brundall is a sustainable location to focus housing development in as it is close to the regional centre of Norwich and has two train stations directly linking to the city centre.

“The appeal site is well located in the heart of the village close to facilities. It represents a natural extension to the village within existing development already on three of its sides.”

The inquiry is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, April 21, with a planning inspector to decide its fate in due course after.