Developers behind a £325m energy park on the edge of Norwich have been quizzed over pollution, noise, access and parking.

Eastern Daily Press: GENERATION PARK NORWICH. Pictured: Straw pellet fuelled biomass community energy centre with elevated visitor gallery encircling upper boiler house. Picture: Grimshaw ArchitectsGENERATION PARK NORWICH. Pictured: Straw pellet fuelled biomass community energy centre with elevated visitor gallery encircling upper boiler house. Picture: Grimshaw Architects (Image: 2011 Grimshaw Architects)

The University of East Anglia is one of the prime investors in the Generation Park proposal for the 30-acre Utilities site – a patch of wasteland between Thorpe Hamlet and Whitlingham.

The proposals feature a straw pellet-burning energy plant, producing electricity for major power users and heat for businesses and houses via a district heating network.

The scheme also includes 120 homes, student accommodation, an education centre, a research base, 11 acres of parkland, plus new cycle routes and walkways.

The developers gave a presentation on their proposal at yesterday's meeting of Norwich City Council's planning committee – which is set to make a decision on whether to allow the scheme later this year.

Jo Henderson, Green city councillor for Thorpe Hamlet, questioned how high the chimney on the energy plant would be and whether that would keep people safe from pollutants. Simon Barnard, on behalf of the project's executive board NPH, said: 'Ninety metres is the height at which the impact on people in or around the site is acceptable. Any lower and we and the Environment Agency would be concerned.'

Councillors asked questions about access and parking.

The developers stressed that deliveries of straw pellets would be by train and that parking would be limited to one vehicle per property in the residential development.

But Julie Brociek-Coulton, Labour councillor for Sewell, queried where households with more than one vehicle would park.

Mr Barnard said there would be some controlled parking at the site, but that people would be encouraged to walk, cycle or use buses.

When quizzed about noise from machinery at the site, the developers said equipment would be screened.

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