Residents fear plans for up to 1,000 new houses will create huge problems within local traffic, healthcare, environment, and education.

Around 30 people attended a meeting of Hellesdon Parish Council to discuss the authority's response to a planning application by developers Persimmon Homes Anglia.

The developers want to build up to 1,000 houses and a school on the Royal Norwich Golf Club's course - a designated spot for future housing.

But after a two-hour question and answer session with residents, the council chose not to support the application in its 'current state'.

Chairman Shelagh Gurney said the council would send a 'novel' of information to Broadland District Council explaining why the plans should not be approved.

'I think we have an opportunity to argue that planning policies support what we are saying,' she said.

'We're going to be pretty vocal about this so we will be putting together a very extensive response.'

David King, a member of the council, said: 'This development will affect Hellesdon longer than most of us will live here for.'

Residents said there were already problems with traffic-flow, access to GP services, and there were concerns over the environmental impact.

Richard Truswell, who lives off Low Road, Hellesdon, said: 'The traffic situation is already bad in Hellesdon, and is dangerous where we live.

'If this application is accepted it will naturally make it that much worse.'

The golf club has been based in Hellesdon for more than 100 years, but members of the club last year agreed to move to Weston Park, in a move which would will go through no earlier than 2017. The final decision on the homes will be taken by Broadland District Council.

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