Solar panels on the roofs of dozens of homes at a development on the edge of Norwich are to be hidden – so it is not obvious they are council homes.

More than a thousand homes are due to be built on the Three Score site at Bowthorpe in the years ahead, as part of a multi-million-pound deal between Norwich City Council and the Homes and Community Agency.

It will be a mix of private homes and council homes.

The scheme is meant to be 'tenure blind' – so there is no visual difference between the private homes and the council homes.

But, because the council homes will have solar panels on to further reduce bills for tenants, thought has had to be given to how to stop those being obvious.

Brenda Arthur, leader of Norwich City Council, revealed: 'The solar panels will be hidden behind parapets on the roof, so they will not be visible from street level.'

Work on phase one of the scheme has already started and will see a care village – 172 housing with care homes and a care home for people with dementia – built on the 79-acre site.

Phase two, the first 174 homes, needs to secure planning permission and is due to be lodged within the next few weeks.

Ms Arthur said 112 of the homes would be built to Passivhaus standards – where the homes are designed specially to minimise the need for heating or cooling.

Do you have a story about a local council? Call reporter Dan Grimmer on 01603 772375 or email dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk