Sports facilities could transform a large area of farmland as part of a major £6m development.

With more than 9,000 new homes and 5,000 new jobs proposed in the Waveney Local Plan, which looks set to be adopted on Wednesday, March 20, a 'masterplan is being prepared' for the Oakes Farm development on 74.69 acres (30.23ha) of land in Carlton Colville.

A full sized 3G football pitch, athletics facilities, four floodlit tennis/netball courts, grass youth football pitches, grass mini soccer pitches, changing facilities and a car park is earmarked for 'a large area of arable farmland' at the site in Beccles Road, Carlton Colville.

The local plan states that the approximate cost of the development is £6,273,178.

It states: 'Progress has been made on bringing the site forward and a masterplan is being prepared.

'The site provides an excellent opportunity to provide a comprehensive sports development to meet the needs of the existing population and the growing population.

'The site should deliver at least 20.75 hectares of sports pitches, non-pitch sports and other sports and leisure facilities to relevant standards together with changing facilities and car parking.

'Up to approximately eight hectares of the site, to the north of the site, is to be developed for complementary commercial development to enable the delivery of the sports development.

'As part of any mixed-use scheme a limited amount of residential development may also be permitted on this land in order to deliver the sports development.

'Development on this part of the site should not be commenced until the 20.75 hectares of land has been made available for sports and leisure use.

'An area of land needs to be reserved for any future road scheme to bypass the Barnby bends.'