About 50 people viewed plans for a new 250-home development east of Brandon Road, Swaffham, at an exhibition held tonight .

Abel Homes hopes to apply within weeks for outline planning permission to develop the area between existing housing to the town's south, and the site where Ben Bailey Homes this month won permission to build 335 homes.

It has been earmarked for 250 new homes in Breckland Council's core strategy.

The plans for Swans Nest would retain existing trees and hedgerow, and include two new junctions on Brandon Road, north and south of Filby Road, and community parkland and a meadowland area.

The developers promised a mix of smaller homes for first-time buyers, and down sizers and larger family homes.

Managing director Tony Abel said he was in discussions with Breckland Council about the proportion of affordable housing, which he expected to be between 35pc and the council's target of 40pc.

He said: 'We have been pleased with the amount of visitors we have had, more than expected. We are also pleased it does not appear to be contentious.

'We have had one or two people say there will be more traffic. Well, of course there will be. There have been one of two people who have talked about two access points rather than one, and we have explained that's for emergency access.'

He said he hoped that if outline and detailed planning permissions were granted, work could start on the site by the end of the year.