Ambitious plans for a long-awaited bypass for Long Stratton could be proposed to South Norfolk Council before Christmas.

Residents in the south Norfolk community viewed information about the layout of a potential bypass to divert thousands of vehicles off the A140 through the village centre at a public exhibition on Monday, October 2.

The open event at Long Stratton Methodist Church on Manor Road also previewed plans from Norfolk Land and Norfolk Homes for at least 1,800 new homes, 9.5 hectares of employment land, a new primary school site, community space, relevant infrastructure and a western relief road.

Terry Harper, managing director of Norfolk Land, said: 'We [Norfolk Land] will make a planning application to South Norfolk Council in November.'

It will include plans for the bypass, 1,200 homes, employment land and a school site to the east of the village.

The application will be put forward at the same time as separate plans from Norfolk Homes to the council for 600 homes and a relief road to the west of Long Stratton.

Bypass and western relief road plans will be detailed proposals but the other aspects will be outline, according to Mr Harper.

He added: 'When granted planning permission, the development will be built over several years.

'The bypass is so important. Hopefully it will reduce most of the through traffic through the village centre.'

Mr Harper said there would be affordable homes within the Norfolk Land development.

He did not say how much the project would cost but the infrastructure alone would cost tens of millions of pounds.

The managing director added the bypass would make the village more attractive for existing and new homes and would stop rat-running in the community.

If approved it would be built over agricultural land and feature four roundabouts.

Many people who attended the exhibition felt the bypass was much-needed but it should come out at the Hempnall crossroads.

Carol McDonnell, 69, from Rhees Lane in Mornigthorpe, said: 'We definitely need a bypass. If you try and get on the road at 8am you just sit there and sit there.'

Charles Owens, 63, who lives on the A140, said: 'The bypass needs to go up to the Hempnall crossroads.'