Residents in Costessey hope to defeat homes bid for the second time

The field off Farmland Road at Costessey, where a planning application for 83 homes has previously been rejected. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Developers seeking to build 83 homes at Farmland Road in the town were rebuffed by the planning committee of South Norfolk District Council last May, with an application narrowly defeated by a vote of six to five.

At the time residents had packed the committee room to fight the plans, which were eventually refused because of the visual impact it would have on the river valley.

New plans for 83 homes, submitted by Katrina Kozersky, are expected to go back before the committee next month and will be met with a similar strength of opposition.

224 objections have now been filed. And on Thursday a meeting will be held between the Costessey Society, members from Friends of Tud Valley and members from Farmland Road Action Group to form a united response.

County councillor for Costessey Tim East said: 'Given the high acreage of suitable development land available on the west of Dereham Road I see absolutely no case for further development in the already heavily congested area of this part of Costessey. 'The new submission is simply tinkering around the edges of addressing the full set of objections considered by the committee when it refused the last application. 'For me, the primary critical objection is the impact on the River Tud and its valley, and the green landscape in the green lung between Old and New Costessey.'

In the resubmitted planning statement by Boyer on behalf of Mrs Kozersky, they say the development 'offers an opportunity to create a positive village edge for New Costessey within a new piece of green infrastructure network.'

'Any impacts have been carefully mitigated throughout the design process, with the development integrating with the surrounding landscape.'