Plans for more than 250 homes north of Horsford will be fought next week when the scheme goes before Broadland recommended for approval.

Eastern Daily Press: The former Flagcutters pub which is to be demolished for access to the new 259 home development at Horsford. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe former Flagcutters pub which is to be demolished for access to the new 259 home development at Horsford. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

David Wilson Homes has said they plan to have the site at Green Lane completed within two years. While the site is outside of the settlement boundary in the local development plan, Broadland are still unable to demonstrate a five year supply of housing. Latest figures show a supply for 4.7 years.

Plans include demolishing the former Flag Cutters pub - which dates from 1846 and was turned into a home in 1970 - to gain access. Although considered an undesignated heritage asset, the conservation officer at Norfolk Historic Environment Services raised no objection.

Horsford Parish Council has said they are 'unanimously opposed' to the development, suggesting a development to the south of the village would put less pressure on the road network.

'The local infrastructure is already under strain,' they say. 'The proposed vehicular link between this development and the Butterfly Mill development is to be restricted to buses and emergency vehicles but the suggestion of CCTV is farcical and a completely different approach is required to ensure this is enforceable.'

Drayton Medical Practice, which also covers Horsford, has drawn a line in the sand as they face an additional 2,000 patients in the next two years.

Managing partner Rachel Arkieson wrote to the planning department warning they could have 'real difficulty' in accommodating the numbers.

'We believe that patient experience will be negatively impacted with the practice struggling to accommodate this population increase,' she said.

Claire Gunn, 41, of Holt Road, said development should come forward south of the village to take pressure off the infrastructure.: 'Their argument is there is not enough allocation for building in this area, but just south of Horsford there is a huge amount of land with links to the NDR,' she said.

'They seem to be doing these medium size developments which are eating away at the local countryside.'

The scheme will go to a vote at Broadland Planning Committee next Wednesday.