Major homes plan for site close to South Wootton to be heard by planning committee next week

A major planning application for up to 450 new homes on a site of land close to South Wootton will be discussed at a special meeting next week.

The proposals for the “sustainable mixed-use urban extension” on land off Edward Benefer Way, submitted by Larkfleet Homes Ltd, have been recommended for approval by planners.

The outline application will be discussed by West Norfolk Council’s planning committee at the special meeting on Monday.

In addition to up to 450 homes, the major development would also include a mixed-use local centre, a wildlife area, children’s play areas and associated infrastructure, documents say.

All matters are reserved on the application, with the exception of access.

The reports add a singular vehicular access is proposed from a new roundabout on Edward Benefer Way to the south of the site.

It says the application site comprises a series of fields to the western side of properties on Hall Lane, and the proposals also include a large area of open space and a nature conservation site.

North Wootton and South Wootton parish councils have both raised objections to the proposals, citing the potential impact on traffic and infrastructure, and the loss of greenfield land as just some of their reasons for doing so.

South Wootton Parish Council said the development could not be considered in isolation, but viewed alongside the proposed adjacent development by Bowbridge for 130 properties, as well as the combined 700 properties proposed by Camland and Clayland at Knight’s Hill, which they said constituted a 70 per cent increase in the size of the village.

Although there were no further objections from consultees, the application received a number of representations from third parties.

These referred to a variety of issues, including the loss of “most of the rural buffer between Lynn and South Wootton”, the belief that the density of the number of houses across the development is too high, and the belief that the development would “drastically” increase traffic congestion, particularly along the A148.

The application is recommended for approval, subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement to “cover the issues described in the report” and subject to conditions.