Affordable homes could be cut back on large estate

Persimmon was given outline planning permission for the development nine years ago

A building firm should be allowed to cut back on the number of affordable homes it provides on a large housing estate, councillors have been told.

Persimmon Homes, which is developing about 780 houses on the site of the former Royal Norwich Golf Club, said the lower-cost properties made its project unviable.

The estate is being built in phases - with a third of homes already in place classed as affordable - but the firm has asked Broadland Council to be excused from building any more.

In a new offer, it wants to reduce the number from 185 down to 30 - and a report has advised planning councillors to accept the deal.

Hellesdon Parish Council said it was "concerned" about the "unaffordability" of properties in the area, on the northern outskirts of Norwich.

It has also objected to Persimmon's application "on the grounds of lack of engagement with the local community".

The first two phases of homes on the estate have already been built

The company was initially given the go-ahead to redevelop the golf club site in 2016, when it planned to build 1,000 homes.

It agreed that a third would be affordable and offered at below-market rates for rent or sale.

Building work has been taking place since then, and a report for councillors said the commitment had been met in the first two phases.

However, the company later said its plans for the site had changed.

It said surface water issues and rising costs meant it was now more likely to build around 780 homes - and providing any more affordable properties was not viable.

A report for Broadland councillors warned that would see the loss of around 185 affordable homes from the site.

'No engagement'

The planning committee was due to vote on the proposal last month but the decision was deferred, and since then, Persimmon has made a new offer.

In a letter to the council it said "it is acknowledged that this level of provision does not meet the aspirations of the local community", and it offered to build 30 more affordable homes.

Hellesdon Parish Council said residents' average earnings meant local people struggled to get on the property ladder and it objected to Persimmon's plans on the basis that the firm had offered it "no engagement whatsoever".

Councillors are due to decide on the plans next Wednesday.