Norwich Colman's site: Up to 4,000 new homes form part of redevelopment plan

Unilever decided to switch its Carrow Works operations to Staffordshire and Germany

Up to 4,000 homes could be built as part of a £25m blueprint on how a city can recover from lockdown and the loss of its nationally-famous mustard factory, economic planners said.

Norwich City Council is hoping to work with private firms to develop the former Colman's Carrow Works site.

The council aims to bring in £25m of investment into the regeneration plan.

Over the last few months the council has met with landowners, agents and developers for the sites.

• City mustard factory closing down after 160 years

• Work under way on new mustard factory

• Colman's factory closure confirmed

Labour leader of the council Alan Waters said: "Partnership working has been and will continue to be a vital part of our Covid-19 recovery, so I'm delighted we can now press ahead with plans to revitalise this hugely important area of the city.

"We are at an early stage in the planning process, but I'm confident that we have done the ground work and have the right people in place to move this ambition forward and transform these disused sites in east Norwich into an outstanding place to live, work and visit."

Unilever made the closure announcement in 2018, after Britvic's decision to close its factory on the same site

Colman's workers were photographed leaving work to go home in about 1910

Called the East Norwich Partnership, the site covers about 50 hectares (120 acres) and, as well as the Carrow Works site, extends to the Deal Ground - disused industrial land on the south eastern fringe of Norwich.