Dereham new homes get approval despite concerns

Proposals for 291 homes for Dereham were first put forward five years ago

Hundreds of homes and a new railway bridge have been approved for a town again despite 200 objections.

The proposal for 291 homes in Dereham, Norfolk were first approved in 2018.

Residents expressed concerns about the width of the bridge for lorries and the position of a new link road.

Incorporation into the Breckland Council's updated Local Plan means it had to be approved for a second time, with a commitment to spending about £1.3m on local facilities.

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During Breckland's planning committee debate, Tony Needham, from Dereham Town Council, urged that his council's walking and cycling assessment be considered.

He also said the width of the proposed bridge was a concern, as it would be used by lorries.

However, the county council's highway authority insisted traffic would not lead to an "unacceptable impact on highway safety".

'Rat run'

Local resident Helen Frayer objected to a proposed link road going through the housing site at Toftwood, rather than around it.

But county case officer Rebecca Collins said it would have a 30mph speed limit.

"It's better to have it in the middle because that will slow traffic down - if you push it to the south, its more likely to become the rat run we're worried about," she said.

Councillors required that open spaces were provided and they accepted Section 106 contributions of more than £1.3m towards library, NHS and schools, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The conditions also included a guarantee that 40% of the homes would be affordable.

The housing plan was first approved by the council in 2018, while the Local Plan came into effect last year with the developer's financial contribution finalised just two days before the document was signed off.

Philip Atkinson, of Lanpro which represents the developer Glavenhill Strategic Land, said: "The one change since the original application is that the new Local Plan is now involved."