Getting ready for a housing boom
The Norwich urban area is set for one of the biggest increases in homes across the East of England region with up to 27,000 new homes expected in the next 20 years.
Naomi Canton and Lewis Hannam ask whether Norwich and surrounding communities can cope with the influx of new families.
The deputy leader of Norwich has called for a new town to be built near the city to soak up the expected 26,000 to 27,000 homes being planned for the area.
Hereward Cooke says the annual demand for 2,000-plus new homes in the Norwich urban area, driven by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is the equivalent of a new Dussindale being built every year.
He told the Evening News schools were already at bursting point and doctors and dentist surgeries were also under pressure.
"It is not just the 26,000 new homes, but also all the support facilities," he said.
"What we really need is to get the development of housing and jobs. We can't have one without the other. The infrastructure is creaking. The planners will have to make proper provision for roads.
"There may be a case for building a new town somewhere in Norfolk. The trouble is that central government tends to direct and we have to conform."
He added: "We do need more houses. We have a waiting list for 3,000 council tenants."
Of the 10 counties in the current East of England region, Norwich is set for the biggest increase in homes.
It could mean nearly 100,000 new people moving into the city and surrounding communities, like Cringleford, Costessey, Sprowston and Trowse.
Across Norfolk 72,600 new homes will be built, despite an agreement between the local authorities that only 68,000 were needed by 2020.
The draft strategic plan, put together by the East of England Regional Assembly, will go out to public consultation over Christmas.
But it is unlikely to contain details of where any new pockets of housing would go.
Currently Norwich is a city enjoying more than £1 billion worth of investment, including numerous housing schemes.
About 500 homes are being built on the former Norfolk and Norwich Hospital site in a £50 million initiative, and hundreds more homes are being built or in the planning stages for along the Wensum corridor.
But Mr Cooke said it was difficult to see where more homes could be built in the city.
"The city is fast running out of brownfield sites. I suspect there will be outcries of dismay if green spaces are built over. It's going to put increasing pressure on the greenfield sites.
"I hope that this is a consultation document rather than a decision on high. We (the city council) do want to have a say about the number of new homes that we can accommodate in the Norwich area and I suspect it would be considerably less than 26,000."
Sam Ralph, director of planning and transportation at Norfolk County Council, said the strategic plan was a broad picture of how Norfolk would develop by 2020.
He said: "The county council will continue to seek Government funding for schools, roads and other amenities through the normal process.
"As always developers will have to contribute towards infrastructure, schools and other amenities when they build new developments."
Janice Bradfield, spokeswoman for Norfolk Primary Care Trusts, added they wanted to be involved with the planning process about projected population growth.
A spokesman for Norwich Primary Care Trust said the planning authorities would look into the provision of schools and health services as part of the overall planning process.
Labour leader on the city council Steve Morphew said he supported calls for affordable housing and welcomed the news.
At least 30 per cent of new housing developments with 25 homes or more should be set aside for affordable housing.
"I believe the houses will go to places like Thorpe St Andrew, Drayton and Taverham.
"I would be surprised if there was not the demand for that number of houses. There is a huge demand for housing in Norwich. Every day we get calls from people looking for council homes in Norwich area.
"We would support the notion there should be more affordable housing built in the city."
He stressed they did not want to see expensive homes built in the city, but properties to cater for the needs of people in the lower spectrum, on lower wages.
Meanwhile Labour colleague Nick Williams, shadow spokesman for housing at the city council, said he believed infill developments would help meet the housing targets.
"People are desperate for new homes. There are so many people on the waiting lists. This is because there are more and more single people. The Government is say there is this need because of projections of population growth."
The last census, in 2001, showed there had been a seven per cent increase in Norfolk's population.
Ian Findlater, managing director of builders May Gurney, said there was a need to "get the balance right".
"There are certain areas this can happen without destroying the character of Norwich and the greater Norwich area.
"Some of it will need substantial development, so we should optimise the potential of the land.
"Norwich is booming, in terms of housing. It is the capital of the region. It's connections are improving in terms of rail and road, and there is the airport and Great Yarmouth port which are expanding."
Norwich Evening News 24 , 9th October 2004
