Sheringham locals have voiced their frustrations over new plans to build houses on a playing field.
More than 50 people attended a meeting on Tuesday (August 8) to discuss the proposal for up to 15 affordable homes on Norfolk County Council-owned land off Nelson Road in Sheringham.
Concerns were raised over the lack of access to the site and the potential loss of local amenity space.
The proposed development, which is being discussed by the council and developer Broadland Housing Association, would see one-storey affordable houses built on one acre of the four-acre site, with the rest of the land remaining as green space.
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The project is in its early stages and a planning application has not yet been submitted.
However, the plans have come under fire from locals – with signs being put up on Sheringham’s Nelson Road calling to ‘save the playing field’.
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Councillor Liz Withington, portfolio holder for community, leisure and outreach at North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), who represents the Sheringham North ward, attended Tuesday’s meeting.
She said the land is an exception site, which means the local authority can grant permission to developers to build social, affordable houses.
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“It will be social housing through a registered housing provider for local need,” she said.
“The exception site is used for development when the benefit of social, affordable housing to the community is deemed to be greater than that loss of land.
“Social housing is not viable on prime development land. Although there is land available in Sheringham which is allocated for housing, it is development land which comes at a high premium cost, and therefore affordable housing on those sites is not viable.”
However, Miss Withington said the project still had to go through the planning process and meet guidelines.
“This will give the community the opportunity to present their views, and the points raised by local residents will be considered,” she said.
“Both residents who support and oppose additional social housing in the area will be able to comment.”
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