Planning officials are recommending that councillors approve most of the homes at the long-empty Pinebanks site in Thorpe St Andrew, near Norwich.

But officers say councillors should turn down 70 of the homes - because of the impact they would have on near neighbours.

The Pinebanks site(Image: Newsquest)

The application for the site, off Yarmouth Road, splits it into four areas - Pinebanks, Langley North, Langley South and Griffin Lane.

Developers Berliet Ltd has asked Broadland District Council for permission to build 260 homes at Pinebanks, 90 at Langley North, 70 at Langley South and 130 at Griffin Lane.

The Pinebanks site(Image: Stantec)

It comes after the company revised previous plans to reduce the number of homes at the site - once home to Norwich Union's Sports and Social Club - from 725 to 550.

The plans for the site have been in the pipeline for years and have been vociferously opposed by families who live in the area, who say roads and infrastructure cannot cope with such a huge increase in population.

In 2022, families took part in a protest march against the scheme.

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