Marriott's Park in Taverham near Norwich gets approval

Marriott’s Park will have more than 1,500 homes along with space for a primary school, GP surgery and shops.

The development has been approved by Broadland District Council and will be built on land near Thorpe Marriott.

But the plans have drawn criticism from local leaders who are angry that they do not guarantee the medical facility or the Norwich Western Link road will go ahead.

County councillor for Taverham and Thorpe Marriott, Stuart Clancy, said: "We cannot abandon infrastructure and jobs for the sake of homes, and these should be guaranteed before large-scale housing is approved.”

Images suggest what the development could look like (Image: Brown & Co)

THE PLANS FOR MARRIOTT'S PARK

Scott Properties applied in late 2021 to Broadland District Council for planning permission for 1,530 new homes on the edge of Thorpe Marriott, off Fir Covert Road and Reepham Road near Taverham Nursery Centre.

The scheme includes a care home, as well as land for a primary school, a medical or community centre, shops, pubs and takeaways.

There will also be space for allotments and a multi-use games area.

The development will be on 193 acres of land between Thorpe Marriott and the NDR which was allocated as part of the Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP).

Under the GNLP 45,000 homes are set to be built in locations in and around Norwich by 2038

READ MORE: School and GP surgery to be built before houses on 1,500-home development

Speaking last year, Martin Scott, Scott Properties managing director, promised that vital infrastructure would be built early on in the project.

"THIS IS A BAD DECISION"

Councillors representing Taverham and Thorpe Marriott have criticised Broadland District Council for approving the plans without guaranteeing the necessary infrastructure is in place.

When plans were initially put forward Conservative councillors Stuart Clancy and Ken Kelly objected on the grounds that the plans for a doctor's surgery and the Norwich Western Link Road were not concrete.

Councillor Stuart Clancy (Image: Broadland District Council)

Now Cllr Clancy said: "My position on this is even more robust.

"This is a dreadful decision on the basis that there is effectively no guarantee that the necessary infrastructure will be delivered.

"The bedrock of the GNLP is housing, infrastructure and jobs.

"We cannot abandon infrastructure and jobs for the sake of homes, and these should be guaranteed before large-scale housing is approved.

"There is no guarantee of NHS funding, which is essential to equip and resource staff for a medical centre facility.

Fir Covert Road will border the development on one side (Image: Denise Bradley)

"There are two medical centres in Taverham, both of which are oversubscribed, and there is no concrete plan to deliver this enhanced provision.

"If the Norwich Western Link Road doesn't go ahead, thousands more vehicles will be accessing the NDR through Taverham and Thorpe Marriott.

"I am not against the building of more housing, but I will oppose it when it will be detrimental to an already established community.

"Approval should not have been given until the infrastructure was absolutely concrete.

"I am extremely surprised that members have supported it and I am pushing for other councillors to oppose the plans."

Councillor Ken Kelly (Image: Kenneth Kelly)

Cllr Kelly added: "I am wholeheartedly behind the building of new homes but it is not fair for new people to move into the area and not have access to a primary school, medical centre, or decent roads that can cope with the influx of vehicles.

"If the Norwich Western Link Road doesn't go ahead, thousands of cars will be travelling around the area each day.

"There will be a bottleneck with the traffic trying to get to the NDR and Reepham Road will become a hotspot for rat running.

The land earmarked for development next to Fir Covert Road (Image: Denise Bradley)

"We need to get the infrastructure in place before these homes are built. 

"I am bitterly opposed to the development until the infrastructure is in place."

Liberal Democrat councillor for Taverham North, Tony Yousefian, agrees.

He said: "I am for the development - there is a country-wide shortage of housing, especially affordable housing.

Cllr Tony Yousefian (Image: Broadland Lib Dems)

"The issue I have is that Marriott's Park is a massive development which will be a huge increase in the number of properties and people.

"There is no way the village could cope with this unless the right infrastructure is in place first.

"It would make the area very hard to live in otherwise."

Taverham Parish Council has raised some concerns with the current plans for the development.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "We are welcoming the development, which will bring new homes and employment to the area.

"However, we do have concerns about the impact that additional traffic will have on local roads in the Norwich Western Link doesn't go ahead."