An ambitious vision for a multi-million pound enterprise park near Norwich Airport has been revealed - and would bring more than 1,200 jobs to the city.

Plans to develop a large plot of land off the NDR bordering Horsham St Faith have been in the works for the best part of two years.

A new recycling centre has already been built on the site by Norfolk County Council.

And now a bid to build an enterprise park on land neighbouring the centre has been officially lodged with Broadland Council by Building Partnerships - which promises to create some 1,250 new job vacancies.

The project, called the Broadway Enterprise Park will largely consist of industrial warehouses and offices, but could also include a hotel, a park and ride and a service station with drive-thru takeaways and a petrol station.

The plans were first floated in 2019, with a public exhibition held for members of the public to express their views, which Building Partnerships director Paul Knowles said had helped shape the plan which has ultimately been put forward.

He said: "We are already talking to a variety of potential occupants, which ordinarily wouldn't happen until after planning has been approved but there is real interest in this site, which is positive news.

"We held consultations with neighbours which have led to changes to aspects of the site, including adding additional landscaping and boundary treatments between the site and Horsham St Faith.

"The area is well located for employment use and supports residential development planned for the area - where there are houses you need jobs too."

Kathrin Enenkel, of think tank Centres for Cities, however, said that for the vision to be a success it would need to be able to attract "exporting businesses" and may struggle to compete with the city centre when seeking out occupants.

She said: "I think the more productive the businesses it can attract, the better it will be for Norwich. Normally businesses like this do prefer to be in city centres so this may prove a problem.

"It could be successful, but it really needs to bring exporting business if it is going to help the wider Norwich economy."

Broadland Council will consider the application in due course.

The Evening News says: Bring the investment!

Wouldn't it be brilliant if Norwich could make another dint in its unemployment figures?

An enterprise park like this - should the tenants be right - could bring sustainable, well-paid jobs to the city for generations to come.

The business hub would also be close to two key city infrastructures: the NDR and the Norwich Airport.

This means that the city would be more attractive to outside investment in the longer term.

It's also good news that another route for the public into the city could be created.

As the city looks to go greener more park and rides will be a welcome addition as Norwich folk look to cut their emissions.

It could work both ways too - should there be people living in any of the new homes being built in the city centre they could commute out to the zone without taking the car out of the car park.