Inquiry opens into rejected plan for housing estate

A public inquiry has been opened to examine a local authority's decision to reject plans for a housing estate.

Housing provider Bromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL) proposed a £250m plan to demolish and rebuild half of the 1,100 properties on the Abbey Estate in Thetford, Norfolk, and add 500 homes.

Breckland Council refused the application, which would have created new energy-efficient properties, last year.

The inquiry, which is being held in Dereham, will hear evidence over the next five days, before the Planning Inspectorate makes its final decision expected next year.

BFL owns about two-thirds of the properties on the Abbey Estate, with almost all of the others privately owned.

The freehold homes BFL wishes to redevelop would be subject to compulsory purchase orders.

Terry Jermy, the Labour MP for South West Norfolk who grew up in Thetford, told the hearing: "I very much support the community and their concerns about this proposal.

"I want the planning inspector to say, actually they agree that this is not right for the Abbey Estate. Turn down Flagship's application and let's start again.

"If this is approved, it's a 20-year project. There are lots of people who for the remainder of their life are going to be living on a building site."

Fiona Kiane of the Abbey Action Group, which has campaigned against BFL's plans, told the inquiry she had lived on the estate for 25 years and was "very worried" about the possibility of the housing development being approved.

Kiane is among the 550 households whose homes have been earmarked to be demolished as part of BFL's redevelopment plan.

She said she was selling her house to BFL, but had been "offered £20,000 less than it's worth and it's devastating".

"But we're going to try, we're going to fight, we're going to do our very, very best with our personal speeches and our testimonies because at the end of the day it's not just about buildings, it's about people," she added.

BFL and Breckland Council are due to give their evidence to the inquiry from Wednesday.

In an opening statement on behalf of BFL, Charles Banner KC said: "The estate was in desperate need of regeneration."

He added garage sizes were too small for parking modern cars, leading to vehicles being left on kerbsides, there was limited play areas and connectivity between the estate's streets was lacking.

Homes and garage layout had also added to an anti-social behaviour issue, he added.

A "lack of inclusivity" in shared spaces was also presenting a challenge to the elderly, disabled people and children.

"Doing nothing is simply not an option," said Banner.

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