Land deal setback stalls 3,500-home scheme

48 minutes ago

Owen SennittNorfolk

News image — There are plans to build hundreds of homes on the sites but the project has stalled

Norwich City Council An artist's impression shows houses next to a tree-lined river, with people walking and cycling past — There are plans to build hundreds of homes on the sites but the project has stalled

A landowner has failed to secure a deal to sell key plots of land needed to build 3,500 homes in a derelict corner of Norwich, it has emerged.

Serruys Property Company had been in negotiations with Homes England over the potential sale of the former May Gurney and Deal Ground sites on the edge of Norwich.

The area forms a key part of a wider Norwich City Council regeneration project with Homes England, which bought the neighbouring former Colman's mustard factory site this year.

It comes as plans to demolish the mustard factory buildings to build the first phase of 300 homes have been lodged with the council.

Google Maps A Google Maps image shows the entrance to the May Gurney site, an empty industrial area with office buildings. — The former May Gurney depot is among the sites earmarked for development

A spokesperson for Homes England said it had been "unable to agree terms with the owners" to secure the land, near Whitlingham Country Park.

It includes the former depot and offices in neighbouring Trowse of engineering firm May Gurney, which used to have responsibility for maintaining the Norfolk Broads.

The site was closed in 2017, after the firm was bought by Kier Group.

The wider Deal Ground plot is an extensive area of disused former industrial land and buildings.

The northern part includes a Grade II listed brick bottle kiln, which the council has said is in a poor state of repair.

The land also includes the Victorian Grade II listed Trowse Pumping Station, which is on Norwich's Buildings at Risk Register and suffered a fire in 2023.

Homes England A satellite photo shows the East Norwich regeneration area. Several sites are bordered with a yellow line and numbered. — The proposed development is part of the East Norwich regeneration area

Outline planning permission for 670 homes was granted in 2013 but progress towards the next stage of approval, which confirms details such as the design and layout, has stalled.

An architect has also since been consulted to investigate how the number of homes could be increased from 670 to 1,650 units.

The project is facing issues due to objections from the Environment Agency over flood risks.

In May, an extension – the third requested since plans were lodged in 2023 – was agreed, giving the developer until the end of the year to progress the application.

The developer has been approached for comment.

The May Gurney and Deal Ground sites form part of a wider regeneration project, known as East Norwich.

It was once the industrial heartland of the city but now much of the area is derelict.

While plans to build homes there are stalling, other parts of the project are continuing at pace.

Homes England bought the former mustard and Robinsons squash factory, known as Carrow Works, in March.

Norwich City Council An old factory shed can be seen inside the Carrow Works — Old factory sheds will be demolished to make way for 30 homes

It has applied to demolish some of the old buildings there to make way for the first phase of 300 homes, which could be ready by 2029.

Lucy Galvin, Green Party leader of Norwich City Council, said: "This is a necessary step to take in our journey to build new homes for local people on the former Colman's factory site and, in our long-term vision to regenerate East Norwich and make it an exemplar of waterside living."

The council said environmental safeguards would be in place to prevent the demolition work from affecting local residents, protected buildings and the health of the River Wensum and its wildlife.