Housing estate demolition plan to be reviewed

The housing association behind plans to partially demolish a housing estate in Thetford, Norfolk, has appealed to the planning inspectorate after the project was refused planning permission.

The Thetford Abbey Estate was built in the 1960s.

The developer Bromford Flagship LiveWest's scheme was rejected by Breckland Council in October 2025.

The Planning Inspectorate has validated its application to appeal and has set a preliminary date for public hearings on the project for 3 November.

Bromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL) wants to spend £250m demolishing almost half of the 1,100 properties, and also build 500 more houses on the estate.

The South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy has opposed the plans and campaigned with some local residents for them to be turned down.

BFL owns 66% of the homes, which were originally built as council-owned housing while many others are privately owned.

It said it would continue to support its residents while the appeal was ongoing.

A spokesperson said: "The appeal process doesn't change anything about our day-to-day commitment to the homes and the people in them.

"The appeal is about the future of the Abbey Estate, not about whether we look after these homes in the meantime".

Breckland Council was asked for a comment.

The Planning Inspectorate said it was seeking further information about the application from interested parties ahead of a case management meeting in July.

It confirmed a planning inspector had been assigned to the case and hearings were planned for 3 November.

Developers can appeal planning decisions if they believe a decision has not been made in accordance with an area's local plan.

A local plan is a document drawn up by local councils that describes how an area will develop in the coming decades.

This includes deciding what land is used for housing, businesses, and green spaces.

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