New housing bid for old Swaffham school site
Proposals to build new homes on a former village school site near Swaffham will go before councillors next week.
Officials have recommended that the outline plan for eight homes on land once occupied by the old Necton First School is approved at a Breckland Council planning committee meeting on Monday.
But local representatives say they fear the development could make existing traffic problems round the village’s current primary school even worse.
A report published ahead of the meeting said Necton’s parish council had objected, commenting: “Three new residential accesses along School Road, immediately opposite the existing school gates will add to traffic congestion at school times and increase the risk to child safety.”
The council has also raised concerns about drainage issues and what it felt was the “poor design” of the proposed homes.
But county roads officials have not objected to the plans, subject to the imposition of conditions relating to access and visibility.
Planning officers also pointed out that the site is covered by an earlier outline permission and said the current plans suggested the number of homes proposed could be accommodated.
They added: “ the application is in all respects considered acceptable at outline stage