Information on Potential Housing Development at East Anglian Way, Gorleston
As a housing provider, the Council recognises the importance of delivering more council housing to provide high-quality homes for local people. The Council owns the former allotment land at East Anglian Way and has been awarded funding from central government to carry out site investigations to establish whether the land is suitable for housing development.
We believe that the site at East Anglian Way could offer an excellent opportunity to deliver a sheltered housing scheme of one- and two-bedroom bungalows for older people.
Any scheme would be designed to be accessible and adaptable, enabling older people to live independently within their local communities where they feel safe and supported. This would help to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing for older people in our borough.
Housing developed here may also provide a high-quality option for older single people or couples who wish to downsize, freeing up much-needed family homes nearby.
Traffic considerations
We understand that East Anglian Way can become busy due to traffic to and from the nearby school at drop-off and pick-up times.
Any development of the site would provide an opportunity to address this, and a priority in the design process will be finding ways to reduce congestion, improve safety, and make travel safer for children and families.
Environmental considerations
We are acutely aware of local residents' concerns about the potential impact any changes to this land could have on wildlife.
The Council has appointed an ecologist to carry out detailed surveys and assessments and to produce a report on habitats and wildlife on the site. An arboriculturalist has also been appointed to survey the trees.
The work of both the ecologist and arboriculturalist will take several months to complete.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BMG)
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a legal requirement within the planning system. It requires any new development to deliver at least a 10% improvement in biodiversity compared with what was there before.
How is "better for nature" measured?
Nature is measured using biodiversity units - a scoring system that considers:
The size of the habitat
The quality of the habitat
The type of habitat
These scores are calculated using a standard government tool used across England, ensuring that biodiversity is measured consistently everywhere.
If housing development goes ahead, the law requires the Council, as the developer, to replace any habitats that are lost and to improve them by at least 10%.
This can be achieved by purchasing off-site credits to fund habitat improvements elsewhere. However, our aspiration is to avoid this and instead deliver all improvements at East Anglian Way and within its immediate area.
The BNG assessment will be carried out alongside the ecology and arboriculture surveys.
How can I get involved or share my views?
It is still very early in the process. Developing plans for sites like this can take years, especially where there are complex environmental and community considerations.
We will not produce any designs until the surveys are completed and analysed. These will help us understand how many homes could be built and where they could be located on the site.
Later in the year, once more is known, we will hold formal public consultation events, both online and in person. These will give residents the opportunity to view the proposals, ask questions, and share their views before any planning application is submitted.
