Developer pulls out of 4,000 home project

A housing firm has pulled out of the first part of a 4,000 home project, two years after it was given the go-ahead for the development.

Hopkins Homes was due to start building 1,100 homes on land at West Winch near King's Lynn before the end of this year.

King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council (KLWNBC) said changes in developer were "relatively common" and that the planning permission remains with the land.

Simon Nash, an Independent councillor for West Winch, said the authority could not force the developer to build the new homes.

The initial plan for 1,100 homes is part of a wider scheme to build 4,000 homes.

Hopkins Homes was given outline planning permission for the scheme in August 2024.

It was anticipated detailed applications for homes would be submitted to KLWNBC, but that has not happened.

Nash said stakeholders had met on 23 February and been told by planning officers that they had not heard from Hopkins Homes "yet" but were not given the impression that the builder was no longer involved.

"The council have done all they can do." said Nash.

"Now it is up to the private sector to take over.

"There are market forces at work here and we can't force them to build."

A spokesperson for the developers told the BBC: "Hopkins Homes is no longer involved in the West Winch development, as the project is no longer part of its current portfolio."

They did not confirm when the decision was made or the reasons behind it.

In a statement KLWNBC said "As the local planning authority our role is to support the planning process; as such who the developer is and when they choose to proceed with development is a matter for them and the landowners.

"Changes of developer are relatively common in the development industry and do not necessarily have any impact on progress.

"The planning permission sits with the land and can be picked up by another developer."

An access road costing £109m connected to the house building project, is currently being built by Norfolk County Council (NCC).

The West Winch access road is a two-mile (3.5km) link between the A47 and the A10.

Graham Plant the councillor responsible for highways at NCC said "This news does not affect our plans for the housing access road and, indeed, it's important that we continue to make good progress with it."

The road project is being discussed by NCC cabinet members at a meeting on 3 March.

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