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Locals fear increased traffic from 3,850-home plan

Robby Westin Rackheath
News imageBBC A woman with a black top, long blonde hair standing in front of a cafe. She is smilingBBC
Emma Lincoln works next to where the homes would be and said she thought it would be "a lot for one area"

People in a rapidly expanding village said there needed to be better investment in local roads if plans to build 3,850 homes went ahead.

Taylor Wimpey submitted a revised outline application for its bid to develop the site north of Green Lane West in Rackheath, Norfolk.

Emma Lincoln, 34, works in the village and welcomed the new homes but said "the traffic is going to be horrendous".

The scheme will undergo public consultation before a decision is made by Broadland District Council.

If approved, the development would be built on a former US airbase, now used as agricultural land, and effectively link Rackheath with the village of Salhouse.

It would include land for facilities including two primary schools, a secondary school, orchards, allotments and sports facilities.

Ms Lincoln said: "It is going to be busy.

"Traffic is going to be horrendous, but it is going to be good for business."

News imageTaylor Wimpey A digital drawing of a site plan for a housing project is shown overlaid on a map to illustrate where houses will be built.Taylor Wimpey
The site, highlighted in red, with Rackheath to the south, Salhouse to the east and Wroxham to the north

Paul Newton, 68, has lived in Rackheath most of his life and said he remembered when the area was a "quiet little village".

He said life would be "hell" once the houses were built due to congestion on the roads.

He described the traffic as "crazy" and feared it would only get worse if the new homes went ahead.

News imageA man with a shaved head and a checked shirt pictured in a cafe
"There is houses going up everywhere," Paul Newton said

Ryan Lacey, 33, also works in Rackheath and said "houses were popping up left, right and centre".

He said there were pros and cons to the plans for the new homes.

"It's going to put a lot more pressure on the local area," he said.

News imageTaylor Wimpey A row of six detached new-build houses are shown with pavement, a cycle lane, patches of grass and trees outside them.Taylor Wimpey
An artist's impression of the proposed housing for the North Rackheath site

The housing development forms part of the Greater Norwich Local Plan – a blueprint for 45,000 new homes to be built during the next 15 years.

The county council highways department will be consulted in the planning process and its views are taken into consideration when a decision is made.

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said it had worked with the council and the local community.

"The proposals are supported by a comprehensive package of infrastructure upgrades," they said.

News imageGoogle An image of a bare arable field is shown under bright blue skies, with a grass verge in the foreground and a line of trees in the background.Google
Land south of Stonehouse Road, looking towards Rackheath, could be built on as part of the 3,850-home project

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