Village to increase in size by more than a quarter

Two housing schemes that will increase the size of a rural village by more than a quarter have been unanimously approved by a council.

More than 240 homes will be built in Martham in the Norfolk Broads, which is currently home to about 3,800 people.

Broadland Housing will construct 176 homes, 51 of which will be affordable, on farmland off Repps Road and Rising Way. Crimson Developments will create 65 affordable homes off Staithe Road.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council said there was a "desperate need" for affordable housing in the area.

Broadland will also build a new roundabout in the area and Crimson has acquired land for the local scouting group to replace land that will form part of the development.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service some villagers said it would turn their community “into a town”.

More than 100 people complained that services such as doctor surgeries and schools, would struggle to cope with the growing population.

Bernard Williamson, a Labour councillor for Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: "I am very pleased to see that more affordable housing will be built in the northern villages.

"There has always been a desperate need for this type of development."

Noel Galer, a Conservative councillor, said: "There are many good points about these applications but one of our aims is to reduce the need to travel for work.

"There are few employment opportunities around, where will they come from?"

Tony Wright, a Labour councillor, said: "This is an issue that needs to be looked at in the future but this is an exceptional scheme that helps to deliver our housing needs."

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