Westfield Road, Dereham

Our 'Westfield Road' scheme is the first phase of a strategic urban extension of Dereham located immediately to the south of Toftwood and lying between Shipdham Road and Yaxham Road. We are promoting a second phase of 2,000 houses between Shipdham Road and the A47 which is currently a preferred allocation in the emerging Local Plan. 
The site was promoted and allocated in Breckland District Council’s Local Plan adopted in November 2019 for 291 dwellings. In this case the landowner has a very specific interest in the environment and his objectives to ensure significant enhancements to the ecology and improvements to the River Tud have been accounted for in our masterplan. 
The scheme includes provision of a new link road between Shipdham Road and Yaxham Road, open space, recreation space and new roundabout access from Shipdham Road over a total area of approximately 41.3 ha.  
 
We have now secured the following planning permissions for a total of 380 dwellings of which 25% are affordable as follows:-  
 
1. 3PL/2015/1490/O: Original Outline Planning Permission dated 25th June 2020.  
 
‘Residential development for a maximum of 291 dwellings, link roads, open space and recreational space, together with demolition of existing railway bridge 
at Westfield Lane and construction of a replacement two-way railway bridge’.  
 
2. 3PL.2022.0670.D ‘Link Road’ reserved matters approval: dated 9.2.23 for Phase One of the permitted development. 
 
3. 3PL.2022.0671 ‘Shipdham Road Roundabout’ full planning permission approval dated 9.2.23  
 
4. 3PL/2022/1071/O: Outline Planning Application ‘slot in’ for a further 89 dwellings and a Phase 5 bringing the overall total to 380 dwellings. 
 
The scheme benefits from a nutrient credit agreement providing mitigation to achieve nutrient neutrality together with a number of significant ecological enhancements which include new planting, creation of wetland features and wildflower grassland.  
 
Land to the south of the built development is proposed to be reverted from intensively farmed to species rich grasslands for low intensity grazing under a management scheme. As part of this, significant improvements to the River Tud are proposed and we have worked with the Norfolk Rivers Trust to develop a program of works which the Trust will carry out to improve flows within the River Tud and to recreate meanders in the course of the river which over time has become canalised. 
 
One of the significant contributions which this development will provide is the extensive amount of green infrastructure which will be a mixture of formal recreation and open space and natural and semi-natural habitats. These will provide benefit not only to the new residents of the development but also the existing residents, particularly, in the Toftwood area. As well as open spaces there will also be of new footpaths and cycleways for recreational use.