Harleston will need big improvements to deal with influx of residents if development is approved, warns council chariman

Harleston will need big improvements to its infrastructure if plans to build hundreds of new homes are approved, it has been warned.

A planning application for 354 homes, a 91-unit care home and 16 extra care bungalows at Briar Farm, in Mendham Lane, was submitted to South Norfolk Council last month.

Trevor Graham, chairman of Harleston Town Council, said that the authority had concerns about the proposed development, which could see the town’s population potentially swell by 1,000 people.

Speaking to Park Radio on Friday, Cllr Graham said more infrastructure must be completed ahead of the development if public facilities and services are to cope with such a big influx.

He said: “There will be [some pressure on local infrastructure]. We have the same concerns as our residents and we will produce a detailed response.

“We’re aware that the infrastructure is at capacity. The doctors’ surgery is always mentioned as a concern, [as well as] the schools. There’s a formula for building new schools or additional capacity depending on the number of new homes.

“I personally feel that we definitely need more school places and we can’t wait for the completion of the new homes before we have improvements to the infrastructure.

“We’ll be asking how we can get the improvements earlier in the process.”

He promised that the council would hold a public consultation to hear the concerns of residents before submitting a detailed response to the planning authority.