Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Site

  • The site is located to the east of Besthorpe, immediately south of Bickley Close and north of Silver Street. It is currently in agricultural use and is bordered by existing residential properties. The site forms a natural edge to the settlement and sits within walking and cycling distance of Attleborough town centre.

  • The land is currently used for agricultural purposes. It does not contain any buildings and is primarily open grassland with boundary hedgerows and trees.

  • The site represents a logical and sustainable location for growth in Besthorpe. It is directly adjacent to existing residential development and benefits from established connections into Attleborough.

    Attleborough town centre is approximately 1.5 kilometres away and provides a wide range of shops, schools, healthcare services, leisure facilities and community amenities. The railway station offers direct connections to Norwich, Cambridge, Ely and Peterborough, with onward links to London.

    Given its relationship to the existing settlement and proximity to services and public transport, the site is well placed to accommodate sensitively designed residential development.

Planning Context

  • The site is not currently allocated. However, it has previously been promoted through the Local Plan process.

    Importantly, Breckland District Council cannot currently demonstrate a full five-year supply of deliverable housing land. The most recent housing land supply assessment (December 2025) shows a supply of approximately 2.82 years against a requirement of 920 homes per year.

    In these circumstances, national planning policy places significant weight on sustainable and deliverable sites that can help address the shortfall in housing supply.

  • The Local Plan identifies a Sustainable Urban Extension to deliver approximately 4,000 homes over the longer term. However, it is important that housing needs are also met in the short to medium term.

    The site south of Bickley Close is capable of coming forward more quickly than larger strategic allocations and has fewer delivery constraints. Bringing forward deliverable sites like this helps address the current shortfall in housing supply, including the provision of affordable housing, without waiting for longer-term schemes to be built out.

  • Yes. Although the site is not within the defined boundary of the Attleborough Neighbourhood Plan, the Plan covers part of Besthorpe parish and promotes principles such as green corridors, open space provision and the integration of sustainable drainage.

    These principles have informed the evolution of the proposals, particularly the landscape-led approach and the emphasis on open space and biodiversity.

The Proposals

  • An outline planning application will be submitted to Breckland District Council.

    This establishes whether residential development is acceptable in principle and agrees the access arrangement. The detailed design, layout, scale and landscaping will be determined at a later stage through reserved matters applications.

  • As this is an outline application, the detailed design is not yet finalised. However, the proposals will be shaped by the surrounding context.

  • There is no fixed housing mix at this outline stage. However, the site can accommodate a range of house types and sizes to meet different needs, including family homes and potentially smaller properties.

    The final mix will be informed by local housing need evidence and agreed with the Council at the reserved matters stage.

Highways and Access

  • A Transport Assessment is being undertaken to evaluate the potential impact of the development on the local transport network, including capacity, congestion, and highway safety. Initial work undertaken shows that there will be no issues with capacity, congestion or safety.  

    Based on industry-standard Trip Rate Information Computer System (TRICS) data, approximately 58 two-way trips are expected during morning and evening peak hours.

  • Good pedestrian and cycle connections will connect Besthorpe with Attleborough. These connections will help improve accessibility and encourage sustainable travel choices.

  • Yes. A Travel Plan Framework will accompany the planning application. This will set out measures to reduce reliance on single-occupancy car travel and promote walking, cycling and public transport use.

Landscaping and Ecology

  • Existing trees and hedgerows will be retained wherever possible and protected during construction.

Flooding and Drainage

  • The site lies within Flood Zone 1, which is the lowest flood risk category.

  • Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) will be incorporated into the design, including attenuation basins and controlled discharge features. These measures are designed to manage surface water responsibly and ensure that runoff rates do not exceed existing conditions.

    Engagement has also taken place with Anglian Water as part of the technical assessment process.

Impact on Near Neighbours

  • Yes. The relationship between the proposed development and existing homes has been carefully considered.

    Many properties along Bickley Close are set back from the road and include bungalows and other low-rise buildings. Development along this boundary is expected to reflect this character, helping to maintain a sensitive relationship with neighbouring homes.

Construction and Delivery

  • The project is currently at the outline planning stage. If planning permission is granted, reserved matters applications would follow before construction could begin.

  • A Construction Management Plan would be agreed with Breckland District Council prior to works commencing. This would manage matters such as construction traffic routes, working hours, noise control and site management to minimise disruption to neighbouring residents.