Bromford Flagship’s £250m estate regeneration in Norfolk rejected amid opposition from residents

Dave Armstrong, chief operating officer at Bromford Flagship, said the landlord was “naturally disappointed”, but that it fully respected the decision.

“We’ve heard that change is needed, and we remain committed to working with the council and the community to make that happen,” he added.

The Abbey Estate was built in the late 1960s as part of a major expansion of Thetford, and includes over 800 houses and 143 flats in low-rise blocks, alongside 58 bungalows. 

Bromford Flagship, which owns over 60% of the homes on the estate, submitted an outline planning application to the council last year to improve existing homes and replace properties in poor condition. 

A quarter of the 500 new homes would have been affordable, with a mix of tenures including affordable rent and shared ownership, as well as a new community hub with green space and new cycling routes.

A report by Breckland Council planning officers recommended approval, pointing to “significant benefits” such as the delivery of new housing and improvements to the existing properties.

The officers’ report pointed to issues with the current estate, which was built to Radburn principles, with houses built around cul-de-sacs facing each other. These issues included cars parking on front verges on the street, anti-social behaviour, poor connectivity and “poor-quality” housing stock.

However, officers did note the “significant local opposition” from residents and said there could be “social unrest” during development. 

The planning application drew 193 objections from local residents and a petition was also received with 1,184 names.

Among the objections were concerns that overall the scheme would lead to a net loss in social housing on the estate, as well as overdevelopment of the site and loss of green space for play.

The estate has been earmarked for redevelopment since 2019 when Flagship Housing, before its merger with Bromford, announced plans for a major revamp. 

In 2023, the landlord signed a memorandum with Breckland Council and Norfolk County Council to work together to create “meaningful change and improvements”. Breckland Council was approached for comment.

The document highlights how the work would address the housing stock condition, which has “deteriorated as it has aged”, and the sustainability and viability of housing provided on the estate.

Mr Armstrong added: “The Abbey matters to us because the people who live there matter. Our aim remains the same: to improve homes, green spaces and community facilities in a way that reflects what people want.

“We’ll take time now to understand the reasons behind the decision, listen to what’s been said and explore how we move forward together.”

Bromford and Flagship completed their merger to form an 80,000-home association in February this year. The housing association is now in talks with LiveWest to form a new landlord named Bromford Flagship LiveWest.