Plans for an extra 89 homes to be “slotted in” to a development already planned to contain 291 homes have been lodged.

If approved by Breckland Council, the scheme would see a total of 380 homes set to be built on the southern edge of Toftwood, in Dereham.

The proposed 89 homes would be built on a patch of intensively-farmed arable land, accessed via a new link road running from Shipdham Road to Westfield Lane.

Some 23 of the homes are proposed to be classed as affordable, with the remaining 66 set for market rates.

In a statement, the developer’s agent insisted that there would be an appropriate amount of green open space for the residents of the new homes to enjoy, because the existing scheme for 291 new homes was already planned to include “an over-provision of space”.

The agent said that Dereham Town Council - who have no power to decide on the application but are required to give their views on it - had expressed concern about the impact the 89 new homes could have on parents dropping off and collecting their children from the nearby Toftwood Infant and Junior Schools.

To address this concern, the developer has suggested creating a specially-designed ‘drop-off’ point on the edge of the 89-home extension.

A flood-risk assessment of the site has found that it is at low risk.

The application to build 291 houses on land off Shipdham Road, Westfield Road and Westfield Lane, was first proposed in 2015.

Despite widespread opposition, it was given the green light in 2018.

Breckland Council's planning committee approved the scheme for a second time in 2020 after the developer, Glavenhill Strategic Land, made guarantees over affordable homes, open spaces and funding for healthcare and education.

Details were only recently submitted for the link road that is due to be built as part of the project.

Breckland Council is due to issue a decision on whether to approve in principle the extra 89 homes by December 21. More detailed plans will then have to be submitted for approval before the development can be built.

The initial plans can be seen by searching for planning reference 3PL/2022/1071/O at www.breckland.gov.uk/planning/search