South East King's Lynn housing project moves forward with option agreement in place

The South East King's Lynn Strategic Growth Area (Growth Area) is a site made up of land in mixed ownership. The Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk has been working with landowners to establish collaboration agreements so that the land, identified in the Local Plan, can be brought forward for housing development.

Landowner Tharros Ltd and the borough council have signed an option agreement which means the borough council could purchase their land, or pass on the option to purchase their land to another party. The council acquired the option as part of its commitment to enable and encourage development in the Growth Area. Without this agreement, uncertainty over that parcel of land could have jeopardised the whole development area.

Cllr Richard Blunt, Cabinet Member for Development, said: "Officers and legal advisers have been working hard to secure this agreement which, during negotiations, was subject to a non-disclosure agreement. Now it is in place I am delighted that we are able to announce what has been achieved. This means we can now progress with the wider collaboration agreements. Having this option and collaboration agreements in place is crucial to us being considered for central government funding for infrastructure, such as the MRN funding bid that Norfolk County Council have submitted to the Department for Transport for the West Winch Housing Access Road. The agreements could open up opportunities to lever in other funding in the future."

Meetings are taking place today with landowners and stakeholders, including parish councils and ward councillors, to advise them of this significant development.

In summary, the agreement means:

• The borough council now has a direct interest in making sure that the Growth Area is a success.
• The borough council is subject to the same constraints in viability as other landowners and developers, ensuring that all parties need to be realistic and practical about costs and demands on the development
• It provides an added impetus to bringing the Growth Area forward in a timely way

The option agreement with Tharros covers the next 20 years, during which time the borough council could exercise the option to purchase the land. It does not commit the council to purchasing the land.

The land covered by the agreement is located at the southern end of the allocated Growth Area. It fronts the A10 and will be bounded to east by the new West Winch Housing Access Road. The northern boundary is Chequers Lane.