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Plans lodged for 432 rental homes on office site

Laura DevlinNorfolk
News imageBroadway Malyan An artistic impression of a block of flats, viewed from the side. A path trhough green space with grass and trees leads to a central covered lobby area, surrounded by floor to ceiling windows. It is flanked by two tower blocks with eight-storeys of windows, with balconies on each storey. Broadway Malyan
The new community would include a central pavilion entrance

A former 1970s office block site could become a "highly sustainable, world-class" development of 432 rental homes, according to plans.

Family homes, green space and retail and business units are proposed for Queens Road in Norwich, following the demolition of the Marsh building earlier this year.

The plans have been submitted by Norwich Victoria Limited, which claimed a community so close to the city centre would ease traffic, boost footfall and be "transformational" for St Stephens Street.

A temporary car park already occupies the flattened site to generate revenue for the scheme.

Describing the Marsh building as a "monolithic and linear", the plans state the development would be perpendicular to Queens Road, to open up views and maximise daylight, with a new street where pedestrians have priority.

News imageAndrew Turner/BBC A large rectangular concrete office block with at least eight storeys, with rows of windows on each floor. It looks out on to an overgrown green space with long grass, shubbery and trees Andrew Turner/BBC
The Marsh site had been empty for more than two years

Green spaces would create the feel of "buildings within a park", it added, with a central pavilion acting as the main entrance to the scheme.

The site's five main tower blocks of eight and nine storeys - which do not exceed the height of the old building - would face Queens Road, and could include a cinema room, gym, co-working area, lounge and events room.

Five slightly shorter blocks would adjoin them at the back, with the new road through the site separating them from three- and four-storey townhouses.

A business unit and a block for "flexible use", such as a cafe, would be located near St Stephens roundabout.

News imageBroadway Malyan An artistic impression, looking down a street flanked by new-build housing. To the left, a long red brick block of flats is about six storeys high and continues out of view. On the opposite side of the street are shorter red brick terraced townhouses with green-framed dormer windows on the green roofs. Four trees and about 10 people are on the street in various groupings, with the clearest being a woman walking away, pushing a pushchair, with a young boy holding the side. Broadway Malyan
A new road would provide some of the site's limited car parking for residents

Most homes would have two bedrooms (35.1%), with only 3.9% having three. A quarter of the site would be taken up by studio flats, where the living areas would be in one space.

There would be 60 car parking spaces, with the emphasis on pedestrians, public transport and cycling - with 622 secure cycle spaces included.

Regarding the impact on existing homes in Victoria Street, at the back of the site, the plans state it is "unlikely to significantly affect daylight and sunlight", with further evaluation required.

The plans are expected to be considered by Norwich City Council in the new year.

News imageBroadway Malyan An artistic impression of four tower blocks of flats, side by side and viewed from across a street. The frontage of each block is a green/grey colour and they are covered in windows. The lower floors are obscured by a row of trees on the roadside. Cars pass left to right and right to left on the road, with a woman and child and woman and man walking on the near pavement, to the right of the imageBroadway Malyan
The larger blocks would look out towards Queens Road and Norwich bus station

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