Florence Fields, off Parkway in Gaywood, will provide 226 new homes close to the centre of King’s Lynn. It will also mark the first council development of homes to higher environmental standards and will see the enhancement of the adjoining nature area.
Council leader, Cllr Terry Parish, said: “This scheme will provide much-needed homes for local people, to meet increasing housing need and demand. We are keen to ensure that our developments have as many benefits as possible for local people and we are continuing to work with our partners to maximise the benefits of this scheme.”
Simon Medler, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “Working in partnership with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, we will be delivering these much-needed homes in King’s Lynn. The name Florence Fields was chosen by students at King’s Lynn Academy and pays homage to World War I veteran Florence Green, who lived in King’s Lynn, while also taking inspiration from the fields and natural beauty in the area which make it a lovely place to call home. These new homes will benefit from being located in a sought-after area while being built with quality in mind and enjoying environmentally friendly features.”
Preparatory work on the development has been going on for some months, getting the area ready for the building work to come. The homes will be built in phases and it is anticipated that the whole development will be complete by early-mid 2027.
The development as currently proposed will provide a mix of housing types and tenures. 15% of the homes will be ‘affordable’ homes, available either for an affordable rent or shared ownership, and at least 20% more are due to be made available for private rental. The remainder will be available for market sale.
A report is due to be considered by Cabinet in October in relation to altering the proportions of the different types of tenure, to increase the amount of homes available for private rental and consider how other requirements, such as local connection, may be implemented.
The scheme will have high environmental standards: all the homes will be heated by air-source heat pumps and have an energy performance rating that exceeds building regulations. All homes will have provision to charge an electric vehicle and solar PV panels will be installed on the majority of homes.
A number of measures have been built into the homes that aim to benefit both the new community of Florence Fields and existing communities in the wider area.
There will be a reduced need for residents to rely on cars to get around, due to the scheme’s proximity to town and the local amenities of Gaywood, and improvements to highways and paths will improve access to town and Gaywood for all.
Next to the new homes a nature reserve will be created, showcasing the biodiversity of the area.
The development will also have local economic benefits as it promotes the use of local suppliers and subcontractors.
