Norfolk County Council voted in favour of moving ahead with developer Geranium’s application to develop the former Delhi golf course.
In the application process for Geranium’s draft plan, 192 conditions must be addressed before the project can advance. Some councillors viewed the extensive list of conditions as a potential warning sign. However, Mayor Amy Martin had a different perspective. She believed that the numerous conditions were reassuring, as they ensure that the developers have a substantial amount of work to complete before construction begins. According to Mayor Martin, this guarantees that the development will meet the highest possible standards.
Councillor Columbus, who voted against the application, expressed sadness over the development’s divisive impact on the local community, straining relationships among neighbors and friends. He highlighted several key concerns:
- The development features only a single road for access, potentially leading to traffic and safety issues.
- There is no land allocated for a school within the development, raising concerns about future educational infrastructure.
- The affordability of the housing is questionable, with the cheapest townhouse priced at $650,000, which may not be accessible for many potential buyers.
These points reflect the significant reservations held by some members of the community and the council regarding the proposed development. Despite these concerns, the vote to approve the application was successful.
Mayor Amy Martin concluded by stating that, following the urban boundary expansion in Delhi, it would have been mere politicking not to pass the application in some form. She emphasized that the application includes considerable community benefits, thanks to the input from many area residents.
Written by Jeremy Hall