Decision on Thetford Abbey Estate redevelopment postponed

Breckland Council has confirmed a decision on the proposals for the Abbey Estate in Thetford has been postponed. 

The redevelopment of the 1,100-home estate would take place in phases over two decades and include the demolition and rebuild of hundreds of houses along with the construction of up to 500 new properties. 

While an application was submitted several months ago, it will not be determined until well into next year as discussions continue between council officers and the developers, Flagship Group. 

The Abbey Estate in Thetford (Image: Sonya Duncan) This comes as Breckland Council's planning department is facing a huge backlog in applications dating back more than a month due to issues with its computer software.

This has resulted in long delays that will require council officials to request extra time to work through existing applications.

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However, the authority has pointed the finger at Flagship for the setbacks in this instance - and says the extended timeline is necessary while it awaits further information from the group. 

The project is highly controversial and has been widely opposed by locals, who say it will "tear the community apart".

The Abbey Estate in Thetford (Image: Sonya Duncan)A spokesman for Flagship Group said: "This initial extension allows us to work further with the council to agree on the timeframe needed to submit the necessary information, complete the re-consultation, and await a decision.

"In the meantime, we remain committed to keeping the community informed and engaged. To date, we’ve issued quarterly newsletters and sent letters to those directly impacted in phase one, including residents within the phase one boundary.

"Looking ahead, we’re planning more detailed conversations in the new year and will continue to maintain our presence at the Abbey to ensure we’re accessible and available to the community."