Weston blames government as it cancels £300 million Norwich scheme

Weston Homes has cancelled plans to redevelop the 4.65 hectare Anglia Square site in Norwich which was set to deliver up to 1,100 new homes, blaming the government for a multitude of issues impacting viability of the scheme and making funding the scheme difficult. The scheme has been eight years in the making.

The firm has gone public on seven key issues which have impacted the £300 million scheme, and which illustrate the multitude of challenges facing the industry. These include planning delays, nutrient neutrality, funding challenges, inflation and the community infrastructure levy. Bob Weston, chairman and managing director of Weston Homes, said: “The core contributor to a lot of the issues in this saga is the Conservative government, which seems to have no understanding of the importance of supporting the housebuilding industry, regional cities and local communities in the UK.”

He added: “I am personally gutted to have to write-off millions of pounds of company investment and not have a new scheme to show at the end of the venture. Weston Homes has bent-over-backwards to make this work and we have worked closely with Norwich City Council and the people of Norwich to try and realise a …