Residents concerned about the future development of Attleborough are being invited to attend a public meeting next week. Attleborough Town Council is arranging the meeting about the Local Development Framework (LDF) which will act as the blueprint for the town's development over the next 20 years.

Residents concerned about the future development of Attleborough are being invited to attend a public meeting next week.

Attleborough Town Council is arranging the meeting about the Local Development Framework (LDF) which will act as the blueprint for the town's development over the next 20 years.

The meeting aims to gather the views of the public before the town council formulates its response to Breckland's site specifics consultation document.

The town council wishes to take an overview of the best way to provide the services needed alongside the growth in the town, and where they should be located.

Town clerk Hilary Elias said: “To date the town council's main concern is the lack of infrastructure in the town, presuming that a certain level of housing will be imposed by central/regional government, and that a few hundred extra houses will not deliver the infrastructure which Attleborough needs now.

“At the Attleborough transport working group meetings organised by Norfolk County Council, representatives of the town council were advised that 4,000 to 6,000 new houses is the level of development required to bring the extra infrastructure needed to the town, which is why the town council has gone with that figure to date.

“Transport, water and sewerage are already overloaded - electricity, gas, medical, educational, cemetery provision, sports and leisure facilities need to be considered for the future. Employment is also a concern.”

She added: “The town council is concerned that the much-needed facilities may not be forthcoming if developers do not contribute under (legal) agreements.

“If 4,000 houses do not bring the required infrastructure, the council would not want that level of development to go ahead.”

Nigel Keach, deputy town mayor and chair of the LDF and planning committee, said: “We will look at all the possibilities with an open mind. If at the end of the day the infrastructure isn't right we will go down another route and make our response after the public meeting. Attleborough has already had 19 plus years of development, and we must have the infrastructure we need”.

The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 10 between 1pm and 3pm and 7pm and 9pm at Attleborough Community and Enterprise Centre on the corner of Norwich Road and Church Street.