Homes could create dormitory town

The Thetford Society said the town could be home to commuters

A heritage group has said plans for 6,000 new homes in a Norfolk town could turn it into a commuter belt.

Figures from the Government Office East show more new homes will be built in Thetford by 2021 than in any other town in Norfolk.

The Thetford Society said this would create a dormitory town unless cash was found to regenerate the shopping area.

Thetford's transport and other public services are to get £6m to help cope with demands from a larger population.

Not sufficient

Barbara Follett, minister for the East of England, said: "We have taken in all the predictions from all the various agencies that we can, and we hope that we've got an overall look at it.

"You know, we're not imposing houses anywhere. This is a framework, and then the local planning system has to kick in."

By 2021 Norfolk will have to find space for 78,700 homes and Thetford is one of three designated government growth points in the county, along with Norwich and King's Lynn.

Stuart Wright, from the Thetford Society, said: "Our big concern really is, we don't want to end up as a commuter town for people working in Cambridge, Norwich and Bury St Edmunds.

"I want the town centre to be redeveloped so that it can provide the leisure and entertainment that people living here will be able to use.

"The £6m isn't really sufficient to make good all the under-investment we've had in the past."