Work on Mile Cross depot homes should begin in spring

Plans for new homes at the former Mile Cross depot site in Norwich have been in the pipeline for seven years. 

The project would ultimately see up to 200 homes constructed but has been hit by a series of delays. 

The council has now confirmed work on the scheme could finally get under way in the spring. 

The former Mile Cross depot (Image: Keith Whitmore) The Mile Cross site used to be the council's City Works depot, where City Hall's fleet of vehicles and in-house workers were based.

It then became the Mile Cross Business Centre, home to about 30 small to medium-sized businesses, but they were served notice as the council looked to develop the site and the buildings were later demolished. 

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Councillors first mooted the idea of building houses at the derelict former depot in 2017 and set aside £41.3m for scheme, which has hit several hurdles.

The site was used to dispose of rubble after buildings in the city were bombed during the Baedeker Raids of 1942, so careful checks had to be carried out.

The homes would be built at the former Mile Cross depot (Image: Google Maps) There has also been work to treat contaminated groundwater by removing pollutants or converting them into harmless products.

The council eventually submitted an application for the first phase of 67 homes in February, but was forced to make alterations to these designs to convince Norfolk County Council to drop an objection.

It is now hoped that work will begin in the coming months, despite the application having yet to be approved by City Hall's planning committee.

Mike Stonard, leader of the council, said at a meeting this week: "We are expecting work to begin on this site next spring and no one is sitting around being idle."