A bid to build 200 houses has left some residents of a Norfolk village asking if the proposed development is "a step too far".

Crocus Homes is targeting a 20-hectare parcel of land between Leffins Lane and Jolly's Lane in Acle for a scheme which would also include an independent living centre for over-55s, a country park, community building and car parks.

The houses would range from one to four-bedrooms and the independent living community would boast 90 apartments.

So far, the proposals, in the hands of planners at Broadland District Council, are facing almost 30 objections. 

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One of those is from Acle Parish Council which is "strongly" opposed to the application.

It said the development is "too large" for the village which in the last 12 months has seen the completion of two new housing estates.

Those are Crocus Homes' 45-house Oaks Meadow scheme and the Lovell Homes development St Edmund Park which has 137 houses.

The Acle parish clerk, Pauline James, said the parish council welcomed the proposal for
the open space, country park, play area and community space but felt the size of the development was "too great a sacrifice for the village as a whole".

Residents echoed those concerns.

A person living on Peter Avenue said the proposal was "surely a step too far for Acle" especially with regard to other recent developments.

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Another villager said: "I would suggest that there is much about this proposal that suggests it is a poorly disguised attempt to shoe-horn an impractically large development into a location that is manifestly unable to support it."

Chris Bennett, senior heritage and design officer at South Norfolk and Broadland District Council, also noted the size of the development was "very large in relation to the existing size" of Acle.

He said the layout needed "fundamental rethinking to create an appropriate sense of place".