A village housing scheme looks set for approval despite locals' fears it could exacerbate sewage and flooding problems.
Breckland Council officers have given the green light for the development in Banham to go ahead despite several objections.
J Bunn Homes is seeking to build 43 homes and a community office with public green space on land off Kenninghall Road, which will include 25pc as affordable housing.
Banham Parish Council has voiced its opposition to the plans, warning that the drainage system in the village is already overwhelmed, causing regular flooding and the backing up of sewage in the area.
In addition, it fears local schools and GP surgeries are already at capacity and warns that the roads may not be able to cope with the increased traffic.
Steven Askew, a district councillor for the area, has said there are "grave concerns" that the homes will be built on land that suffered widespread flooding in 2020, which forced some people to abandon their homes.
Building on land known to flood has come under the spotlight following the devastating floods in Attleborough in October last year.
Ecologists have also objected amid concerns the new builds could affect the great crested newt - a protected species - which is known to live in the area.
Despite locals' fears, Anglian Water has said it is confident its drainage system can cope with the new homes.
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Breckland Council's flood and water management team has also said it is satisfied that proposed drainage measures will mitigate any risks, providing certain conditions are applied that include monitoring of groundwater levels.
A number of housing developments have been proposed for Banham, which could lead to the population of the village increasing by about 30pc.
Locals fear it will become overdeveloped, putting further strain on services.
Despite these concerns, councillors have been recommended to approve the development at a planning meeting on Tuesday, January 23.
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