Arminghall village hall set to be saved from demolition

Developers want to knock down the Parish Rooms in Arminghall, a small village just outside Norwich, to build a two-bedroom property.

But ahead of a meeting next week to decide the application South Norfolk Council’s planning officers have recommended councillors reject the scheme. 

Some 73 locals have also signed a petition and 21 submitted letters to the planning committee objecting to the scheme.

The officials have set out a series of concerns about the development, including that it would result in the loss of a "community asset" and that the site is in an isolated area which should be considered countryside, where development should only be allowed if there is an “overriding benefit”. 

Plans for the chalet (Image: South Norfolk Council) (Image: South Norfolk Council)

They said: “The proposal results in the loss of a community facility without appropriate justification under council policies, and throughout the assessment, the proposal has clearly demonstrated that there are significant harms that are not outweighed by the benefits of the scheme. 

“Furthermore, it is not considered good design, it would result in the loss of non-designated heritage asset, and it would create a cramped form of development that would have an unacceptable level of amenity for future occupiers.”  

John Overton, SNC councillor for the area, said the building may be of local importance to the residents living in the immediate vicinity, but has no running water, toilet, kitchen or disabled facilities and the structure contains woodworm and the roof needs replacing. 

The hall is currently unused (Image: Daniel Grimmer)

He also said the hall has been closed to the public for a number of years, is not financially viable and a new home would be a “vast improvement” over an “old redundant tin hut”. 

The bid will be decided next Wednesday.