The possibility of re-opening a disused railway station on the edge of Norwich is being considered, as part of proposals for up to 4.000 new homes.

Work is continuing on a masterplan for the East Norwich area - a blueprint to guide development on major city sites, including the Carrow Works factory which used to be home to Colman's.

Eastern Daily Press: The Carrow Works site. Pic: Fuel Properties.The Carrow Works site. Pic: Fuel Properties. (Image: Fuel Properties)

And consultants drawing up the masterplan have confirmed they have had discussions about whether it might be feasible to reopen Trowse railway station, to serve the new development.

At a meeting of Norwich City Council's sustainable development panel, Green city councillor Denise Carlo asked whether it had been considered.

The Nelson ward councillor said: "I am very keen on the idea of promoting the reopening of Trowse Railway halt which is literally a stone's throw from east Norwich and also County Hall.

"I think it would be crazy not to reopen it, to use it for part of the sustainable transport strategy.

"It's a really big opportunity to strengthen the local rail network around Norwich, especially given we are looking at thousands of houses here.

"It's ideally placed for people if Network Rail were to consider stopping trains there. Not every train to London, but some trains."

The railway station was closed during the Second World War, although it did reopen briefly in the 1980s, during work on Norwich Railway Station.

Eastern Daily Press: A deal has been struck which could see thousands of homes built at the former Colman's Carrow Works site in Norwich.A deal has been struck which could see thousands of homes built at the former Colman's Carrow Works site in Norwich. (Image: Fuel Properties)

Martyn Saunders, from consultants Avison Young, said: "At the moment there's no option being ruled in or out as to how we create accessibility for the site.

"We have had conversations with the Trowse Millgate residents around the former Trowse Station - could that be used and connected back in?

"It is a conversation that we are having. It's certainly not something that we've ruled out."

A public-private East Norwich Partnership has been formed to get the area, which includes the Deal Ground/May Gurney site at Trowse, the Utilities site between Thorpe Hamlet and Whitlingham, and Carrow House in King Street, regenerated.

A public exhibition to reveal the initial masterplan for the site is to go on show next month.