Campaigners want more land protected from housing

Seven acres of Harding’s Pits beside the River Great Ouse in King’s Lynn have been given village green status, following a 30-year campaign to preserve the land for leisure. Campaigners now want the protection extended to nearby land earmarked for housing, arguing it should instead provide community facilities and space for wildlife.

The eastern side of Harding’s Way is allocated for up to 50 homes in the borough council’s local plan. Independent councillor Alexandra Kemp is asking the council to remove that allocation, citing concerns about traffic, safety, tranquillity and wildlife. The borough has been told to build more than 10,000 homes by 2040; Harding’s Pits was once a clay pit and landfill site, and is now used for dog walking and access to the town centre.