Q. Will the site remain boarded up?
A. Yes, the site will remain boarded up for safety and security reasons while it is a live construction site.
Q. Will the blue boards stay up like that whilst the building work is being done?
A. The site will stay boarded up until the construction has been completed. The boards have recently been refreshed and re-painted, and during the development we will be utilising some of the hoarding space for sales and marketing purposes.
Q. What arrangements are being made for deliveries and collections to and from the site?
A. Deliveries to the site will be controlled by our main contractor, who will employ a logistics manager to co-ordinate the delivery of materials to site. All deliveries will be scheduled in advance to minimise the holding of deliveries on the adjacent roads.
Deliveries will enter the site via Mountergate, and exit the site via St Ann Lane.
In addition to the management of deliveries, our contractors will all be subject to a waste management plan put in place across the site. The key aims of the plan will be as follows:
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Reduce the amount of waste produced
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Maximise the amount of off-site pre-fabrication to keep the majority of produced waste back at the factory
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Ensure suppliers are required to take packaging away upon delivery
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Ensure waste is separated to maximise re-cycling.
Q. Is the development definitely going ahead?
A. Yes. We have a vision to transform St Anne’s Quarter into a high-quality residential-led quarter in Norwich. Orbit has a target of building 12,000 new homes by 2020 and this is a key site in us reaching that goal. We have committed to regenerating this site into a mixed-tenure sustainable development that will provide homes to meet need and aspiration. Orbit Group is financially strong and has the resources to complete this development.

Q. What are the timescales for the development?
A. We estimate that construction will take three to four years. We aim to have the first homes ready to be occupied by summer 2017, with the final homes being completed in 2021.
Q. Is Orbit Homes building all of the houses?
A. We will be appointing a main contractor who will build the homes on our behalf.
We hope to finalise the contract for the first two build phases by the end of 2015, and will be sharing further details with you then. Once in place, we anticipate construction beginning in the new year of 2016.
Q. How high are the buildings going to be?
A. The highest blocks will be eight storeys tall. There will be a mix of two to eight storey buildings, which is in line with the surrounding skyline.
Q. How will the new development integrate with the historic elements of the site and the town?
A. Before beginning construction we have undertaken a four month programme of archaeology works to preserve and record as much of the site’s history as possible.
We hope to donate the recovered artefacts to the Norfolk Museum Service for further study and display.
We are also aware of a Victoria Cross winner, who was born on the St Anne’s
Quarter site, and we are currently working with the Government and City Council on a plaque and ceremony to commemorate his legacy.
To capture the historic relevance of the site in the future development we are looking to indicate various points of interest, such as the friary and the chancel. We have also put together a public realm document that captures the last 1,000 years of history at the site.
Q. What will you see from the streets around the development?
A. What you see will depend on where you around the development. At the front of the development along the river front you be able to see the central plaza area and commercial space. The back of the development along King Street will look more like a normal s treet frontage of townhouses. The entrance to the development’s car park will be accessed via Mountergate.
Q. How many and what type of homes will there be?
A. We will be building 437 new homes at St Anne’s Quarter. There will be a mix of studio, one and two bedroom apartments and houses. 251 of the homes will be available for sale on the open market, 145 available for private rent, and 41 for shared ownership and affordable rent.

Q. Will there be enough parking spaces for everybody living on the development?
A. Orbit Homes will be providing 306 new car parking spaces, as well as a cycle space for each apartment. The development is also a five-to-seven minute walk to the city’s main line railway station.
Q. How much will the homes cost?
A. There will be a range of affordable and market sale homes so the prices will vary depending on the purchasing method. Prices are not yet available, but will be released via the Orbit Homes sales and marketing team or via our website www.st-annes-quarter.co.uk
Q. What is shared ownership?
A. Shared ownership provides an affordable way to buy a home. You purchase a share in a brand new home and pay a subsidised rent on the part you don’t own. In the future, if you wish, you can usually buy further shares until you own your home outright.
Q. Will Help to Buy be available?
A. Help to Buy is a Government scheme to assist purchasers with a deposit for a mortgage. It is not yet known whether this product will be available to potential purchasers.
Q. How do I register my interest for a property?
A. To register your interest in a property, please visit www.st-annes-quarter.co.uk
or email homes@orbit.org.uk
Q. Will it just be local people allowed to have these properties?
A. No, the properties will be available to both local people and those from outside the area.
Q. What type of businesses will go into the retail area?
A. We will be looking for commercial businesses that will add to the living experience at St Anne’s Quarter, and can grant long leases. It is likely to be a mix of shops, cafes and restaurants.