Work at Beeston Park, a huge development for land north of Old Catton and Sprowston, could start before the end of this year - after more than 10 years of delays and planning.
The site is included in the Greater Norwich Local Plan and received outline planning permission from Broadland District Council in 2013.
As reported earlier this month, Quinn Estates has started finalising planning details with Broadland on behalf of owners Stretton Beeston Ltd.
Two new primary schools and a town square with retail, leisure and employment opportunities for the new community were proposed in the outline plans back in 2013, long before the city's northern bypass opened in 2018.
If building work does go ahead, increased traffic passing in and out of the city using North Walsham Road, Wroxham Road and Spixworth Road are expected.
Natasha Harpley is deputy leader of Broadland District Council (Image: Natasha Harpley)
Natasha Harpley, Labour district councillor for Sprowston Central and deputy leader of Broadland District Council, said: "Increased traffic is our number one concern once the works on the roads are completed, and rat-running will be on people's minds.
"People understand that houses need to be built, but there are also worries about over-crowding with doctors surgeries, which is already an issue.
"Post offices too are an integral part of the community and have morphed into a bit of a Jack-of-all-trades, with the ability to bank on the premises too, and the community will need something like this.
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"The infrastructure needs to be built in tandem with the housing development to avoid putting too much pressure on our schools, health centres and roads.
"While it will most likely be younger and more mobile people moving into the new estate, we need to make sure that the building of key infrastructure is prioritised in order to support them."
Mike Phillips is president of Norwich Rugby Club (Image: Norwich Rugby Club)
However, Mike Phillips, the president of Norwich Rugby Club, which is based off North Walsham Road, has hopes that the new homes will bring a boost to his club and the area.
He said: "3,500 more homes could see more players or young people coming to the game, that we could develop into good players.
"I'd love to see our clubhouse developed into a new space that the community could use too, maybe a coffee house or social club.
"I really love my club and it is an important part of this community."
Land off North Walsham Road which could be built on as part of the Beeston Park development (Image: Google Maps)
Kent-based Quinn Estates did not respond to requests for further information.
A spokesman recently pledged to "deliver strategic infrastructure to enable the delivery of Beeston Park to come forward without further delay".
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Since the start of March, the developers have started finalising planning details with Broadland, including on-site parking for construction workers and construction traffic management.
Up-to-date plans from Quinn Estates show the development skirting around Norwich Rugby Club (Image: Quinn Estates)
Back in 2016, Norwich Rugby Club was set to relocate from Beeston Hyrne, off the North Walsham Road, to the Colney Lane playing fields.
The land set aside for the Beeston Park development originally included the club's home.
However, the Covid pandemic put an end to the deal with the University of East Anglia.
Beeston Hyrne, the home of Norwich Rugby Club (Image: Newsquest)
Club president Mike Phillips confirmed that the developers had bought a strip of land from the club to make space for a new road, which is set to run through one of the pitches.
The club will continue to use the three other pitches at the site, which will be free from any further building work from the development.
"We are definitely planning to stay there for now, we have no plans to move," Mr Phillips added.
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