A housing application for 171 homes - elements of which have been tagged as "deficient" and "very regrettable" - is being recommended for approval by officers who have raised a catalogue of concerns.

Persimmon Homes has submitted a reserved matters bid for the estate, part of a 1,000 homes scheme given permission around Beacon Park in Bradwell, near Great Yarmouth, in 2014.

The details relate to phase five of a six phase development which includes a school, shops and local centre at Wheatacre Farm.

Phases one to three have already been built with phase four nearing completion, amounting to 585 homes. The development has been unlocked by the new A143/A47 link road.

Planners at Great Yarmouth Borough Council have run a fine tooth comb through the details, finding more to criticise than praise.

Of the 171 homes, 18 of which are classed as "affordable", they say 42 (25pc) are "under-sized" providing space that is "considerably lower" than is recommended by Nationally Described Space Standards (NDSS).

Meanwhile 54 units (32pc), including 17 of the affordable homes, do not meet policy standards to do with access and adaptability for disabled people.

Some 16pc fail on both counts.

There were also concerns raised about density, officers noting the "small size" of some of the houses, the "restricted" shape and size of gardens, and "car dominant" street scenes.

Elsewhere, they say the combination of materials proposed - just two across 23 different house styles - is "limited" although there had been "an attempt to create a varied street scene".

However, the report notes the development is part of an overall outline permission which has consistently used these sizes and styles of homes in earlier phases

It says: "The applicant would suggest that providing 171 dwellings for the community at this point in time is a benefit that carries sufficient weight to justify relaxing the policy requirement and having a number of dwellings that would be less than the NDSS.

"The applicant has also pointed out that they have proposed one dwelling which is policy compliant (i.e. in excess of policy expectations), which is an affordable dwelling."

Officers conclude: "Planning case law calls for consistency in planning decisions unless materially unacceptable. In this case the proposed layout is commonplace and unexceptional but considered acceptable in this context."

The council's development control committee is meeting to discuss the bid on Wednesday at 6pm at the town hall.