Dan Grimmer

Thetford Power Station, a chicken-litter-fuelled biomass plant operated by Melton Renewable Energy, could close in 2027 when its Renewable Obligation Certificate support expires. South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to convene ministers and the company to secure the site's future, warning that closure would threaten more than 100 jobs, local supply chains and energy production. He also says that disposal of the poultry litter currently processed by the plant could create significant risks for farmland, water networks and the environment.

Planning officials have defended the integrity of the system amid social media claims that permission for Norwich Apex Ltd’s proposed data centre near Keswick is predetermined. Phil Courtier said major applications are assessed against national and local policies, with economic, social and environmental impacts considered and elected councillors making the final decisions. South Norfolk Council leader Daniel Elmer supported digital infrastructure in principle but said development must remain locally determined, sustainable and compatible with the interests of residents and the environment. The proposal has attracted a petition of nearly 12,000 signatures, with water use and noise among local concerns, while the developers say a closed-loop cooling system would substantially reduce water consumption. The Labour government’s plans to accelerate data-centre approvals could add pressure to the local planning process.

Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman is warning that thousands of planned homes across Norfolk, particularly along the A11 corridor, could increase surface-water flood risks for existing communities. Following severe flooding in Attleborough and Long Stratton, he has called for cumulative flood-risk assessments, adequate drainage and infrastructure investment before further development is approved. Through his proposed Inland Flood Prevention Bill, Freeman also wants developers to bear greater responsibility and liability for flood mitigation and long-term infrastructure maintenance.

Dennis Bacon has been appointed chief executive of Norfolk County Council after 45 councillors voted in favor and 18 opposed. Reform leader David Bick defended Bacon, citing his leadership experience in the care sector, work with the council and NHS, and a recruitment process that attracted 49 applicants. Liberal Democrat, Green and Labour councillors criticized the appointment as rushed and insufficiently scrutinized, raising concerns about Bacon's lack of local-government experience and Apple Homecare's regulatory record. Bacon is due to begin the £215,000-a-year role on September 7, overseeing the council's £2.3 billion budget and approximately 8,000 employees.

Norfolk County Council will trial JCB's Pothole Pro during the first week of September on roads in south Norfolk. The machine is being provided free of charge and is intended to make pothole repairs faster, more efficient and longer-lasting. A successful short-term trial could lead to a longer-term test. Liberal Democrat Rob Colwell questioned the decision because JCB chairman Lord Anthony Bamford has donated to Reform UK, and warned that the machine may be impractical on Norfolk's narrow rural lanes after Leicestershire declined to roll it out following a one-day trial.

More than 70 people demonstrated in King's Lynn to urge Norfolk County Council to contribute £500,000 toward a £1.8 million long-term refurbishment of the West Lynn Ferry's landing sites. The ferry was closed for over 200 days the previous year after its landing stage was deemed unsafe. West Norfolk Borough Council has committed £500,000 and secured a further £800,000 from the community infrastructure levy, but the Reform-led county council has not yet approved its share and is reviewing the business case. Campaigners say the ferry is vital for safety, accessibility, public transport and the local economy.

Cromer Museum in Norfolk has opened the Alfred Savin Discovery Gallery, featuring original and replica fossils, interactive digital displays and 3D-printed replicas of rare specimens. The gallery tells the story of prehistoric Ice Age wildlife on the north Norfolk coast and commemorates local palaeontologist Alfred Savin, whose discoveries included mammoths, rhinoceroses, giant deer and hyenas. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the exhibition forms part of the 36km Deep History Coast Discovery Trail and is intended to make fossil identification and local prehistoric history accessible to visitors of all ages.