Work has started on the redevelopment of the former Van Dal shoe factory site in Norwich – which will be transformed into 48 flats for social rent.
Norwich City Council Leader Lucy Galvin and Councillor Denise Carlo, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, joined Flagship Homes and principal contractor Lovell Partnerships to mark the start of work on The Old Works.
The former factory site, in Dibden Road, was the home of the Val Dal shoes factory for decades.
Tony Tann, Managing Director of Flagship Homes, part of Bromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL), said it was a “great day for Norwich”.
“The Van Dal factory meant a lot to people around here, and I’m delighted that the next chapter for this site will be 48 homes that people can afford to live in,” he said.
“Social rent homes are the ones the city needs most, and we’re really pleased to be building them here with Norwich City Council’s support.
“This was a place where generations of local people earned a living, and soon it’ll be somewhere people can build their lives.”
The Florida Group was making shoes on Dibden Road by the 1950s and produced Van Dal shoes there until the factory closed in 2018.
The empty building was badly damaged by fire in January 2025 and later demolished.
The new homes will pay tribute to the site’s past with triple gables and brick detailing that echo the old factory.
Norwich City Council is supporting the redevelopment with money raised when council tenants buy their homes through Right to Buy.
Cllr Carlo said: “It’s fantastic to see work getting underway on this important site.
“This development will bring 48 much-needed new homes to Norwich while giving the former shoe factory site a new lease of life.
“We’re really pleased to be supporting a scheme that will make such a positive contribution to the city and its communities.”
Flagship will build and manage 35 one-bedroom and 13 two-bedroom flats across two blocks, suitable for households of between one and four people.
Many will be accessible and adaptable for residents with disabilities. Once finished, the homes will be let to people on the local housing register.
Matthew Goakes, Regional Managing Director at Lovell Partnerships said: “Lovell is passionate about creating communities, not just homes, so naturally we are delighted to be working with Flagship Homes to transform this historic site.
“These new affordable homes will help meet local housing need while celebrating the heritage of the former Van Dal factory and delivering a lasting legacy for Norwich.”
Residents will have 50 parking spaces, 23 electric vehicle charging points and 72 secure bike spaces, with the 10 and 10A buses into the city centre a short walk away on Silver Road.
The homes are expected to be completed by autumn 2028.
