I fly regularly around the (newish) Doncaster control zone. I have never been refused a transit and I have only ever heard one transit request from another pilot denied. On that one occasion, the pilot's radio work was of such a poor standard that I was not at all surprised it was greeted with the reply 'remain clear of controlled airspace'.
What I'm saying is, refusals are, in my experience, very much the exception rather than the norm, and the Doncaster controllers have a very good working relationship with local airfields, to the extent that I have been offered crossings even before I've asked on occasions.
We heard all the same old arguments about controlled airspace when Doncaster applied for their zone, and to be honest I can't say that I really notice it's even there. I'd hope for the same for Norwich.
On a personal note-I find it disappointing that the GA community immediately objects in a 'knee-jerk' fasion to every bit of proposed controlled airspace. Class D isn't that difficult to negotiate and the controllers in all of the zones I have been into or through (and that's a fair proportion of them) have always been first rate.
B