Site GNLP0270 is currently identified in Local Plans as being outside of existing settlement limits and as having Landscape Value being immediate adjacent to and clearly visible from the Wensum Valley SSSI and Special Area of Conservation as well as the Marriotts Way County Wildlife Site. The segment to the south of Costessey Lane is regularly flooded marshland and so is completely unsuitable for either residential development or as 'public space or amenity land' (as suggested by the proposal) associated with a development on the larger section of the site. The proposal submission also incorrectly states that there is a car park next to this site. No such car park exists and the map used to illustrate the proposal is clearly out of date demonstrating the proposers limited real understanding of the site and the challenges it presents.

The main site has severe access challenges for both vehicles and pedestrians as the surrounding roads (Costessey Lane and Taverham Road) are narrow and have either very narrow or no pavements at all. Even if the landowner were to purchase a property on Taverham Road and seek to demolish it to provide access to the site, the challenges of the existing roads and pavements do not go away. The proposal made suggests (Q 7A) that no improvements will need to be made to access the site. I disagree strongly with this response.

The land as it stands has significant amenity and environmental value. Its current use as grazing provides neighbouring properties with important landscape views of the Wensum Valley floor and opposite valley side and the old buildings on the site and wild areas are known to provide important bat roosts, barn owl roosts and hunting grounds as well as shelter for foxes, rabbits and all sorts of amphibians including frogs, toads and probably newts. We regularly observe bats and barn owls which are protected species. The site provides an important wildlife corridor to the Marriotts Way County Wildlife Site and the Wensum SAC and SSSI valley floor.

Our own house on Station Road was designed and situated on our plot not only to echo the residential dwelling that once stood on the site, but also, using Passivhaus design, to take advantage of the solar resource to the south and west as well as to provide landscape views to all of our habitable spaces. Developing this proposed site with residential properties would materially impact on the energy performance of our property as well as impact on the amenity provided by the existing landscape views. Any residential development would present overlooking issues.

We recognise the need for additional housing in the Great Norwich area but, as the consultation document states, this site is particularly challenging in terms of access and other sites in neighbouring areas should be considered ahead of a site that impacts so directly on the Wensum Valley SSSI. We note particularly that Drayton Site GNLP0271 at Low Farm off Drayton High Road has, on the 5th March 2018, been granted FULL planning permission (Broadland planning reference 20170212) for a development of 71 dwellings and consider this as a significant contribution to housing needs in the Drayton area. The GNLP consultation document itself states that GNLP0271 "may be better located in terms of the form and character of the area and access to services in comparison to the other sites, subject to overcoming servicing constraints". It seems, by granting planning permission, that those constraints have been overcome and so the need to develop other sites in the consultation, including GNLP0270, is reduced.

The proposal submitted for site GNLP0270 identifies access to the main site as being at the extreme northwest corner, onto Taverham Road close to the junction with Orchard Bank. This access would involve the removal of a large Parish Boundary Oak of significant amenity value to the area, especially as the property on the opposite site of Taverham Road (56) has recently clear-felled all of the mature trees, including ancient boundary oaks, on their site, presumably in advance of submitting a planning application. We note that the proposal for GNLP2070 responds "no" to the question (7f) 'are there any significant trees or hedgerows crossing or bordering the site' despite the presence of this large and significant tree.

We note that the proposal for the site indicates that the proposer (Rachael Hipperson of TW Gaze - identified as the 'Land Agent') is also suggested as being the landowner (i.e. Section 1c of the proposal has not been completed suggesting that Ms Hipperson is also the owner). The Title Register for the land (NK430378) identifies the owner as 'Julian Ramon Blake' of Church Farm, Bilney Lane, Felthorpe. I would argue strongly therefore that the proposal made has not been completed correctly and so this land should not even be considered as part of the consultation.

If site GNLP0270 were to developed in any way in the future, it would be best used as purely amenity land, perhaps providing much-needed allotment space in Drayton as well as continuing to provide an important wildlife shelter and corridor.

Andy Bodycombe