This comment is in regard to the proposal to include the land to the rear of Orchard House, The Street, Bramerton, for inclusion in the GNLP plan, for the building of an unspecified number of houses. The 100 characters allowed on your website is inadequate, so I am sending more detailed objections from my husband and myself via this email.

This particular piece of land has already been the subject of 4 planning applications since 2014:

1. Retention of change of use of agricultural land to residential curtilage: Ref. No: 2017/1668 Received: Tue 11 Jul 2017

2. Residential Development of 3 dwellings, garages and associated external works: Ref. No: 2016/1163, Received: Fri 13 May 2016

3. Erection of 140kw solar photovoltaic panel array: Ref. No: 2015/1438 Received: Tue 23 Jun 2015

4. Proposed 8 no residential units, with associated garages, parking, garden and related infrastructure. Ref. No: 2014/0025 Received: Mon 06 Jan 2014

All applications bar the most recent, 2017/1668, have been denied.

The most recent application in 2017 was for a change of use, i.e., to change the land designation from agricultural to residential, specifically, for the owner of Orchard House to create a garden.

I quote from his accompanying letter:
"The proposal is for a formal change of use of the land described, from agricultural to garden land...The proposed area differs from the rest of Orchard House land - which is accepted as garden land - only by virtue of the way it has been maintained..."

"The change of use application includes no proposals for development other than those typical for use as a garden."

"The owners wish to be able to develop a new landscaping regime for this land which will be low maintenance, and could include a large pond, wild flower area, and extensive shrub and tree planting. Garden structures might be included, such as summerhouse, pergolas, etc. No permanent structures are envisaged."

The decision of the South Norfolk planning department was:
"The land hereby approved for change of use, as shown on the approved location plan submitted on 11 July 2017, shall be used for no other purpose than being incidental to the dwelling known as Orchard House."

As there have been no further planning applications for the land East of Orchard House that are visible on the South Norfolk planning department's website, we are therefore astonished that this land should now be included for the GNLP proposal for redevelopment.
All previous planning applications for residential development have been turned down, with many objections to these applications. It is impossible to have "a large pond, wild flower area...and no permanent structures" at the same time as building an unspecified number of houses. To include this land as part of the overall redevelopment plan just months after the owner, and the local planning office specifically stated that there would be no such building development completely undermines the whole planning process, and residents' faith in it.

Bramerton village is in a conservation area, which has been one of the reasons to refuse the previous planning applications. The recent development adjacent to the land at Orchard House was of an existing brownfield site at Church Farm Close, which had been the site of Herbert Parker's Seeds, and which had been derelict.

We would refer you to the accompanying comments from other Bramerton residents who objected to previous planning application 2016/1163.
In the letter from Michael Haslam Associated Ltd, on behalf of Mr.Hawes of Squirrels Drift, Bramerton, there is the following paragraph, which quotes the Planning Inspectors:

"...the appeal proposal would fail to preserve the setting of Orchard House. The Conservation Area covers much of the historic core of the village, and includes Orchard House. Historic buildings and their settings make a positive contribution to its character and appearance. In that context, taking into account the harm to the setting of Orchard House, the development would also fail to preserve the character or appearance of the Bramerton Conservation Area."


Statutory duties relating to Listed Buildings, setting of Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas:

S66(1) Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 provides: "In considering whether to grant planning permission for development which affects a listed building or its setting, the local planning authority, or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses."

S72 Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 provides: "In the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in a conservation area, of any functions under or by virtue of [the Planning Acts], special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area."


There is no direct access by road to the land area proposed. The only access would have to be through Church Farm Close, and which would go through the parking spaces currently provided for the three social houses, thereby removing any parking for the three properties.
The rest of the road is a single track narrow lane, which has limited visibility to and from The Street, and is used by residents at Church Farm Close and Church Farm Barns. There have already been concerns raised with regard to health and safety because of its narrowness, and poor visibility. The NCC highways letter of 10th February 2014 to South Norfolk council stated:

"Bramerton: Proposed 8 no residential units, with associated garages, parking, garden and related infrastructure BRAMERTON Land East Of Orchard House The Street Bramerton Norfolk NR14 7DW
Further to the formal request for extra time dated 4th February 2014, The highway Authority has completed its consideration of this application.
It is the Highway Authority's view that the proposed development will increase traffic movements at an access point onto [The Street] that has severely substandard visibility. At a set back of 2.4m visibility to the left is only 20m which is only 40% of the Manual for Streets requirement. Such substandard visibility will have a 'severe' impact on highway safety and so the development fails the appropriate test set out in the National Planning Policy Framework
The Highway Authority recommends a highway objection on the following grounds:
SHCR 12 Inadequate visibility splays are provided at the junction of the access with the County highway and this would cause danger and inconvenience to users of the adjoining public highway."

My husband and I therefore strongly object to the inclusion of this piece of land in the GNLP, not only because of its unsuitability, but because of its impact on local wildlife, which is under pressure because of the local intensive farming.