Part of this proposed site includes the extension site of the allotments which are accessed off Bush Rd, Hellesdon. Hellesdon Parish Council moved their allotments to this site from the original allotment site on Holt Road which was sold for retail development in 1998. It took the Parish Council 4 years to find and build an alternative site for allotments and during this time Hellesdon was without allotments. This is because there is no spare land in Hellesdon and if this site was developed it is hard to see where additional allotment space could be accommodated within the Parish. Allotment holders are dismayed to think that once again they face uncertainly over whether their plots will exist in the future. The Parish Council signed a long lease with the land owner for 99 years in 2002, and this site should be reserved for recreational use only including allotments.

The extension site was acquired by the Parish Council as they had a 50 strong waiting list of potential allotment holders and with all approved schemes in Hellesdon adding 1300 or so additional households, demand for allotments is likely to exceed the 133 plots on the site.

The site is remote from Horsford and so distant to all their facilities. This development would impact on Hellesdon despite all CIL money going to Horsford Parish.

We would urge the planning authorities to consider not pushing this site on to the next stage of the GNLP and provide certainly for all allotment holders in Hellesdon.

I am responding in my capacity of Vice Chairman of Hellesdon Allotment Holders Association on behalf of all Hellesdon Allotment Holders.