Object

New, Revised and Small Sites

Representation ID: 17029

Received: 13/11/2018

Respondent: Judy Halls

Representation Summary:

Jolly's Lane is a rural setting in an old part of Acle. It is used for
recreational purposes and links the South side of Acle to surrounding
villages for pedestrians and cyclists. It is too far from the village for
most people to shop or visit by foot, so would significantly increase car
traffic into the village. 150 houses would increase Acle's population by approx 10% (assuming 2 people per property) which would put significant pressure on facilities such as schools, doctor's surgery.

Full text:

Jolly's Lane is a narrow lane with no footpaths, which is used as a
recreational walking and cycling route by pedestrians from Acle and
Beighton, especially by those on The Hill, Damgate Lane, and The Beighton
estate near the A47. For people living in these areas this is the only
quiet and safe walking and cycling route linking the Reedham Road with
Beighton Road (other than going into the village and out again via the
station/A47 slip road, which only has pedestrian access on one side). This
route then connects to Church Lane, Sandy Lane, and a number of
bridlepaths, footpaths and quiet roads which link to Moulton,
Freethorpe,Lingwood, Brundall and Strumpshaw. Any development along here could potentially make this road unsafe or unpleasant for walking.
Jolly's Lane is outside the sites for development in Acle's Village Plan so presumably this area is already considered unsuitable/undesirable for development by the Council. A development of 150 properties would increase the population of Acle by
about 10% (assuming 2 people per property). Acle does not have the
infrastructure to cope e.g. the Doctor's Surgery already struggles with
capacity. It would also change the nature of the village to the South of Acle, which is currently relatively isolated with a rural feel and mainly old properties.

Jolly's Lane is split from the main village by the A47. It is approximately 1 mile from the main village facilities and slightly further than that from the school. The application document states that people would walk and cycle to the village from the new development but in my experience few do so for that sort of distance (I live on the Hill which is a similar distance away). Most people would see a car as vital for everyday use and this would increase traffic into the village. As the planning document mentions vehicle and pedestrian access being from Leffins Lane rather than from Jolly's Lane, then my previous concerns raised regarding the footpath along the Reedham Road and blind junction from Jolly's Lane onto the Reedham Road have been addressed. Good luck with a 40mile an hour speed limit on Leffins Lane (why not 30? This would be a developed residential area with street lighting), Reedham Road has a 30mile an hour limit on passing Monie's Farm / Jolly's Lane which is ignored by most people.
There are other sites proposed for the village which are far more suitable i.e. are much nearer to the village centre and facilities.