I refer to the four new sites which are being proposed for possible development within the villages of Tivetshall St. Margaret and Tivetshall St. Mary.

First of all, I am sure you are aware that the Tivetshalls have no GP practice (our nearest ones being Pulham Market or Long Stratton) and with the amount of building being carried out in and around Long Stratton, it will no doubt put extreme pressure on both practises if there is a considerable build in the Tivetshalls. As it is I am having to wait two weeks to get an appointment (non-urgent) at the Pulham Market practise and the dispensary there is already struggling to keep up with the levels of prescriptions it has to deal with.

Referring to the plans, particularly GNLP2128, now that the recycling centre has closed, it would make good sense to use that site for housing, given its location on the A140 which has a direct route into Norwich with a P & R centre on the roundabout at Harford. Once Long Stratton is bypassed and the roundabout is in situ at the Hempnall Crossroads, housing on The Pulham roundabout site would provide a very efficient commute. Given that a petrol station is proposed on the A143/A140 roundabout at Scole, there is absolutely no reason to site another petrol station on the Pulham roundabout, nor is there need for a shop which will take trade away from both Pulham and Cherry Lane Garden Centre. A shop at the Pulham roundabout is still too far for Tivetshall villagers without a car so helps no-one as there will be an M & S shop on the A143/A140 roundabout at Scole, (useful for motorists travelling towards Norwich) leaving the Pulham shop and Cherry Lane with a reasonable chance of survival.

I am totally opposed to a petrol station and shop at the Pulham roundabout. However, a small housing development would seem to be a far better plan.

I am also totally opposed to plans GNLP2041 and GNLP 2042 as the country lanes in The Tivetshalls are too narrow and windy to cope with the increased traffic brought about, in the first instance, by construction plant and secondly, by the new home owners. The majority of homes now run two+ vehicles and the increased traffic will only add to the wear and tear on the lanes which are already in need of attention. We have very few passing places in the lanes surrounding the villages and with drainage ditches running alongside the grass verges, and nowhere to pull in, it is very hazardous when meeting a vehicle head on. A substantial increase in traffic would almost guarantee accidents, especially in the wet weather or winter time with ungritted, unsalted surfaces to contend with. Perhaps the Council could guarantee these very minor roads would see a gritter on a regular basis if the housing were to go ahead. These two sites need to be thought through very carefully but in my view, both are untenable.

The majority of homes in The Tivetshalls are bungalows. Should any building work within the actual villages (excluding the A140 roundabout) be undertaken, one assumes houses would not be built directly behind bungalows so that current residents are overlooked. If either site 2041 or 2042 goes ahead, bungalows are likely to be looked upon more favourably than houses. One would hope the Committees would appreciate that homeowners in any area do not wish to have their bungalows downgraded when it comes to selling because they are directly overlooked from someone's upstairs window. How would they feel!

I am not averse to building in our village but I am concerned that due consideration may not be given to all aspects and the impact that considerable housing will have on the environment, wildlife, roads, doctors' surgeries, schools and village life in general. This village has no shop, no pub within walking distance (the Old Ram is 1.5++ miles from Tivetshall St. Margaret depending on whether you live near the railway crossing or directly in the village) but we do have a good community spirit and we help each other. With dozens of new dwellings, especially with people who do not 'get' village life, the dynamics will change considerably and that would be disastrous.