Little Melton is a rural village, without a strongly identified centre.
All the approach roads are narrow and constrained, some with very tight "S" bends.
Like most villages of this nature, the roads have green verges, a lack of formal kerbs, limited street lighting and a limited amount of footway, thus posing a serious risk to pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Little Melton is also classified as a Service Village, by virtue of the shop, primary school and bus service. Unfortunately, the shop is small and parking is problematical, also the bus service is too infrequent with severely limited destinations for it to be a reasonable option for most journeys.
This means there is not an adequate means of getting to the nearest GP, which is 2 miles away in Hethersett, or indeed proper shopping facilities within easy reach, the nearest being located several miles away in the suburbs of Norwich.

Major growth at Little Melton is an entirely inappropriate strategy because is it unsustainable for the following reasons:
* A car is needed for most journeys
* Major estate development at the village would relate poorly to the existing village form - it would be 'behind' the existing houses which face the lanes and it would feel disconnected from main active areas of the village. It would be out of proportion for the village and out of keeping with its character.
* Improving the road approaches to the village to accommodate the increased car trips from development would introduce hard highway infrastructure and urbanise the village.
* Most of the areas of GNLP0340, GNLP0244, and the whole of GNLP0488 fall within the Southern Bypass Landscape Protection Area, which appears to restrict development.
* It is hard to see how the development of the southern part of GNLP0340 could relate well to the village
However some appropriate development could include sites GNLP0182R (near the church and south of Great Melton Road), GNLP0495 (South of School Lane) and GNLP0477 (East of Burnthouse Lane). Should any further development be considered at Little Melton the following criteria should observed:
* The roads would need to be improved and designed in a way to preserve the rural character of the village.
* Any development would need to be carefully considered to connect it well into the existing village form and not just big estate development hidden behind existing houses.
* There must be a substantial and strategic gap maintained between Little Melton and Hethersett, of at least 300 metres.
* Any development should bring material benefit to the village such as:
o Better shopping facilities sited in a convenient and appropriate location with adequate parking arrangements. This should include a substantial convenience stores/Post Office/pharmacy.
o A full bus service
The development of the village so far has been along the lanes, with limited estate development off these. It would seem, therefore, that this would be the most appropriate way for the village to continue to grow in the future, by way of smaller/infill sites, as per the current policy approach.