Greater Norwich Local Plan Consultation
I wish to use this consultation process to express why Little Melton is not suitable for major growth and I make the following points.
It is clear from the development going on in the village now that the current policy approach is for smaller sites and infilling. I think this is an appropriate way for the village to continue to grow.
The character of Little Melton today is very much a rural village. All the approach roads, with the exception of the northern end of Green Lane as it joins the Watton Road, are narrow and constrained. The rural character is reinforced by green verges along the roads and the lack of formal kerbs and street lighting. There are limited lengths of footway within the village itself.
The form of the village is of linear development along the lanes: School Lane, Mill Road, Great Melton Rd and Braymeadow Lane. There is some estate development off these. The village doesn't have a strongly identified centre; there are two areas of stronger activity, one along School Lane between the shop, pub and school, and the other around the area of the church, village hall and playing field.
As a settlement, Little Melton is classified as a Service Village. This is because it has a shop, primary school and bus service. However, the shop is small, it doesn't offer very much and it's difficult to park there. It is currently on the market to be sold and has been for a long time because the current owners wish to retire which might mean it is not a viable business in the future. The bus service is not frequent enough to be a reasonable option for most journeys. It connects the village to Hethersett in one direction and the hospital in the other. At the hospital it's possible to change buses to get into Norwich. The school has limited space to grow.
There is no sustainable means of getting to the nearest GP, which is 2 miles away in Hethersett. The bus service is too infrequent, and walking or cycling are not safe or attractive on the narrow country lanes, which are unlit. There are no rights of way which connect the village to Hethersett in this direction.
Major growth at Little Melton is not an appropriate strategy because is it unsustainable:
* 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.
Widening / improving the road approaches to the village to accommodate the increased car trips from development would not be appropriate - this would introduce hard highway infrastructure and urbanise the village.
Appropriate development at the village could include sites GNLP0182R (near the church and south of Great Melton Road), GNLP0495 (south of School Lane) and GNLP0477 (east of Burnthouse Lane).
Most of the areas of GNLP0340 (the big site south of Watton Road) and of GNLP0244 (off Braymeadow Lane), and the whole of GNLP0488 (off the old School Lane cul de sac) fall within the Southern Bypass Landscape Protection Area, which appears to restrict development. It's probably within the control of the plan to change that protection area but it would appear to be unlikely. However, the plan might put forward parts of these sites: the southern part of GNLP0340 falls outside the zone, as does the part of GNLP0244 immediately alongside Braymeadow Lane.
It is hard to see how the development of the southern part of GNLP0340 could relate well to the village - it would be 'behind' the existing houses, unless it incorporated a street to connect it to School Lane somewhere near the school. Some development along the north side of Braymeadow Lane could work but I think the lane would need to be widened to allow safe access.
If major development happened at Little Melton, any improvement of the roads would need to be sensitively designed to preserve the rural character of the village. The form of development would need to be carefully considered to connect it well into the existing village form and not just big blobs of estate development hidden behind existing houses. In the worst case scenario, if major development were to happen in the village, it should bring material benefit (that is fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development). This could include:
* A better shop in a central location with proper parking (proper newsagent / off-licence / Post Office / pharmacy)
* A more frequent bus service
* A GP surgery
* Retirement homes or sheltered housing
It is important to ensure that separation is maintained between Little Melton and Hethersett, especially if Hethersett were to expand to the north. There are strategic gap policies separating Hethersett from Cringleford and Wymondham to the east and west, but nothing to the north. A similar policy separating Little Melton from Hethersett is highly desirable.
I have lived in the village for 30 years and enjoyed its rural nature; I hope my points against its greater development will be considered sympathetically.