General Comments on the Plan


Overall, the Greater Norwich Local Plan is an utter disaster for Norwich.


I have lived in this city for over thirty years and I have enjoyed living here because of the reasonable size of the city and the proximity of countryside. In particular, as someone who does not own a car, I have enjoyed cycle rides out of the city into rural Norfolk. Recent developments have made this less possible, in particular the construction of the NDR, which has severed the last quiet lanes out of the city to the north and east (Smee Lane, Quaker Lane, Breck Farm Lane).


The Greater Norwich Local Plan takes the destruction of what makes Norwich a great place to live a step further, by encouraging car use to inaccessible out of town developments and destroying open countryside around the city.


The Plan claims to plan claims to "enhance and protect the natural environment" but it does nothing of the sort. The scale of new housing proposed takes no account of water shortages in the East of England and will vastly add to climate change by encouraging further car usage as people travel to and from settlements with no facilities or employment to their places of work.


Comments on Specific Sites



5.17 - Caister St.Edmund

Oppose.

This site is mostly in the valleys of the River Yare and River Tas, which are covered by Policy DM 4.5. It is also within the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone (NSBLPZ) and is constrained by Landscape Setting of Norwich Policy DM 4.6.
Policy DM 4.5 includes the statement "Development proposals that would cause significant adverse impact on the distinctive landscape characteristics of an area will be refused."
Policy DM 4.6 includes the statement "Development which would significantly harm the NSBLPZ or the landscape setting of the Norwich urban area will not be permitted."
Furthermore, any development in this area will add to the already severe traffic congestion at Harford Bridge.


5.21 - Colney
Oppose.
This site provides an important wildlife link between the Yare Valley and the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone. Such is the scale of the development on either side of the river corridor that there is a real danger of the corridor becoming isolated from the surrounding countryside. This site provides a strategic landscape break between Colney and Cringleford which also safeguards the network of wildlife movement. The Bypass protection Zone itself provides another valuable wildlife corridor.


GNLP2123 - Norwich


Oppose.

This site lies within the Norwich Yare Valley character area, where "development will only be permitted where it would not damage the environmental quality, biodiversity or character of the area and where it is for: a) agriculture or forestry purposes; or b) facilities ancillary to outdoor sport and recreation or other uses appropriate to the purpose of this policy; or c) the limited extension of or alteration to existing buildings."

Approval for this site for "University related development..." is far too vague, and opens the door for yet another bite to be taken from the Yare Valley Green Space.

Relevant Planning Policies are Policy DM 4.5 Landscape Character and River Valleys, Policy DM 4.6 Landscape Setting of Norwich, Norwich Southern Bypass Landscape Protection Zone (NSBLPZ) and Norwich Yare Valley Character Area.