Object

Representation ID: 20246

Received: 02/03/2020

Respondent: Diss Town Council

Diss Town Council consider the site is unsuitable for the following reasons:
a) This site is in the middle of an employment area and as such is best suited to employment, a fact confirmed by the Diss and District Neighbourhood Plan consultants AECOM when conducting their site assessments. We are also very concerned that with a minimum of 743 new homes planned over the next 18 years we need to retain and indeed expand our employment land otherwise we
risk becoming a dormitory town with many more jobs being located outside of Diss.
b) The site is unsuitable for high density development. Diss housing density on new developments is usually around 30 homes/ha and in fact AECOM recommend a
figure of 25 homes per ha in mainly rural settings such as Diss. This proposal would have a density of over 60 homes/ha, more than double that of any other
location in Diss. The site is also isolated from other housing areas in Diss.
c) Residential development in this location would have major highway constraints. We estimate that at least 50% and up to 70% of road traffic would turn left and
travel under the railway bridge and along Frenze Hall Lane to access schools, the town centre and supermarkets. In addition, almost all foot traffic and cycle
movements would travel into Diss via Sandy Lane and Frenze Hall Lane (or Walcot Green).
• In the first GNLP consultation, documents referencing other nearby sites it was acknowledged by the GNLP that they would not want to increase the traffic volumes significantly on Frenze Hall Lane and this proposal would most certainly do this. This was also confirmed by Highways on a past planning application.
• Whilst we accept that the road can be improved to give a width of 5.5m plus a 2m wide footway adjacent to any proposed build, this does nothing to address the
major pinch point that exists on Sandy Lane between the proposed development and the traffic light controlled single direction travel under the railway bridge.
Sandy Lane is very narrow between the proposed site and the bridge bordered on one side by the fence to the railway line and on the other side by a drainage ditch and mature trees. After constructing a 2m footway all the way to the railway bridge we would end up with a road width of less than 4m in the 60 or 70m back from the railway bridge towards the proposed development would be unsafe and not allow two vehicles to pass each other. In our opinion, it is also very unlikely that Sandy Lane Road could be realigned to give sufficient width for two-way
traffic together with adequate footway/cycleways.
• Frenze Hall Lane is already very busy due to the near completion of the Harrier Way development, and with other planned developments, it is estimated there
would be a further 500 to 700 traffic movements along Frenze Hall Lane daily particularly on school days, and that the road would need major improvements to
aid increased traffic flow.
• There would also be a significant increase in traffic using the Sawmills Road/A1066 junction which would require road improvements to aid flow on/off Victoria
Road.
Diss Town Council recommendation: That Diss Town Council consult with GNLP with a view to retaining this site for employment
(Please see attached)