My views on the statements made in the draft plan re the preferred site "GNLP 3079" are as follows
1. "Housing to be focussed on the part of the site fronting Post Office Road with landscaping to the north to minimise impact of the development on the wider landscape and Grade 1 listed church" Response: The residents of Lingwood will have their view of the grade 1 medieval church and the surrounding farmland obscured/lost by the proposed new development. This will spoil the character of the village
2. "The site is centrally located in the village, adjacent to the existing settlement limit" Response: What advantage is there to the site being centrally located in the village? There is an identified reasonable alternative site (land east of Buckenham Lane and west of Buckenham Rd - GNLP0296) which could take the whole of the proposed 50-60 houses (and more). The proposed number of houses (50-60) could also be achieved from the other reasonable alternative (land west of Blofield Rd - GNLP0380) combined with the original smaller proposed development on part of the Post Office Rd field. Both of these options would reduce the impact of the additional houses on the village as a whole.
3. "The site has a safe walking route to Lingwood Primary School" Response: As there is no way that a footpath can be added to the north side of Post Office Rd (from the edge of the field opposite Post Office Close to the start of the existing footpath), the only "safe" route to the school will involve crossing Post Office Rd opposite the Millenium Green/Post Office Close, already a busy area with speeding issues even before the addition of the proposed new development. At a recent parish council meeting we were told that traffic calming measures might be introduced but we were also told that, as Lingwood has no street lights, traffic calming measures cannot be introduced.
4. "A larger site, along the whole road frontage, would enable road widening to an acceptable standard and encourage a reduction in vehicle speeds" Response: How can the road be widened without removing the mature oak trees? How will widening the road possibly result in a reduction in vehicle speeds - there are numerous speeding "offences" along the widest part of Post Office Rd already and the only thing that (sometimes) slows these ignorant drivers down is the narrowing of the road between the Millennium Green and the field in question. Widening the road will almost certainly lead to increased speeds and increased danger to residents, particularly children crossing Post Office Rd from the proposed new development in order to get to school or to access the Millennium Green.
5. "Scheme design to address surface water flood risk on part of site adjacent to the boundary to the south" Response: What about the impact on the existing surface water problem on Post Office Rd outside No' 39 and round into Post Office Close every time it rains? Building on the field and removing natural drainage is likely to make this problem even worse.
6. "More homes may be accommodated, subject to an acceptable design and layout being achieved" Response: This clearly suggests that there is an intention to build more than the 50-60 houses referred to in the GNLP
More specific objections to the proposed development are as follows:
1. The access into Lingwood via Blofield Rd is already dangerous and the extra traffic that would be generated by this proposed development would make it even more so
2. Once the A47 duelling has gone ahead, the main route into Lingwood will be via Lodge Rd thereby forcing all the traffic to the proposed new development along Station Rd and Post Office Rd, increasing the already heavy traffic flow. Development of an alternative site (GNLP0499) would prevent this
3. It is doubtful that the school could cope with the increased number of pupils, particularly if, as implied, more than the proposed 50-60 houses are built
4. The lack of a doctor's surgery in Lingwood will mean increased pressure on the already busy local surgeries