Policy 7.2 contains the development strategy for the main towns, including Wymondham. We object to the strategy for Wymondham, in respect of the decision to make only a limited number of allocations in this settlement and because the sites identified as reasonable alternatives are not suitable. A number of strategic extensions (for 1,500 dwellings) and garden villages (for 6,500 dwellings) have been identified as reasonable alternative housing allocations at Wymondham, but these sites clearly exceed the contingency requirement for the town and cannot be delivered quickly. The land south of Gonville Hall Farm in Wymondham (Ref. GNLP0320) is promoted for residential development, but has been incorrectly identified as an unreasonable site in the GNLP Site Assessment document.

It is very unlikely that strategic extensions or garden villages would be delivered quickly enough to address a housing land supply shortfall in Wymondham in the short term. The lead-in times for these types of developments are typically more than 5 years, largely because they are complex and require significant levels of primary infrastructure to be provided e.g. roads and drainage in advance of housing. On this basis, it is considered that the strategic extensions and garden villages in Wymondham are not reasonable because they would not meet the purpose of a contingency site i.e. to meet non-delivery elsewhere. It is very unlikely that the strategic extensions and garden villages identified as reasonable alternatives for Wymondham will provide policy compliant levels of affordable housing during the initial phases of development because of the costs of providing primary infrastructure e.g. roads, drainage, strategic landscaping, and community uses in advance of housing development. In addition, as set out in the representations to the Site Allocations document for Wymondham sites, there are identified constraints to development at these sites. For example, the land to the north east of Wymondham is within the strategic gap between Wymondham and Hethersett, and development in this location would reduce that gap and have an impact on the landscape setting of the town. Therefore, it is considered that the strategic gaps and garden village identified as reasonable alternatives for Wymondham are not suitable for the developments proposed at these sites.

As set out in the representations to the Site Allocations document for Wymondham sites, the promoted development at land south of Gonville Hall Farm in Wymondham (Ref. GNLP0320) is smaller than the strategic extension sites and garden villages and it available for development, and as such it could meet the requirements for a contingency site to meet non-delivery elsewhere. The development at land to the north of Gonville Hall Farm is currently under construction, and therefore the promoted development at land south of Gonville Hall Farm would in due course be adjacent to the built-up area of the town, which was the reason why the site was assessed as an unreasonable site. There are no constraints to development at this site. A number of site specific technical reports have been prepared for the promoted development: Concept Masterplan; Heritage Desk Based Assessment; Preliminary Ecological Appraisal; Landscape & Visual Overview; Flood Risk & Drainage Appraisal; and Access and Movement Strategy. In summary, there are no constraints to development at the site, and the promoted development includes significant areas of green infrastructure, a buffer around Gonville Hall, and the heritage setting corridors remain free of built development. Therefore, it is considered that land south of Gonville Hall Farm in Wymondham (Ref. GNLP0320) should be allocated in emerging GNLP or identified as a reasonable alternative site to meet future needs.