We object to the approach towards the preferred housing allocation at Marsham. In summary, land south of Le Neve Road, Marsham (Ref. GNLP2143) is identified as a preferred housing allocation, which is a greenfield site on the edge of the village. However, land at Fengate Farm (Ref. GNLP3035) is identified as an unreasonable alternative, despite the fact that it contains vacant and unused buildings/hardstanding associated with a former poultry unit, and there are no constraints to development at it is available.

The draft policy to allocate a greenfield site in preference to a vacant site containing buildings and areas of hardstanding is inconsistent with national guidance that seeks to promote the effective use of land to meet development needs – see Paragraph 117 of the NPPF. The land at Fengate Farm has been vacant for a number of years, the buildings have recently been damaged by fire and are due to be demolished, and it will not be reused as a poultry unit or for any other agricultural use.

If the council does not support residential redevelopment at Fengate Farm the landowners will then need to consider either the re-introduction of intensive agriculture or alternative commercial redevelopment proposals. Such redevelopment would re-introduce a non-conforming and potentially harmful form of development out of keeping with the housing that exists on three sides of the site. Should the council fail to support either the residential, agricultural or commercial redevelopment of the site this would represent planning blight.

As set out in the representations to the Site Allocations document for Marsham sites, there are existing accesses to the site and the vehicular access off Old Norwich Road would be used for the promoted development at the site. It should be noted that the 2014 appeal decision for residential development at the site did not raise any concerns about a vehicular access off Old Norwich Road (Appeal Ref: APP/K2610/A/14/2223121). There are no other technical issues that have been identified that would prevent development at the site. In these circumstances, it is requested that land at Fengate Farm in Marsham (Ref. GNLP3035) should be allocated for residential development in emerging GNLP for at least 35 dwellings.