Representing Norfolk County Council (as landowner):

Norfolk County Council (NCC) own the land and they are committed in bringing the site forward for a high quality well designed development to deliver the housing growth required in Lingwood identified in the GNLP.

In 2019, NCC undertook initial work to identify the suitability and availability of the site for residential development and to assess whether the site can deliver a sustainable, policy compliant housing scheme.

Land Use

A County Farms tenant currently farms the site. This land is let under a Business Farm Tenancy. Following the grant of planning permission, the land would be available for the County Council to take back to enable development to come forward.

In view of its size, the site would be developed in a two to three-year period following the granting of a detailed planning permission.

Site Characteristics

The site is relatively flat and topography would not offer any constraints to development.

The site has clearly defined boundaries on three sides. The site has the rear gardens of existing housing on the east and west side (with mainly hedge boundaries) and is open to the north. The southern boundary, on the north side of Post Office Road, is marked by a small embankment with a partial hedge and a number of mature trees along the hedge line.

The current lawful use is agricultural. There is no evidence of any unstable ground and previous uses suggest no risk of contamination.

The site falls within flood zone 1 as defined by the Environment Agency.

Furthermore, their mapping identifies no risk of flooding from surface water. The site has been part of the County Farms Estate for many years and in this time, there has been no evidence of flooding.

The adjacent uses to the site are mainly residential. Land south of Post Office Road forms an area of public open space (previously owned by Norfolk County Council). There would be no conflict between the proposed housing development and adjacent residential occupiers, subject to normal design and layout considerations.

Site Access

The site is currently in an agricultural use and access to the fields exists from the north (from Church Road), so development of the preferred allocation will not prejudice access to the agricultural land to the north of the allocation.

In view of the location of the visibility requirement associated with creating a new vehicular access from Post Office Road, the access positioned in the central portion of the Post Office Road frontage would appear appropriate. As part of the scheme, Post Office Road is required to be widened to 5.5 metres with a new footway on its north side (to meet the preferred allocations policy aspiration) and this would require removal of existing hedge and trees on the north side of Post Office Road. In addition, scope may exist to create a new footpath link(s), which would pass through the site to link with Church Road to the north.

Site Services

Infrastructure and services exist on Post Office Road, including main sewers, water supply and electricity. As part of the development of the allocation, electricity, main sewers and water will be extended into the site.

Infrastructure costs are not likely to be abnormal for a greenfield site.

Site capacity

Based on site size, its edge of village location and character of surrounding development, the site would accommodate about 60 dwellings. Within the development, a policy compliant level of affordable housing would be provided.

The boundary to the north is open and therefore needs substantial new planting (with an element strategic woodland) to protect the setting of the Parish Church. An area of open space would be included within the scheme to serve the development.

Attached is an initial layout plan that shows a manner in which the site could be developed.

Viability and Delivery

Delivery of an estate scale of residential development would help support local services and facilities.

NCC’s development company, Repton Property Developments Ltd., will develop the site.

The greenfield nature of the site and the availability of services suggest at this stage no abnormal infrastructure or servicing costs to prevent the timely development of this site.

As a result, at this stage, there is no reason to suggest any obstacle to the delivery of 33% affordable housing (policy compliant on the site).

The above is based on the development of some 60 dwellings, of which 40 would be for open market sale.