Key Service Centres are identified under draft Policy 1 of the Regulation 18 Stage C Consultation Document as a third-tier settlement, with growth proposed to these areas after the ‘Norwich Urban Area’, and the ‘Main Towns’.

Despite their position in the hierarchy, only 515 new homes are proposed to come forward through new allocations within all nine Key Service Centres. This compares to a minimum of 1,680 homes that are proposed to come forward in the lower (fourth) tier, ‘Village Clusters’.

Whilst Hardingham Farms Ltd recognise the benefits to be delivered to the vitality of rural areas through allocating some new sites and thus increasing footfall within small village locations, it is considered both unsustainable and inappropriate to apportion a greater amount of growth to these areas than to the higher order Key Service Centres which it can be assumed from their position in the hierarchy, are more sustainable and offer greater service provision.

More new housing allocations should, therefore, be apportioned to key service centres than to village clusters in recognition of their higher tier within the growth heirarchy.