Comment

Representation ID: 22159

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Pigeon Investment Management Ltd

Agent: Pegasus Group

Policy 7.4 – Village Clusters
6.20 The GNLP proposes a disproportionately high level of growth at the Village Clusters, a significant proportion of which are on as yet unknown sites to be identified in the South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Site Allocations Plan.
6.21 Village Clusters are by definition less sustainable locations for growth and accordingly it would be expected that development would be restricted to that necessary to support rural or local needs. However, the GNLP seeks to direct more development to such settlements than to Key Service Centres which have a relatively good range of services, access to public transport and employment opportunities and play a vital role in serving the rural areas according to paragraph 333 of the GNLP. Similarly, paragraph 308 identifies that the Main Towns serve the wider hinterlands including these Village Clusters. This would suggest that the needs of rural areas would be more sustainably provided thorough development at the Key Service Centres and Main Towns contrary to the strategy proposed in the GNLP. The GNLP strategy is even less sustainable, given that development at the Key Service Centres and Main Towns provides the opportunity to enhance community facilities which serve the rural areas.
6.22 Furthermore, the reliance upon a specific contribution from the unknown sites yet to be identified in South Norfolk may require unsustainable sites to be brought forward rather than identifying more sustainable sites now. In the absence of such specific sites being identified and allocated this will also adversely affect the housing land supply position of the Councils and provide for a lack of certainty going forward.