Comment

Representation ID: 22347

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Pigeon Investment Management Ltd

Agent: Pegasus Group

Policy 7.3 Key Service Centres
7.17 According to the GNLP, the Key Service Centres have a relatively good range of services, access to public transport and employment opportunities and play a vital role in serving the rural areas. It also identifies that these roles are intended to continue to be supported by appropriate levels of development.
7.18 Policy 7.3 identifies the growth to come forward at Key Service Centres in the plan period up to 2038. The Reg 18 GNLP identifies 3,253 homes and 11.79 hectares of employment land to come forward in the plan period across the Nine Key Service Centres.
7.19 Of the 3,253 homes to be allocated only 515 are new allocations with all other homes being derived from existing allocations or commitments.
7.20 Of particular concern is the fact that Hethersett is not identified for any additional allocations in the GNLP, other than an uplift at HET1 (which will not increase the rate of delivery but will simply elongate the development phase owing to be controlled by two housebuilders), despite being a Key Service Centre that provides a sustainable location where growth has previously been considered to be appropriate.
7.21 In failing to consider additional growth at such locations the Councils are missing opportunities provided by the Land at Hethersett to provide the required additional community facilities and a better range of uses at the Key Service Centres.
7.22 Land is proposed for a new educational campus at Land off Burnthouse Lane, Hethersett to provide a new primary school, thereby future proofing primary education in the village, and accommodation for Key Stage 3 students of Hethersett Academy, alleviating pressure on the existing school campus. This new campus will include a range of new recreation and sports facilities as well as providing the opportunity for new green infrastructure linkages for the benefit of existing and new residents alike. It is also proposed that a care home/care village will be provided to respond to the significant need for such accommodation across the GNLP area at Land off Station Road in close proximity to local services and with regular bus services to Norwich. The proposed provision of employment land will also be of significant benefit to the residents of Hethersett as it will enhance the opportunity for residents to be employed within the settlement and thereby reduce the need to travel.
7.23 In not providing an appropriate mix of uses through allocations at these locations the GNLP fails to provide flexibility and choice in the GNLP and risks the sustainability of the Key Service Centres as well as the timely delivery of market and affordable homes if allocated sites stall. Land at Hethersett is available and deliverable and provides not only for market and affordable homes but also for specialist accommodation to meet identified requirements.
7.24 The GNLP states that Hethersett is close to Norwich and within the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor. Paragraph 337 of the GNLP states the services and facilities that the settlement provides and the fact that it has good access to employment opportunities at a range of strategic and more local sites.
7.25 Land at Hethersett can provide for new market and affordable homes, new employment land, a new educational and sports campus and a new care home/care village. The attached Delivery Statement is based on technical evidence and clearly illustrates the sites and uses now promoted. We would welcome the opportunity to come and discuss these matters further with the Councils.
7.26 Whilst there is an existing allocation for the provision of 40 extra care units in Hethersett, this is insufficient given the identified need for 3,257 such homes across South Norfolk alone. Furthermore, following the allocation of this site in 2015, no planning application has been submitted in the subsequent 4 years which provides an indication that this site may not be attractive to the market or that there is a site-specific constraint which is acting as a barrier to development given the significant need for such accommodation.
7.27 The GNLP has not taken the opportunity that plan making provides to balance the delivery of new homes across the Key Service Centres and to consider how the delivery of new homes can also release land to provide new social and community infrastructure that the evidence base states is required at each settlement.