Object
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 22684
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Mrs Nicole Wright
Policy 7.3 :
Key Service Centres
We object to this Policy Reason With respect to Hethersett: Hethersett is the Key Service Centre nearest to the Norwich urban area and Norwich fringe. It has the highest existing deliverable commitment (including uplift and delivery 2018/19). This is a total of 1369 homes and amounts to just over 40% of the total new homes planned in Key Service Centres (3,353 homes). Furthermore, this Key Service Centre is between Wymondham and Cringleford where further major growth is planned. This will result in significant pressure on social and community infrastructure. Insufficient new supporting infrastructure is planned. In addition, small allocations for new employment sites are required in this location. This will help to fulfil the objectives of Policy 1 and help to reduce journeys by car to further afield. There is a recognised growth in SMEs nationally with 95% of business employing less than 10 staff. The modified proposed site GNLP 0177-BR would help to offset the additional need generated by the strategic housing and employment allocations in this part of the district in providing a new community hub which would promote social inclusion and support the delivery of new permissive paths and outdoor recreational and leisure facilities beyond the proposed allocation sites’ boundaries. Such allocations would help Hethersett better fulfil its role in continuing ‘to enhance its function as a place to live and provide employment and services to serve the settlement and its hinterland’ (Draft Policy 7.3 of the Reg 18 Draft GNLP). Three sites are now proposed as follows: Sites A & B: low density commercial office use Site C: care village with integrated community facilities There is a marked shortage of community and social infrastructure planned to address the demand to be generated and support the expected levels of growth. The pressure on existing services, amenities and infrastructure needs to be offset by additional community and social infrastructure. An allocation at the eastern end of site GNLP0177-BR is recommended being situated on the edge of the Norwich urban area with easy access to both the City centre, strategic employment locations and the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor. This proposed allocation site is located near the Thickthorn Park & Ride and its planned extension, the A47/A11 planned junction improvement works and is on a strategic bus corridor, close to the main Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor area (Paragraph 169 of the Reg 18 Draft GNLP). Such an allocation would help to deliver the objectives of Draft Policy 6 in promoting local working and support individuals working from home who need flexible office space on an occasional basis, accessible by public transport, walking + cycling.
6
[Supporting the principles and objectives expressed at paragraph 202 of the Reg 18 Draft GNLP and ensure consistency with the NPPF Paragraphs 8, 16(a), 80, 84, 103, 104, 150 and 151).
The site is ideally situated at the Thickthorn Junction
Gateway Zone on a Green Infrastructure Corridor and the Cambridge Norwich tech corridor. It is adjacent to the
proposed park and ride extension and the planned
Highways England A47/A11 Thickthorn Junction
improvement works.
This proposed allocation was originally put forward for a
larger scale allocation. This is proposed to be reduced in
scale as per the attached plan.
The Stage 2 HELAA Comparison Table identifies the
following potential issues with the site:
Flood Risk and Heritage
However, a recent feasibility study found that there were no insurmountable constraints to development in relation to the above or the following:
Compatibility with neighbouring issues
Site access and transport
Access to services
Utilities infrastructure
Contamination
Ground stability / contamination
Landscape
Townscape
Biodiversity/ Geodiversity
The trustees of the land commissioned a Strategic Gap
Appraisal to assess whether the recent and planned
interventions in the Strategic Gap in any way undermined its function and purpose and whether as a result, there is a need to modify its boundaries or progress a strategy to mitigate the harm and enhance its function and purpose.
The site is ideally located to mitigate the impact of the
neighbouring strategic growth allocations through provision of additional community infrastructure in providing a small number of accessible homes for older people, new permissive footpaths and cycleways to encourage outdoor recreation, and a community hub.
A copy of the Sustainability Appraisal, Revised Site Plans and Strategic Gap Appraisal are enclosed.
The proposals have been modified to ensure that they do not conflict in any way with proposed allocations at
Colney, Cringleford or Hethersett. They will instead serve to mitigate their impact in providing additional community and social infrastructure to address the additional need generated.