Comment

Representation ID: 22722

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Pegasus Group

Paragraph 59 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out to support the Government’s
drive to boost housing supply, a sufficient amount and variety of sites must come forward, specific
housing requirements are met, and that consented sites are developed without unnecessary delay.
The GNLP Delivery Statement sets out that housing sites will only be allocated where it can be
Evidenced that delivery can be achieved within the plan period. In addition to this, applicants are
required to submit delivery plans alongside planning applications to provide a guide of their expected
delivery rates. Where agreed delivery rates are not met then the Councils would have the option to
bring forward development sites through compulsory purchase orders. Furthermore, the GNLP allows
for some flexibility by including a total housing figure 9% higher than the governments’ standard
method figure (which as outlined in Question 14 has been miscalculated), and is considering two
contingency sites at Costessey and Wymondham (both for approximately 1,000 homes each) to offset
any non-delivery within the plan period. Given that the Councils are proposing such strategies
indicate that the Councils are clearly concerned with the continuation of historic under-delivery
persisting into the new Plan period. To avoid a continuation of delays to the delivery of large-scale
Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) including contingency sites, a range of smaller sites should also
be included.
Consequently, to provide the Councils with greater certainty, they should consider increasing the
housing figure above the housing target figure. In doing so, Councils should identify land and
development sites on the edge of established sustainable settlements which are capable of
accommodating housing growth within the plan period. These sites are able to come forward at a
faster rate and are fully capable of delivering sustainable development in accordance with paragraph
8 of the NPPF.
Land off Norton Road, Loddon falls outside of the current settlement boundary but adjoins it to the north west with the proposed allocation of Policy GNLP0312 (Land to the east of Beccles Road). The village of Loddon is classed as a Key Service Centre, the largest, one of the most sustainable villages in the area. Indeed, the settlement possesses a wide range of shops, services, infrastructure, employment opportunities and public transport links. Thereby the allocation of the small-scale housing site of Land off Norton Road would lead to the natural extension of the sustainable settlement of Loddon and will assist in providing the Councils with greater certainty over housing delivery during the 2 next plan period.