Support

Representation ID: 22844

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Crown Point Estate

Agent: Miss Kate Wood

In terms of leisure, the Plan’s vision is noted at paragraph 133: “The development of a multi-functional green infrastructure network will continue across Greater Norwich. This enhanced network will have helped our communities mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, by providing for biodiversity gain through improved and linked habitats, reducing flood risk and improving opportunities for active travel and leisure. Improved access to the countryside will have been provided and the quality of our environmental assets will have been enhanced. Visitor pressure on the Broads and other internationally and nationally protected sites will be reduced by new and improved green infrastructure both on and linked to developments, including delivery of the North West Woodland Country Park in Horsford.”

We consider it is important that development and green infrastructure go hand-in-hand. We note that the GNLP proposes significant new development to the East and South-East of Norwich, in the vicinity of the Whitlingham Country Park (WCP). To support the GNLP’s vision for improved opportunities for active travel and leisure, we consider that additional land at WCP, site reference GNLP3052, should be safeguarded for the future delivery of green infrastructure. This relates geographically to the extensive new development proposed by the GNLP to the South and South-East of the City, and would therefore be linked to those developments. It should be supported in addition to the Country Park at Horsford, which is to the North-West of the city. Policies to safeguard the additional land for future country park use will facilitate confidence in investment in the site.

The Plan’s objectives leading from this vision, as they relate to the economy, environment and housing are as follows:
“Economy - To support and promote clean growth and progress towards a post-carbon economy through the expansion of internationally important knowledge-based industries in the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor as part of an entrepreneurial, enterprising, creative and broad-based economy with high productivity and a skilled workforce.

“The vision in the draft Local Plan states that future job growth in and around Norwich will happen in locations where there is good access to public transport and the major road network.

“Environment - To protect and enhance the built, natural and historic environments, make best use of natural resources, and to significantly reduce emissions to ensure that Greater Norwich is adapted to climate change and plays a full part in meeting national commitments to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“Homes - To enable delivery of high-quality homes of the right density, size, mix and tenure to meet people's needs throughout their lives and to make efficient use of land.”

We support these objectives, and we comment in Section 5 below on the way they have been translated into policy.