Comment

Representation ID: 23002

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Barratt David Wilson Homes

Agent: Pegasus Planning Group

CONCLUSION

BDW welcomes the proposal to accommodate further growth at Cringleford and supports the principle of an uplift in numbers for the Newfound Farm allocation. However, they disagree with the high-level assessment that only 35% of the site is suitable for further development or that the uplift numbers should be restricted to 360 homes for both the remainder of site GNLP0327 and site GNLP0327. Moreover, the arbitrary limit on the delivery period for new homes in Cringleford before 2026 has the potential to limit the supply of new homes.

The development of phase two of Newfound Farm has the potential to deliver 500 dwellings at a density that is accepted within the Norwich urban area, of which Cringleford parish is part of. The development of the phase two land would be the only way that a vehicular link from the consented phase one scheme to the roundabout on Round House Way could be achieved. Whilst we don’t believe that this link is essential for the phase two land to come forward, should this link be secured then there would also be the potential to deliver a pedestrian crossing point across Round House Way to further encourage pedestrian and cycle connectivity with the rest of Cringleford.

Our client will be opening two sales outlets under their different brands of Barratt and David Wilson Homes. This will result in an increase in the delivery of new homes on their Cringleford site. There will also be significant cost and time savings by the continuation of development from the consented scheme at the Newfound Farm site. The Councils should only be allocating housing sites where a reasonable prospect of delivery and there are doubts about the delivery strategy that is proposed in the emerging Local Plan, and whether it will deliver the most sustainable form of development. By increasing the proposed uplift in numbers for the Cringleford allocation the Councils will be providing greater certainty over the delivery of new homes compared to other allocations in the Greater Norwich Local Plan, which includes a reliance on allocation through the South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Site Allocations document.

Draft Policy 2 of the emerging Greater Norwich Local Plan recognises the importance of ensuring the effective use of land in accordance with paragraphs 122 and 123 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019. This document and the supporting reports and plan demonstrate that any constraints to the densification of the phase two land can be overcome and that it would be the most effective use of the land. The densification of the site would also deliver benefits to Cringleford and the wider Greater Norwich area through the delivery of new homes in this sustainable location, further enhancements to highways and social infrastructure and additional CIL payments to South Norfolk Council and Cringleford Parish Council. Therefore, the Councils need to ensure that the development of land at Cringleford accords with the Sustainable Growth Strategy for the Greater Norwich area by following the accepted approach to densities on the consented phase one development.

To overcome this objection, BDW request that the preferred allocation be amended to reflect the delivery of an additional 500 homes plus land for a primary school on the remainder of the GNLP0307 site that is not covered by the consented scheme.