Object

Publication

Representation ID: 24382

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: Mr Richard Bacon

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? Not specified

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

SME Developers and Care Home Providers

There appears to be a shortfall of sites under 50 units for SME developers in the GNLP, both currently and in the next Local Plan period. This is unsustainable for small local developers and will result in the loss of valuable skills and housing choice in Norfolk. I believe that the number of sites suitable for SME developers should be significantly increased.

Care home providers in Norfolk also appear to have been neglected by the GNLP through the allocation process and I would like to see this addressed too.

Change suggested by respondent:

SME Developers and Care Home Providers

There appears to be a shortfall of sites under 50 units for SME developers in the GNLP, both currently and in the next Local Plan period. This is unsustainable for small local developers and will result in the loss of valuable skills and housing choice in Norfolk. I believe that the number of sites suitable for SME developers should be significantly increased.

Care home providers in Norfolk also appear to have been neglected by the GNLP through the allocation process and I would like to see this addressed too.

Full text:

As the Member of Parliament for South Norfolk, I write to comment on the Regulation 19 Publication of the Greater Norwich Local Plan {G NLP).

Policy 7.6 - New Settlements

I would like to place on record my support for the proposed new settlement site at Hethel, known as the Stanfield Garden Village, ahead of the investigation into new settlement sites later this year. This settlement would provide a self-sufficient, low-carbon community in a vibrant location. Moreover, the speed of delivery and the availability of both affordable and self/custom-build homes at scale would help to address local and national housing needs at pace, providing an innovative and sustainable solution to the current housing crisis. A new settlement at Hethel would also carry benefits with respect to meeting South Norfolk District Council's statutory duty to fulfil self-build demand.

Policies 7.4 and 7.5 - Self-Build Provision

The GNLP refers to self/custom-build in Policy 7.4:

"Affordable housing led development, which may include an element of market housing (including self/custom build) if necessary, for viability, up to a maximum of 15 dwellings in total . These sites should be adjacent or well related to settlement boundaries with good access to' services, including safe routes to schools, subject to other policies of the local plan.11

and Policy 7.5:

"Policy 7.5 promotes small scale housing development, including self/custom build. This complements policies 5 and 7.4 which also support self /custom build .11

There were 113 people on the self/custom-build housing registers in 2018/19 alone, highlighting the demand for self/custom-build. I do not believe the GNLP's policies reflect this level of demand and I would like to see provision for self/custom-build strengthened in the GNLP.



Email: richardbaconmp@parliament.uk Web: www.richardbacon.org.uk




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Primary School Provision in Poringland

While the current Plan seeks to address local education needs in Norfolk, it does little to address the needs of parents and children living in Poringland. Local children in Poringland are currently being taken to Trowse, approximately five miles away, via a bus. This is both costly and unnecessary seeing as Norfolk County Council has both a need and a funding allocation for a primary school in Poringland. I would very much like to see this addressed by the Plan.

SME Developers and Care Home Providers

There appears to be a shortfall of sites under 50 units for SME developers in the GNLP, both currently and in the next Local Plan period. This is unsustainable for small local developers and will result in the loss of valuable skills and housing choice in Norfolk. I believe that the number of sites suitable for SME developers should be significantly increased.

Care home providers in Norfolk also appear to have been neglected by the GNLP through the allocation process and I would like to see this addressed too.

I hope that the above comments will prove constructive. I very much look forward to hearing the responses to the points made during the GNLP Regulation 19 Consultation.