Question 18: Do you support, object or have any comments relating to the preferred approach to sustainable communities including the requirement for a sustainability statement?
Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 23108
Received: 31/03/2020
Respondent: Salhouse Parish Council
Commenting on Policy 2 – Sustainable Communities, CPRE Norfolk questions the use of the words “as appropriate” in the policy’s introduction, as this means the requirements would be far too open to interpretation as to what is “appropriate” and therefore opportunities to ensure that ‘mitigating and adapting to climate change, [and] assisting in meeting national greenhouse gas emissions targets’ will be missed.
This concern is particularly relevant when considering how new housing development in the “village clusters” will fulfil the first
requirement to ‘ensure safe, convenient and sustainable access to on-site and local services and facilities including schools, health care, shops, leisure/community/faith facilities and libraries.’ The rationale behind these “village clusters” appears to be mainly based on the availability and accessibility of a primary school. However, safe, convenient and sustainable access to the other features on this list are equally important. Adequate health care and shops simply are not available in these ways to many of the preferred new sites for housing in the “village clusters”, therefore giving further reasons why such sites should not be included in the GNLP.
There is a worrying disconnect between the aspirations in point 6 with the need to ‘manage travel demand and promote public transport and active travel within a clearly legible public realm’, and the imposition of additional new housing in “village clusters”. It is difficult if not impossible to see how residents of the majority of this new housing will be able to use active travel or public transport, due to the likely distances from workplaces and the lack of suitable public transport.
If additional new housing is developed in “village clusters” most of the working residents will not have ‘good access to services and local job opportunities’. Instead there will be an unsustainable increase in the number of journeys to and from work using private vehicles, which will not be electric-powered certainly for the majority of the plan period. It is very doubtful if additional housed will provide enough business to keep a village shop open, but they will definitely increase the number of journeys made for delivery and service vehicles, making this housing even more unsustainable.
If communities are to ‘minimise pollution’ as required to do so by point 8, it is imperative that no additional new housing is allocated to “village clusters”, as this would lead to an increase in petrol and diesel-powered vehicle journeys to and from such housing. This, along with the resultant increase in congestion, makes this additional housing highly undesirable.
Please see attached for full submission
Note that Salhouse Parish Council largely endorses the comments by CPRE, and so we have integrated these comments into our response.
Support
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 23137
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Hopkins Homes
Agent: Bidwells
The principle of ensuring that developments are high quality and contribute to delivering inclusive growth
in mixed, resilient and sustainable communities, whilst assisting in mitigating and adapting to climate change is supported. To demonstrate the ability to secure these objectives, the preparation of a Sustainability Statement as part of an application for a major development is supported.
Whilst the requirement to ensure the efficient use of land by, amongst other things, providing an indicative minimum density of 25 dwellings per hectare, is supported, the policy, or supporting text, should make it clear that, as well as giving consideration to on site characteristics, consideration will be given to a range of other site / scheme specific issues, such as housing mix, design considerations and the densities of the surrounding area.
Please see attached for full submission and supporting documents.
As outlined in the attached submission, the site is suitable, available, achievable and viable, and is therefore deliverable within the plan period.
Development in this location would represent sustainable development, as defined within the National Planning Policy Framework. Aylsham, as a Main Town, with the fourth highest level of shops and services outside Norwich, is already acknowledged as a highly sustainable location for residential growth, as evidenced through the significant quantum of development that has been approved in the last decade, and the attached text demonstrates that this specific site is a suitable location for further development in all respects.
Economically, residential development here in the plan period would help sustain and enhance local
services and facilities, and would also provide employment opportunities during the construction period.
Socially, the scale of development envisaged is such that it will enable the creation of a strong, vibrant and
healthy community, with easy access to existing and planned local services and facilities, as well as onsite
open space. A wide mix of dwelling types, sizes and tenures will be provided to meet local needs, and
CIL payments will ensure the provision of the necessary health and cultural facilities. The site is located
in close proximity to established communities in Aylsham, which should assist in achieving social
integration between the existing and new residents.
Environmentally, the site is located close to a range of services and facilities, and enjoys good access to
sustainable transport options providing access to the extensive array of facilities and services available
within Norwich and further afield. Residents will be able to meet their day-to-day needs easily and without
the need to use their car, assisting in reducing pollution and minimising the contribution to climate change.
On this basis, the site should be taken forward as an allocation, and is capable of making an important
contribution to the planned growth of the Greater Norwich Area in the period to 2036.