Question 35: Do you support, object or have any comments relating to the approach to tourism, leisure, environmental and cultural industries?
Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 21598
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Hingham Town Council
When will broadband improvements be delivered ? existing businesses experience poor service.
It is unrealistic to conceive that in a rural area with a limited bus service, businesses within the “Key Service Centre” can flourish without the provision of adequate public parking. It is essential that businesses can encourage and obtain support from visitors to the town from nearby villages.
Parking facilities for existing community buildings – within Hingham these are insufficient to support growth and to enable these facilities to thrive. venues will lose bookings and revenue if they cannot provide adequate parking facilities for their potential customers.
Under Section 3 Vision and Objectives - Economy - 116 - references are made to "improved broadband and mobile phone infrastructure" to enable "the growth of small scale businesses, more working from home and remote working". It is important to note that such improvements to infrastructure have long been promised and are yet to materialise – when will these promises be implemented? Existing businesses in Hingham, such as the pub and the solicitors already have problems for example taking payments with card machines.
It is unrealistic to conceive that in a rural area with a limited bus service, businesses within the “Key Service Centre” can flourish without the provision of adequate public parking. It is essential that businesses can encourage and obtain support from visitors to the town from nearby villages. If the small independent businesses within the Hingham cannot flourish, they will close and residents of Hingham will also have to travel further afield to shop.
Adequate public parking must be addressed, not only for visitors to the town but those residents that need to access local services and businesses using a car due to ill health or mobility issues.
Parking facilities for existing community buildings – within Hingham these are insufficient to support growth and to enable these facilities to thrive. The Lincoln Hall/Bowls Club/Library and the Sports Centre parking areas are inadequate in size to accommodate visitors to these venues during busy times, and it is of concern that the venues will lose bookings and revenue if they cannot provide adequate parking facilities for their potential customers.
Support
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 21760
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Brown & Co
We support the approach relating to tourism, leisure, environmental and cultural industries.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would provide a new country park, with associated educational facilities and local nature reserve, together with enhancements to the local green infrastructure network.
We support the approach relating to tourism, leisure, environmental and cultural industries.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would provide a new country park, with associated educational facilities and local nature reserve, together with enhancements to the local green infrastructure network.
Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 21775
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: RSPB (East of England Regional Office)
As stated previously comments, any net tourist-oriented benefits will come from and joined-up approach and collaboration between GNLP and BA Broads Plan. The narrative needs to state whether these links exist, and if not whether they will be formed?
As stated previously comments, any net tourist-oriented benefits will come from and joined-up approach and collaboration between GNLP and BA Broads Plan. The narrative needs to state whether these links exist, and if not whether they will be formed?
Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 21836
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Natural England
It would be helpful to recognise the benefits and contributions that multi-functional GI delivers to making places more attractive to employers & employees in the greater Norwich area, as well as the contributions that the county’s natural environmental assets make to the Norfolk economy. It can be used to enhance the environment in the economic centres of settlements and help attract inward investment.
Under 5.in the policy, second bullet point, we suggest the wording should be amended to include the protection, enhancement and expansion of the GI network, rather than simply its implementation.
Natural England is a non-departmental public body. Our statutory purpose is to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
We support Broadland District, Norwich City and South Norfolk Councils’ preparation of a joint Local Plan to ensure a consistent approach to planning across the Greater Norwich area, with policies aligned with the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
We have made detailed comments in this letter in relation to the following Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) consultation documents:
Draft Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Draft Sites Document
Habitats Regulations Assessment of GNLP, December 2019
Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment, January 2020
Natural England acknowledges that the findings of supporting documents including the draft Greater Norwich Water Cycle Study (WCS) (AECOM 2019) and the emerging Green Infrastructure and Recreational Impact Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (GIRAMS) will need to be incorporated in the policies of the Local Plan and supporting documents, once these are finalised.
To summarise our response briefly, we broadly welcome the progress and development of aspects of the Local Plan and supporting documents to date, though Natural England is not yet satisfied that the relevant Plan polices will provide sufficient mitigation to ensure that there will be no adverse impacts to designated sites alone, and in-combination, through changes in water quality and resources and in regard to recreational disturbance, and to demonstrate that policies are sustainable.
Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 22406
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Horsham Properties Ltd
Agent: Mrs Georgina Brotherton
Draft Policy 6 ‘The Economy’
3.1 The draft GNLP states that it seeks to support small and medium sized businesses within both urban and rural areas by allocating sufficient employment land and allowing for windfall sites to come forward. However, Policy 6 ‘The Economy’, as drafted does not provide a flexible policy basis to accommodate the needs not anticipated by the Local Plan or to enable the expansion of existing small and medium size employment sites across of the GNLP area. Policy 6, as drafted therefore does not align with the NPPF or adopted Joint Core Strategy Policy 5 ‘The Economy’ and it is requested that the policy is amended to allow for the expansion of existing small and medium sized employment sites, such as the Abbey Farm Commercial Park site.
3.2 Paragraph 116 of the GNLP explains that the role of smaller scale employment sites in the urban area, market towns and villages will help to deliver good access to jobs for all. To promote the delivery of jobs, Section 4 of the GNLP explains that the draft plan provides choice and flexibility by providing for a wide range of type and size of employment sites. In terms of smaller scale and rural employment sites, Section 4 explains that such sites will be supported in accessible and sustainable locations.
3.3 Policy 1 outlines the Local Plans sustainable growth strategy and the supporting text to this policy explains at paragraph 151 that the plan allocates employment sites totalling around 360 hectares. Paragraph 155 explains that the Plan also allocates land and allows for additional windfall delivery of smaller scale sites to provide for jobs growth elsewhere in the urban area, towns and villages, providing local job opportunities and supporting small-scale businesses and a vibrant rural economy.
3.4 Whilst Policy 6 as drafted recognises the needs of small, medium and start-up businesses and explains that this will be addressed through the allocation and retention of smaller scale employment sites across the area, the policy as drafted does not allow for the expansion of existing small and medium sized sites.
3.5 Policy 5 ‘The Economy’ of the Joint Core Strategy specifically addressed the needs of small and medium sized businesses within the policy by allowing for the expansion of existing small and medium sized employment sites. We consider that this part of Policy 5 should be carried forward into draft Policy 6 of the GNLP.
3.6 By allowing existing employment sites to expand, this would enable existing businesses to grow and meet their evolving requirements on site rather than relocate, potentially out of the GNLP area. Paragraph 80 of the NPPF states planning policies and decisions should help create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand and adapt. Paragraph 81 goes on to state that policies should be flexible enough to accommodate needs not anticipated in the plan and to enable a rapid response to changes in economic circumstances.
3.7 With the above national policy context in mind, we consider draft Policy 6 is not flexible enough to meet the changing requirements of businesses and request that paragraph 2 is amended to allow for the expansion of small and medium sized sites, such as Abbey Farm Commercial Park. We therefore request that Policy 6, Paragraph 2 is amended as follows: 2.The needs of small, medium and start-up businesses are addressed through: • the allocation and retention of smaller scale employment sites across the area and the potential expansion of, a range of existing small and medium sized sites (LPP suggested text); • encouraging the provision of small-scale business opportunities in all significant residential and commercial developments and through the appropriate use of rural buildings; • Encouraging flexible building design and innovative approaches in new and existing residential developments to encourage local working and business opportunities.
On behalf of our client, Horsham Properties Ltd and owner of Abbey Farm Commercial Park at Horsham St Faith, we write in respect of the Greater Norwich Local Plan, Regulation 18 - Part 1, The Strategy and Part 2 Site Allocations Consultation, published January 2020.
Please find attached LPP’s statement that sets out our representations regarding Site Reference HNF3 – Land at Abbey Farm Commercial Park, Horsham St Faith, that is allocated for employment uses within the Broadland District Council Site Allocations Development Plan Document (2016) and is identified as ‘Carried Forward Employment Allocation’ within the draft Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) (2020).
This statement also considers the policies contained within Part 1 The Strategy set out within the draft GNLP and provides representations in respect of Policy 6 ‘The Economy’, Policy 7.4 ‘Village Clusters’ and responses to questions 6, 10, 15, 34 and 46. A response to each question has also been submitted via the GNLP online consultation portal.
This statement additionally identifies and seeks the allocation of land north of Abbey Farm Commercial Park (0.9 hectares), as a further modest extension to the Commercial Park for employment use.
Support
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 22421
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Norwich Green Party
We support such industries which reflect local innovation and support a high quality environment. We would like to see a greater emphasis on tourists and short-stay visitors arriving by rail and public transport opposed to by private car.
For full representation and additional information submitted, please refer to the attached documents.
Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 22857
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Crown Point Estate
Agent: Miss Kate Wood
As noted above under Policy 3, additional land at WCP should be safeguarded for extended country park-related development. This will enable the enhancement of green space and the provision of a variety of leisure activities. Safeguarding the additional land for this purpose will provide confidence in investment in country park-related development, within a positive planning background.
For full representation, please refer to the attached documents.
Object
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 23051
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Hingham Town Council
Under Section 3 Vision and Objectives - Economy - 116 - references are made to "improved broadband and mobile phone infrastructure" to enable "the growth of small scale businesses, more working from home and remote working". It is important to note that such improvements to infrastructure have long been promised and are yet to materialise – when will these promises be implemented? Existing businesses in Hingham, such as the pub and the solicitors already have problems for example taking payments with card machines.
It is unrealistic to conceive that in a rural area with a limited bus service, businesses within the “Key Service Centre” can flourish without the provision of adequate public parking. It is essential that businesses can encourage and obtain support from visitors to the town from nearby villages. If the small independent businesses within the Hingham cannot flourish, they will close and residents of Hingham will also have to travel further afield to shop.
Adequate public parking must be addressed, not only for visitors to the town but those residents that need to access local services and businesses using a car due to ill health or mobility issues.
Parking facilities for existing community buildings – within Hingham these are insufficient to support growth and to enable these facilities to thrive. The Lincoln Hall/Bowls Club/Library and the Sports Centre parking areas are inadequate in size to accommodate visitors to these venues during busy times, and it is of concern that the venues will lose bookings and revenue if they cannot provide adequate parking facilities for their potential customers.
For full representation response, please refer to the attached document.