Question 47. Do you support or object or wish to comment on the overall approach for Small Scale Windfall Housing Development? Please identify particular issues.

Object

Representation ID: 23056

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Hingham Town Council

Hingham Town Council do not support the policy, it is not clearly written and the policy is ambiguous and needs to be clarified (or removed entirely).

Does the policy mean there will only be one site of a total of 3 dwellings permitted in each parish OR does it mean there will be an unspecified number of separate sites in each parish but only allowing 3 dwellings on each site.

If this policy is intended to only permit 3 windfall properties maximum within each parish, it is unlikely to be able to stand up on appeal. If two people in one village submitted equally suitable plans for 3 houses on 2 separate sites, at about the same time, say as soon as the plan is adopted, there would be a danger that an appeal would result in the village having an extra 6 houses.

The policy could add a considerable number of houses throughout the district and would add additional burdens on the communities and infrastructure/facilities, have additional negative impact on climate change and place more residents in areas where there is a lack of public transports etc.
It is concerning that this policy will mean applications for development will seemingly be approved even if there is local opposition, objections from neighbouring residents and such developments may be built outside of a development boundary or infill into small valuable areas of open countryside.

Comment

Representation ID: 23119

Received: 31/03/2020

Respondent: Salhouse Parish Council

CPRE Norfolk feels that windfall development should be restricted to sites within settlement boundaries. Housing need is already catered for by other policies in the Plan. Windfall developments should also count towards overall housing targets.