GNLP0605

The proposed development of addition housing on this area, would mean that thru flow of traffic would increase into large residential area which means that families and children walking through to school are at a greater risk, but also noise pollutions through vehicles would increase. THe access would be a one way access and therefore provide issues with traffic which is already an issue in the close with rights of way. The school is a building that can only take so many pupils and the extra developments would mean that the school may not be able to cope with the demand as you can only have a certain number of children in a class due to age limits, it is not based on the number the school can take. Class sizes are already at maximum in lower year groups.
Building on the back of Foundry close will disturb also natural habitat as Owls and birds of Prey are frequent in that area. THe building of houses will also effect value of other properties in a negative manner due to the loss of view from the existing houses.
There are also not enough facilities ( no bus service) within the village or the road infrastructure is not able to cope with increase in traffic with out a real risk of an accident to pedestrians and also to properties that are of historical importance.

We, the Parish Council of Foulsham, are writing to object to plans GNLP0286 and GNLP0605. We strongly object to these proposed developments on the grounds of very poor access. The lower field identified in GNLP0286 was proposed for development in 1988 and was rejected. Twyford Lane was identified as the proposed access road. This is a single track road which narrows significantly where it joins the high street. When delivery lorries stop on this road, the road is blocked for the duration. There is no scope to widen this road. The alternative road would be Wallers Lane which is smaller than Twyford Lane and exits onto double blind bend which is dangerous to say the least. Both of these roads are used by parents walking their children to school.

The alternative access via GNLP0605 would take the traffic through Aubrey Rix Close, on which the pavement and road are the same level, with no kerb stones and is also a narrow road. This would bring pedestrians into close proximity with traffic which is not a good mix for road safety or health and safety, especially as there are a large number of children walking/running to and from school along this route. There are a number of developments ear marked for the village which would not pose such a problem to safety. We therefore object to both GNLP0286 and GNLP0605.

G. Fearn (Chair of Foulsham Parish Council)

there is no adequate access to the site only single track roads through stringers lane and Aubrey Ricks close which is already an accident waiting to happen at the join with Foundry close. The other access route is also single track via Twyford lane also a bottle neck area. also barn owls and bats nest in the trees within this site and lastly I have lived her 22 years and have always valued the view which is why we bought our house at 21 Foundry close. I fell we would move if this went ahead.

There would be poor access and excess traffic due to single lane road through Stringers Lane and Aubrey Rix Close. Already there has been near misses of residents leaving Foundry Close and not being given to by vehicles leaving Stringers Lane, sometimes at speed. Also Stringers Lane is one of the few places in the village that children seem to play outside in the street, more traffic would deny them this pleasure as their safety would be compromised. Planning generally seems poor in Norfolk with awful amounts of litter, traffic and potholed roads.

The village can not take anymore traffic. If the other site adjoining this one on Twyford Lane is approved and access into Twyford Lane is denied I fear all the traffic will go through Foundry Close. The bus route through Foulsham is to be axed in the next few weeks , therefore building more houses will create too much traffic.

The proposed development of more houses around Foundry Close is constrained by very poor access onto Stringers Lane and Aubrey Ricks Close from Foundry Close. This single track road is already dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists and the addition of more houses will only increase the likelihood a serious accident. The alternate route via Twyford Lane has the same issues.
In addition, Barn Owls can be seen regularly hunting on the proposed land; this would be lost, along with a loss of privacy and devaluation of properties adjacent to the proposed developments.

We wish to support the original submission made by our client Mr Terence Hendry which seeks the allocation of 0.7ha of land (GNLP0605) located to the rear of 3 Station Road Foulsham for residential purposes. Mr Hendry is the owner of this site.

We offer the following comments as further evidence of the suitability of this site to be developed for residential purposes.

Foulsham is identified as a Service Village within the adopted Joint Core Strategy (2014) and provides all of the amenities that settlements of this category are expected to provide as specified within Policy 15. These include; a primary school; food shop; journey to work public transport service; village hall. In addition to these services, there is also available within Foulsham a village pub, a Church and playing field.

JCS policy 15 states that in each Service Village (SV) land will be allocated for small-scale housing development subject to form and character considerations. Allocations are likely to be for between 10 to 20 dwellings but can be exceeded in circumstances where the development may help local service provision. While it is acknowledged that this policy may be amended within the revised local plan we consider it is worth pointing out the proposed site is an "excellent- fit" for the size of allocations suggested within the policy and it intended that the land could be developed for between 15 to 18 dwellings.

Foulsham is located off the A1067 and is found approx. 22 miles to the north west of Norwich. The journey time by car is approx. 40 minutes or by bus (the X29) approx. 55 mins. The X29 operates numerous services on a daily basis commencing at 06.40am and terminates in the city centre in Norwich bus station. This service provides the residents with convenient and regular access to Norwich for employment, shopping, educational purposes or to access some of the many other services available within the city. The X29 service also journeys to Fakenham and Kings Lynn providing regular access also to the services and facilities found within these settlements. Foulsham is therefore very sustainably located and offers its residents excellent public transport links to larger surrounding settlements to enable them to avail of enhanced services and facilities

The proposed allocation is found at the southwestern end of the village to the rear of 3 Station Road. The site is elongated rectangular in shape and previously was in agricultural use but is currently vacant and has not been put to any beneficial use for many years. It does not have road frontage, however, Aubrey Rix Close, a development of 14 affordable homes, has recently been completed adjacent the eastern boundary of the site and it is intended that access to the proposed allocation can be taken from the road servicing this development. While much of the centre of Foulsham is a designated Conservation Area the site is neatly tucked away behind existing development extending along Station Road and is generally well screened from public view. The development of this land therefore will not compromise or impact visually on the Conservation Area or any historic buildings.

When the public consultation exercise was undertaken for the adjoining development it emerged there was good support from local residents for the provision of additional housing within Foulsham. Existing residents recognised the need for additional housing to achieve support for local services and facilities including the primary school. The need for affordable homes was also highlighted as an essential requirement to enable younger residents to stay within the village. The proposed site will help to meet these requirements and will provide a mixture of house sizes to meet local need including the requisite number of affordable homes as set down by policy requirements.

The site is outside but immediately adjacent to the defined western limits to development identified for Foulsham within the BDC Site Allocations DPD (2014). It is therefore extremely well related to the existing built-up area with residential development adjoining the site to the east and south. The GNLP Site Proposals Map 2018 identifies all four sites that have been put forward for development within Foulsham and this readily illustrates how well this site relates to existing development, although the Claypit Road site (GNLP0275) is currently subject to a planning application. The discussion of the site within the GNLP Site Proposals Consultation Document makes the following assessment:

GNLP0605 (0.7ha) is adjacent to the recent housing allocation which has been built out. Access could be achieved via the new development. The site is adjacent to the conservation area but otherwise unconstrained.

The proposed site was also favourably assessed within the GNLP Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment 2017. It is described as a site with good access to core services including employment opportunities, primary school and public transport links. There are no known constraints to development in terms of utilities infrastructure, ground contamination or flood risk. Good design should ensure there will be minimal impact on the setting of the Conservation Area and the adjoining townscape. Initial highway evidence has indicated that potential access constraints could be overcome through development.

Furthermore, the consultation draft changes to the NPPF has identified that Local Plans should increase the supply of smaller site, to aid the delivery of housing.

In conclusion, it is considered that this site represents an ideal opportunity to provide additional residential development at an appropriate scale within the village of Foulsham. The site readily meets the requirements of sustainable development as set out in the NPPF. It is will result in the appropriate use of a small area of low grade redundant agricultural land that is well related to the built-up area of the village. The site is in the ownership of a local family, is immediately available and there are no known constraints to its development.

I purchased my house in Foundry Close 27 years ago, my solicitor ran a land registry search which revealed building permission on this land could never be granted and hence my precious privacy would be protected. I have lived here and admired the wildlife for over 27 happy years. I will feel greatly let down if this planning permission is granted. I would loose the sight of wildlife, many birds including barn owls, hedgehogs, deer and bats to name a few at the bottom of my garden and will instead be overlooked by new houses, doubling my distress.