GNLP0478

Rackheath can not cope with any further houses, not enough doctors, schools and the roads can not cope.

The village does not want or need these large developments. There isn't & there won't be the infrastructure to support these houses.

Rackheath has already been allocated 3,600+ new homes in the Local Plan to 2036 and no new sites should be allocated for house building until all existing allocations have been developed. There is a lack of infrastructure to service new developments e.g. health service, schools, early years provision, lack of public transport e.g. no sustainable bus service. There is no phasing of community infrastructure in place to meet demands.There is a The shear volume of housing planned within Rackheath will impact on the local community and its infrastructure, out of proportion to that of any other area in Norwich or the surrounding area.
Additional developments are threatening the countryside around Rackheath and green spaces should be retained between Rackheath and other villages and a green corridor should be retained between Rackheath and North Norwich.
The allocation of any further development sites will allow developers to 'cherry pick' the more favourable rural sites while banking other less attractive sites
New developments are planned in isolation without physical or community links to integrate with existing or other developments. Pocket developments have been created producing an insular attitude rather than a sense of community identity from those that live there.
The reduction in the provision of the amount of affordable housing and suitable retirement properties in developments is threatening the ability of families to stay living in the same community.

This large site on land off Green Lane West Rackheath is being promoted as a strategic housing
site to deliver circa. 300 dwellings. The site has been previously promoted through the emerging
Greater Norwich Local Plan and assigned the reference GNLP0478. The promoted scheme is
designed enable the delivery of the new Rackheath Country Park containing some 32ha of green
infrastructure to meet existing public open space deficiencies in this part of the Norwich Policy
Area.
The site is located within the Growth Triangle part of the Norwich Policy Area that is a focus for
major housing growth within the emerging Greater Norwich Local Plan period. This part of the
Norwich Policy Area is particularly sensitive due to the proximity of the river Yare and The Broads.
Specific parts of The Broads within this part of the Norwich Policy Area are designated Site of
Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area, Environmentally Sensitive Area, National
Nature Reserve and Ramsar. The area identified for the new Rackheath Country Park is large
enough for recreation and leisure purposes to be a realistic alternative to visiting The Broads.
As such the mixed-use scheme proposed is highly sustainable as it will deliver net environmental
gains for nature and improve public health and community wellbeing within Rackheath.
The site promoted through this representation has already been submitted into the previous callfor-
sites process and has been assigned the reference GNLP0478. The site is some 39.5 ha in area
and is located west of Green Lane West and bisected by the Northern Distributor Road (NNDR). A
Location Plan showing the location of the site is contained within Appendix B of this document.
The land is controlled by Glavenhill and is immediately available/deliverable to meet planned
housing targets and to address existing acknowledged shortfalls in accessible public open space
within this part of the Norwich Policy Area.
This site is being promoted for circa. 300 new dwellings, including affordable housing, and a large
area of permanent green infrastructure in the form of the new Rackheath Country Park. This 32ha
area of strategic green infrastructure can be delivered early in the Local Plan period to offset
growth impacts from on-going major housing developments at Rackheath, Beeston, Sprowston
and Catton on the Broads National Park.
It is envisaged that some 7.5 ha of land closest to Green Lane West and Wroxham Road north of
the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NNDR) will be developed for housing, employment and
community facilities. The new Rackheath Country Park will be laid-out across 32ha of land either
side of the NNDR and may include sufficient space to also accommodate a new stadium for
Wroxham FC. This new park will be equipped for a high standard of recreation of leisure and will
have vehicular access and car parking directly off the new roundabout with Wroxham Road. The
quantum of housing and green infrastructure proposed in this instance is appropriate to the size
of the settlement of Rackheath.
The scheme has been designed to meet existing acknowledged green infrastructure shortfalls in
Broadland District and the Norwich Policy Area and will deliver a major public benefit to existing
residents within Rackheath. The village is identified in the approved Joint Core Strategy as a
Service Village. As such is an appropriate location for the level of housing growth and green
infrastructure proposed.
Although the Country Park would constitute an abnormal cost in scheme delivery terms, the full
cost of laying-out the space, construction of the access road and car parking area, and supplying
and maintaining the play equipment proposed has been factored into the business plan.
The scheme has been devised having regard to planning guidance contained in the National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This development will provide social gain through increased
recreation and sporting opportunities which leads to community development and social
inclusion; economic gains through making the settlement of Rackheath more attractive to housing
and new business; and will net environmental gains for nature. In addition, the scheme promoted
will improve residents' quality of life.
The NPPG is very clear that green infrastructure is vitally important to the delivery of high quality
sustainable development. In this instance the green infrastructure is well planned and will
improve public health and community wellbeing within Rackheath. In addition, the proposals will
deliver wider environmental improvements; new opportunities for recreation and exercise to delivering mental and physical health benefits; and reduce air pollution and noise from the new
Norwich Northern Relief Road.
An indicative layout plan showing how the housing and green spaces areas could be laid-out and
accommodated with the site is contained in Appendix C of this document. The access designs for
the site showing the relevant geometry are also contained within Appendix D of this document. An opportunity exists to meet housing needs within the Growth Triangle that is the focus for
sustainable development within the Broadland District part of the Norwich Policy Area.
The site is well related to the City of Norwich, particularly Broadland Business Park and Norwich
Airport Industrial Estate, and local employment at Rackheath and Salhouse Road. Public transport
access to the site is being improved and the site is well related to existing services and facilities in
the Norwich fringe.
The opportunity exists to immediately deliver a large amount of housing to meet unmet housing
and the new 32ha Rackheath County Park. This is a significant amount of immediately deliverable
green infrastructure (approximately 75% of the size of Whitlingham Great Broad) that will go a
long way to meeting existing shortfalls in an accessible location within the Norwich Policy Area.
The mixed-use scheme proposed will also go a long way to reducing visitor pressures and harm to
The Broads.