GNLP1055

My objections to the proposals for GNLP1055 fall under 2 main headings: land quality and accessibility.

Land quality: much - if not all - of the land proposed for development is of prime agricultural quality as frequently reported by the current landowner and noted by those who have seen his crops over the last 25 years. Garden produce in this area is also renowned for its quality. At a time when we in Britain are likely to become even more dependent on home grown crops using such land for property development is a matter of grave concern.

Accessibility: (1) the Hethel road which runs through the proposed site is a known accident black spot where there have been several fatalities.
2) there would be a significant increase in the volume of traffic entering and exiting A11 which, in itself, would create problems but would would also exacerbate any issues relating to (1) above
3) the existing roads on the proposed site are largely single track
4) access to Wymondham and the railway station - as detailed in the settlement summary - is problematic

No development should be allowed between the B1135 and Silfield Road South-East of the All because:
1 The area is prime farmland and as we leave the EU, farm land should be preserved for national food-security reasons.
2 The bottleneck under the railway, identified elsewhere in the GNLP, cannot cope with additional traffic; the current approved sites either side of Silfield Road to the North-West of the A11 will make access to Wymondham highly problematical without further pressure.
3 The roads between the B1135 and Silfield Road are narrow country lanes, all single track.
4 The hump back bridge at Bridge Road has a weight restriction, is already dangerous as regards poor visibility and is only wide enough for a single vehicle.
5 There are no sewage services, no mains gas and limited piped water supply in the area and installing such services would be destructive to amenity and the natural world.
6 The B1135 is known as an accident black spot and gravel extraction and its attendant traffic have already made the road more dangerous. Additional houses would further exacerbate this issue.
7 The area preserves considerable amenity, supports a wide range of wild life and preserves the inherent beauty ancient history of a man-made rural landscape which would be lost if piecemeal development of small fields were to be permitted.
8 Noise and light pollution are already considerable issues for the area and additional development could only result in further deterioration.
9 There is insufficient parking, schools and general amenities in Wymondham town centre to support a further increase in local population.

Hethel Road, there have already been several accidents some with fatalities
A blot on the landscape for the residents who haven chosen to live in a rural area, and the country roads cannot take yet more traffic.
Sewerage works... How much more can Wymondham cope with with all the building that has already taken place in this area.
A 9 inch gas pipe that goes through adjacent fields
Green belt area, excellent farm land
Schools, surgeries already oversubscribed

The area around Stanfield Hall, in particular, is countryside of high landscape value and the roads from East Carleton to Wymondham (at the north of the proposed development) and near Silfield and Hall Farm are attractive, quiet routes for cyclists. This development would totally destroy this fine area and help to complete the pincer movement of development around Norwich. This area should be protected by a green belt, not covered in concrete.

This large sight of good arable land is serviced by small roads that are glorified cart tracks. Currently they are frequently used by the residents of Wymondham for recreational activities walking,jogging,cycling and horse riding.Any development in this area would stop all that use.
A new sewage works would be required to service the area as well as upgrades of the roads.
It is just the greed of farmers and the lack of community pride that would support this application.

It would make economical and sustainable sense to have residential development tagged onto existing development with the infrastructure already there rather than creating a new 'Garden Village' in a remote rural location that has single lane lanes, no mains sewage or gas.

In addition there is a huge flood risk,currently residents and the roads are solely reliant on drainage ditches and even this not sufficient in some spots.Removing or blocking up the agricultural and residential ditch system and impermeable surfaces will seriously increase flood risk.

Don't destroy land when there are already settlements that can be more easily expanded.

In order to meet the significant requirement for new homes, and to ensure a bright and prosperous future for the Greater Norwich area, an ambitious strategy is essential. It is our view that a new Garden Village settlement at Hethel in the Cambridge-Norwich Hi-tech corridor is key to that.
The proposed allocation site comprises 351 hectares of land straddling the B1135
Wymondham Road to the south west of the Lotus Car Works site and the Strategic
Employment allocation at Hethel. It is well related to and within easy travel distance of, the A11 to the west. The site is within single ownership and under the control of Glavenhill Strategic Land. It is available for development now.
The site offers a sustainable location for the delivery of up to 2000 homes within the plan period to 2036 at sufficient scale to support its own range of services whilst minimising the impacts of additional housing growth upon established settlements in the Greater Norwich plan area. It is an ambitious strategy that can deliver clear benefits over and above the other growth options.
Through its strategic location and scale, the site presents a unique opportunity to deliver on the ambitions of the Cambridge-Norwich hi-tech Corridor. It can help to ensure that housing and employment opportunities are closely aligned with the ambitions of the New Anglia LEP Strategic Economic Plan which aims to deliver economic growth within Greater Norwich, including in-particular, the A11 corridor. This location is specifically identified in the Strategic Economic Plan for its high impact sector activity and is expected to grow over the plan period.
By planning at scale to the Garden Village model, there is an opportunity to not only
provide high quality housing, long term stewardship and land value capture, but also to understand the needs of the wider local area, which through a Development Corporation or local development agreement, can mean that the local authority is at the heart of the development process, providing leadership and reassurance around delivery.
A new Garden Village can ensure a range of local facilities and infrastructure e.g. new and improved school provision, including a new High School which could serve the new settlement and Wymondham, and also grasp the opportunity for Further Education, potentially linked to the Hethel Technology Park.
Glavenhill Strategic Land broadly support Growth Option 3 to support the Cambridge- Norwich hitech corridor. However, the overall housing requirement number of 7200 dwellings derived from an OAN of around 39,000 is not supported and is considered to be too low. It is considered that a properly assessed housing requirement is in the region of 11,000 to 14,000 new homes.
The New Settlements Topic Paper accompanying the Growth Options Document sets out a list of broad criteria for assessing the suitability of locations for new settlement development. We have used this list as a broad basis for assessing the suitability of the Hethel Garden Village Site and the results show that the site is suitable for development of a new settlement.
The GNLP HELAA assessment concludes that the site is suitable for accommodating new residential development. Glavenhill Strategic Land also conclude that there are unlikely to be any over-riding constraints to development of the site. Glavenhill Strategic Land are committed to undertaking more detailed technical assessment work on key topics, if there is a firmer commitment given to pursuing a new settlement in this location.
Glavenhill Strategic Land respectfully request that the proposed allocation site be considered for allocation within the Greater Norwich Local Plan.