GNLP0029

The view is the village cannot take on any more capacity. It was agreed that the parish council is unable to support the inclusion of any of the 3 sites. This is primarily due to the increased traffic on the A146 and the inadequacy of junctions to cope with additional traffic and the existing difficulty for villagers of accessing the A146.There is currently a lot of congestion from Loddon to Norwich on a daily basis. In addition there are issues around the flood plain. The road is prone to flooding, and there are currently no pavements.

Comments below are in respect of the site on Vale Road, Thurton (South Norfolk) which I believe is under site number GNLP0029.

There are many issues surrounding further development in Thurton and specifically along Vale Road. Firstly, Vale Road is unsuitable as a means of access to additional properties. The road is mostly of one car width and even then it is very narrow. There are no passing places at all, so when cars meet, one must reverse up the road and onto a driveway of a private property to allow the other car to pass. Even if a new means of access was put in (at great expense) off the A146, this would be very dangerous and cause further issues for access onto and off the A146 into Thurton. The access into Thurton from the A146 has become worse since more properties have been built in Loddon and residents often wait ages to join the main road or have to pull out half way into the road and wait for a car on the opposite site to let them out.

There is another road called The Avenues which provides limited access from the A146 onto Vale Road and again, this is very narrow and can only serve one car at a time. It has high banks on both sides and no passing places and is very unsuitable as a means of access onto Vale Road for more than a few cars.

Further houses would increase traffic and would most likely be inhabited by families. There are no pavements along most of Vale Road for children or walkers to use so residents (including small children) walk in the road. There are banks on both sides of the road which on one side are high and unsuitable for pedestrians to mount easily to avoid oncoming traffic.

Part of Vale Road has a speed restriction of 30mph and the rest is subject to the national speed limit. The new properties proposed would be outside the 30mph speed limit area and therefore on a road which is one car width, has no pavements, and has the national speed limit.

There are also existing issues of surface water flooding on Vale Road and the pond fills quickly when there is heavy rain. The river also drains into an SSI further down. There are already issues from the properties in the Meadows with drainage and further properties would increase the issues.

There are also environmental impacts which need to be considered. There is an abundance of wildlife in the area which would be affected by development. There are many brown hares, birds (swifts, owls, etc) deer, pond life and other species in the area which would need to be considered.

Development would have a negative impact on local traffic issues and would fundamentally change the landscape of the area.

Site Ref:- GNLP 0029

I am very annoyed and concerned at the comments made in the planning report for site ref:- GNLP 0029

Suggesting the requirement of an access from the site, onto the A146 Norwich/ Loddon main road, knowing The Highways Department will never agree to it.

There already exists provision for an access onto Vale Road, between the properties Meadow Vista and Sunflower, as advertised by the planning department, when planning was granted for the development of the three bungalows on Vale Road, between Meadow Vista and Beeling.

Yours faithfully


Kenneth Nockolds