GNLP0259

I favour a site off the Ipswich Road - GNLP0361 ans GNLP0498 - for development.

Outside the village envelope to develop

See my remarks regarding GNLP0256/7/8

Further development of Dickleburgh should be restricted to the edges of the village at The Street and Norwich Road.

Developing any land off any part of Rectory Road would turn what has always been a heavily trafficked for decades and a parking nightmare more recently, due to terrace housing and the Millers Drive estate turning Rectory Road into a the most dangerous route in the village. Like Harvey Lane it becomes especially dangerous during school drop off/pick up times, with Rectory Road being the main route for the articulated lorries to the Smuffit Kappa factory on Pulham Road. Rectory Road is already the direct route to the A140 for the Millers Drive, Beach Way and Merlwood housing estates

Impact on traffic on rectory road and too far out of the village.

This a good site with good access.

I do not support this proposal as it would bring too much traffic to a narrow road that is already congested and other sites in the village provide better and safer options.

This site would place an additional traffic burden on Rectory Road which is already busy and carries too many lorries for the size of road and level of congestion caused by parked cars. The site is sufficiently distant from the main village facilities that I fear many residents would choose to drive to the village shop rather than drive adding to the congestion already experienced at the junction of Rectory Road and The Street.

This development would cause a significant increase in vehicle traffic along Rectory Road. Rectory Road is already a very busy route for HGV's and passenger vehicles. Residents on Rectory Road have limited drive ways and park their vehicles on this road, which is understandable considering their lack of driveway space. As such I believe that even a small increase in vehicle traffic on Rectory Road would cause delays and congestion.

In addition, Rectory Road is highly residential street, with many young families in residence. Children are very often seen playing outside their homes and the pathway along Rectory Road is used by children to reach the village shop, friends houses and to go to and from the school. I believe that an increase in traffic to this already overly busy road (for its size) would increase the risk to pedestrians on this road and traffic control measures would be counter-productive as they would cause further congestion.

This development would also increase the vehicle traffic along Rectory Lane and Harvey Lane, taking traffic along this very narrow, single track route. This would take additional traffic past the school and village centre, where children play. In addition Harvey Lane and Rectory Lane is very popular with resident dog walkers, and any further traffic will expose them to risk.

I would suggest that if there is to be any further developments within Dickleburgh then these would be best suited on the Western side of the village, with far closer access to the A140, with the area around Ipswich Road seemingly far more appropriate.

Being over half a mile from the village centre, residents would be likely to drive in and increase the parking problem near the shop as well as the traffic problems along Rectory Rd.

Development on this site will create a big increase in traffic along Rectory Road which is already extremely difficult and dangerous to drive or walk down. Rectory Road is not very wide and and is made even more narrow by the number of cars parked along its length. The road is also extremely busy and is the main route used daily by large lorries going to and from the Kappa factory. I believe development of sites along the Ipswich Road to the south of Dickleburgh would have far less impact on traffic flows through other parts of the villag

We have noticed that all the many sites put forward by this landowner are for an unspecified number of properties which adds to the concern about volume of building proposal and loss of arable land and the impact on traffic on the already overburdened Rectory Rd.

Being over half a mile from the centre of the village, residents would be likely to drive in and add to the parking problem near the shop as well as the traffic problems along Rectory Road gaining access to the A140.

The Parish Council objects on the grounds harm to the traffic infrastructure of the village.

Our general policy statement:

THE GNLP AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR VILLAGES: A POLICY STATEMENT BY DICKLEBURGH AND RUSHALL PARISH COUNCIL

As a community, Dickleburgh and Rushall are committed to playing their part in the GNLP's plan for future housing. We believe some new housing, particularly that which is affordable, is important for the future health and prosperity of our village.
At the same time, it is essential that this growth is sustainable, proportionate and sited so that it does not place an intolerable strain on the infrastructure and character of our villages.
After careful discussion of the development options, two public meetings with residents and an opinion poll within Dickleburgh, the Parish Council has reached the following conclusions concerning future housing development:

1. The response to the call for sites has so far produced 13 proposals around the village of Dickleburgh.

2. Currently, the most urgent problem facing Dickleburgh concerns roads. Each of the three road in the centre of the village is already experiencing major traffic problems. It is essential, for reasons of safety to residents and drivers, that these are not exacerbated.
The Street is an extremely narrow road which, in spite of 20mph speed limit (widely ignored by drivers) struggles to cope with traffic, in particular heavy goods vehicles going to and from the Smurfit Kappa depot in Rushall.
Rectory Road, with houses on each side, parked cars and no pedestrian crossing has become very dangerous to pedestrians. Again, lorries from Smurfit Kappa are the main problem.
Harvey Lane, a narrow road on which the school, playground and village centre are situated, has had widely-publicised problems of congestion which will be worsened by a development of 22 houses, currently under construction.

3. The Parish Council is determined that what is already a bad and dangerous traffic situation in Dickleburgh must not be made worse by any new housing development. For this reason, we believe that any future development should take place to the south of the village off the Ipswich Road (GNLP0350 and GNLP0498; if there are problems with those sites, we favour GNLP0498).

4. New houses on that side of the village would provide residents with safe and easy pedestrian access to the village services, without adding to Dickleburgh's traffic problems.

5. We strongly oppose any potential sites that will add to the traffic on the three roads mentioned above. Our opposition includes sites on the Norwich Road to the north of the village. Local experience has shown that drivers will avoid the difficult junction on to the A140 to the north of the village, preferring to use the roundabout to the south. In other words, any Norwich Road development would add to pressure on The Street.

6. A survey for our proposed Neighbourhood Plan revealed, in addition, that residents on the Rectory Road greatly value the prospect from the village of Dickleburgh Moor, which is being developed as a wildlife site. In other words, development off the Ipswich Road has the added advantage of causing least harm to amenities enjoyed by current residents.

7. Dickleburgh Primary School, of which we are very proud, is now reaching capacity and will have no further potential for expansion.

8. We are also concerned that the village sewage system has limited capacity. There is a risk of flooding to the north of the village.

9. As a more general point, we believe that excessive loading of new houses on to rural villages would be environmentally irresponsible, increasing dependence on cars to drive to work, shop and deliver children to school.

CONCLUSION
The Parish Council believes that any future plans for housing must be in proportion to our current population and should not place an intolerable strain on village infrastructure.
Sensible, proportionate development to the south of Dickleburgh will retain the integrity and vitality of our village, while making a positive contribution to the county's housing needs.

Is there a secret plan afoot to build Dickleburgh into a solid sprawl so that it joins up with Harlesden? What would we call it? Dickleden? This is so far out of the village development envelope it is not even in the same stationers. What do the concepts of 'village' and 'countryside' actually mean here - are we on a mission to build suburbia?However far outside the village, this proposal will still be feeding extra traffic volume into the overburdened Rectory Road and spreading more parking problems?

Any building work on the south side of Rectory Road would have serious implications for the safety of road users and pedestrians on the already over-used and unsafe Rectory Road and The Street.