GNLP0502

I object to GNLP502 because the access via Springfield Way is severely constrained, residents/visitors cars are often parked along the side of the road,especially when there are events at the sports hall (as there is in sufficient parking there). The area is a greenfield site with a diverse range of wildlife close to a SSSI.

I object to this site for the following reasons:

1. As there is only one entrance to the Springfield Way/Muir Drive estate, this is already a busy road without free-flowing access since many residents/their visitors have to park their vehicles on the road - when there are events at the adjacent Sports' Hall, the whole access road is incredibly congested with vehicles parked bumper-to-bumper.This problem will undoubtedly be exacerbated in the event that the road become the main access route for the proposed housing.

2. The fields proposed for development which border Springfield Way are Green Field Sites which provide habitat for a diverse range of wildlife such as hares, deer and an abundance of birds including Red Kites, Owls and Kestrels.

Hingham is a small market town on the B1108 almost equidistant from Dereham, Watton, Attleborough and Wymondham. All of these towns are expanding rapidly and this growth is having a negative impact on the road system and quality of life for residents in Hingham.

Before there is any further development in the above towns or in Hingham the highways' authority must improve the junction between the B1108 and the Attleborough/Dereham Road. Widening of the pavements in the town is needed, especially those alongside the B1108, and also a pedestrian crossing is needed on the B1108.

Most of the sites put forward by land owners for consideration for future housing in Hingham would mean considerable development on one or two sites but the Hingham Town Council's expressed view is that if there must be further development then these developments should be small in scale, between 10 and 20 properties, and spread round the areas offered. The building of smaller developments can make it easier for new residents to integrate into the community. However, there are concerns that larger developments are often viewed in isolation by existing residents of the Town and those who come to reside in these new developments seem to become their own community rather than part of "the bigger picture"

If there is to be further development in Hingham then the Council believes that as well as the highway issues already mentioned, the Primary School will need to be enlarged and/or updated and in particular it will need the provision of a hall/gym so that the National Curriculum can be taught more easily. Also, while the surgery is considered to be one of the best in the country, if the Town expands, then this too will need to be extended further.

The current playing field situated on the Watton Road, Hingham is an area of 8.8 acres which was purchased by Hingham Town Council nearly 40 years ago, when the population of Hingham was considerably less than it is now. Within this 8.8acres there is a 3 badminton court sized sports' hall, with changing rooms etc, a car park, tennis courts, a children's' play area and a skate park, as well as a football and cricket pitch.

The recommendation of the National Playing Field Association (NPFA) is that there should be a minimum standard for 'outdoor playing space' of 2.4 hectares per 1,000 population, of which 3 acres per 1000 population should be for pitch sports.

While there are a few other play areas, for children, in Hingham, the only sports' pitches in the town are those located on the Playing Field on Watton Road. It is clear that the present field does not currently meet the minimum standard as regards size as recommended by the NPFA and is not sufficient for the current population let alone any future increase. So it is proposed that an area of land directly to the North of the current playing field on Watton Road including sites GNLP 0502 and GNLP 0501 should be allocated for the future extension of the current playing field and a larger car park, and not allocated for the provision of housing.

The land available in Hingham Cemetery for burials may run out during the lifetime of the next local plan. It is therefore proposed that all that area of land directly to the north of Hingham Cemetery, on the Attleborough Road, including site GNLP0395 should be allocated as land for an extension to the current cemetery and not for housing. This site could also include the provision of a car park to be used in conjunction with the cemetery, for users of the Church, Hingham residents/workers and visitors to the town. Part of this area could also be turned into small nature area that would enhance the biodiversity in the Town.

The most recent housing development in Hingham, 'The Hops', which is still under construction, has added considerable extra load on the drainage system especially after heavy rain and any additional housing in GNLP0520 and GNLP0310 would only exacerbate this problem.

Again with the above suggested sites there would considerable issues regarding safe walking routes including controlled crossings along the B1108. These safety issues would also arise if housing were to be built on sites GNLP0298 and GNLP0335. There are already concerns being raised by residents living in Rectory Gardens about the lack of safe walking and crossing of the B1108 and more houses would magnify these concerns.

In addition to concerns about large scale development in Hingham, Hingham Town Council considers that small scale housing developments should be allowed in those smaller communities which have had little if any development in recent years. Enabling growth in these small villages would bring in much needed finance via CIL payments, thus helping to maintain services but would also allow local people to stay in their own communities.

Concerns have also been expressed about the appearance of many modern developments in that they are all very formulaic and when they are the first thing that visitors see on entering the Town then more consideration needs to be given to the look of the properties and not just their functionality.

please now find attached further information to support the Proposed Allocation of Sites GNLP0501 & GNLP0502 - Land West of Springfield Way, Hingham.

Hopkins Homes now have an agreement with the Landowner to promote the totality of these two previously identified sites to enable the residential development of approximately 91 dwellings, and since the previous Consultation have been in discussions with the adjacent Landowners to the south, to ensure that adequate access arrangements can be provided to serve the site from Springfield Way.

The attached Illustrative Masterplan indicates how this could be achieved.

As identified within the previous Local Plan Consultation, the sites lie in a wholly sustainable location on the north-western edge of Hingham, close to the main western radial route into the village centre, where public transport services are available.

In view of the above sustainability credentials, Hopkins Homes considers that these sites should therefore be Allocated for residential development within the forthcoming Draft Local Plan.