GNLP0312

We object to full development of this large site since it would have a serious impact on the amenities of a number of properties in Norton Road, including our own.

The site has been proposed for development before and it is understood that the District Council's view has been that the rising ground on the site, with important views in and out towards the Chet Valley and Loddon Church, should be protected from development but that a smaller scheme on the lower lying part of the site adjoining Beccles Road could be acceptable. We would support that view.

Norfolk County Council have in the past made outline plans for relocating the Fire Station to an NCC-owned site on the A146 junction with George Lane, adjoining the school. The scheme would facilitate a sympathetic residential development which would improve the Conservation Area. The Fire Service supported the relocation operationally but the scheme did not progress; land values of this small site in isolation did not justify the outlay. It may be worth reconsidering this as part of a larger scheme, since it would enable resolution of the current access constraint on site 0313.

Norfolk County Council have in the past made outline plans for relocating the Fire Station to an NCC-owned site on the A146 junction with George Lane, adjoining the school. The scheme would facilitate a sympathetic residential development which would improve the Conservation Area. The Fire Service supported the relocation operationally but the scheme did not progress; land values of this small site in isolation did not justify the outlay. It may be worth reconsidering this as part of a larger scheme, since it would enable resolution of the current access constraint on site 0313.

Given that Loddon has already had two major residential developments (Beccles Road and George Lane), it is difficult to imagine that further large scale developments can be justified - particularly as some of the mitigating measures (such as the promised George Lane/A146 roundabout) do not seem to happen. Please note that the overview drawing entitled Loddon CP shows the recent Beccles Road residential development as part of a GN Strategic Employment Site.

I consider that taking access from the busy A146 (Beccles Road) would be totally unsuitable and would lead to traffic safety problems and add to the congestion on this road at peak times. Surface water drainage on the site would pose additional problems .

Jennifer Fletcher

Proposed elevated position will ruin views and landscape as well as devalue the properties along Norton Road - invasion of privacy.
Loddon is already overpopulated and traffic is congested in the town centre.

Building an estate on this land would negitavly affect many home owners that currently live here, including myself. We bought our home for many reasons and one main factor being that we wouldn't be overlooked or surrounded by many other houses, as we feel this is hard to find anymore. We love our community and surrounding neighbours and feel that yet another large estate would put a strain on the community, including the schools and the already overly busy main road.

This is rising land and overlooks the whole of Loddon and a developement there would dominate the area. Loddon has, in the last 4 years, had 300 new dwellings without any improvement to already overstretched local amenities.

Two large developments in Loddon are already stretching the services and facilities of Loddon/Chedgrave service centre, so any further housing will not be ideal. If it is required, the only possible sites should be those with easy access to the A146 without having to use narrow roads or the centre of Loddon. Sites 0312 and 0372 meet this criteria. 0312 has the disadvantage of its elevation which would make any wholesale development over dominant, but perhaps part of the site could be suitable. However, 0372 is on lower ground making any development less obtrusive and therefore a more suitable site.

I fully appreciate the need for new homes and understand why living in Loddon is desirable, however I feel that any new development should be on in fill sites and kept to a maximum of around 20 dwellings in any one development. The developments should, ideally be spread out over several years. Loddon already has two large, new estates and in my opinion would struggle to sustain another. The schools and GP practice are at saturation point, parking a real issue and access to the A146 is becoming almost an impossibility. Barclays have recently closed the only remaining bank offering lack of footfall as the reason; so far from having more amenities as a consequence of an increased population, we seem to have less. I enjoy living in Loddon a great deal and am dismayed to think that it might become just a dormitory town for Norwich.

Loddon has recently undergone another large development (Beccles Road) and a second large development is nearing completion (George Lane) - impacting on already stretched local services and peak time access onto/off the A146. Whilst not opposed to seeing some further development, the overall number of new housing needs to be re-considered.

I am against further large scale development in loddon.The infrastructure will not cope if this development goes ahead.I also object to a greenfield site being built on.

Dear Sirs,

I am very concerned about the proposed development GNLP0312. When houses were being built behind George Lane surgery there were lots of good reasons such as the capacity of the "village" to handle any more houses. These reasons have been well documented such as objections from Parish council, schools and local politicians. Loddon is a village, and has been built as a village. It has already gone over capacity for the roads and other infrastructure that currently exists. The proposed development would also be dangerous in terms of access to the main road. The Hales junction has recently been reported as the most dangerous in Norfolk (hence the new roundabout) and George Lane junction has also been earmarked for a roundabout. This means that you would be creating a new dangerous junction. If the access is off Norton Road then this would be insane as the road is not built for the level of traffic that would come from this number of houses.

Despite ignoring the pleas of the actual people who live in Loddon on all previous occasions and putting money ahead of all sensible consideration as to why not to keep mass production on our village, why no change tack now and do the right thing. You could then look back on your career once you retire in the future and think that eventually you did the right thing.

I believe that this site outlined on GNLP0312 is totally unsuitable for this development.
This is a very prominent area of high ground with far reaching views over the Chet valley and Loddon.
The proposed development will put an unbearable strain on local infrastructure and services that are already at breaking point.
It will have a large impact on traffic movements in an already very congested area and two or three hundred extra vehicles will make matters far worse.
What happens to all the surface water from this sloping site?
This will have a negative impact on the quality of life for local residents and affect our property values and our right to enjoy our environment.

Trevor Pickering

In general, I am very surprised and dismayed that Loddon, yet again, has been targeted for more housing. Over the last 20 years or so, it has already more than trippled in size. Most, recently, Loddon has had a large housing development completed next to the industrial site and it has another one (opposite the junior school), being built now. Both these developments are enormous! This has added a huge amount of new homes to the village already. The result of this is that Loddon's infrastructure is being sorely tested already. The health centre is fully subscribed making getting an appointment very difficult. The local schools are now full to capacity. The high street is often congested. There is very little for youngsters to do in Loddon - there is no leisure centre or swimming pool. There is the Jubilee Hall Social club and a small playing field for football and a small play gound nearby but that is all. The facilities in Loddon are almost non-existent! Further, getting onto the A146 is impossible. I acknowledge that there is a new round about being constructed at Hales but this will have little or no positive impact on Loddon. There are very few job opportunities in Loddon itself so most people will be needing to access the main road on a regular basis. Loddon will be just become a dormitory village. The quality of village life is already being negatively affected.
In particular, I really object to farm land being eaten up as in the proposed site GNLP0312. This is prime farmland which demarcates the edge of the village. It is on a fairly prominent incline which would mean that any new houses would seriously over shadow the existing properties on Norton road. Planners may not be aware that immediately behind the houses on Norton road is a fallow strip of land which has been specifically left in order to absorb rain run off. I was told that some time in the past, water run off from this incline caused considerable flooding to the properties on Norton Road. I believe this farmland should not be developed as it should be protected for future generations.

No more development of Loddon/ Chedgrave. They have already been subjected to an obscene amount of development.

With reference to the residential development proposal GNLP0312
We have just found out from our neighbours that the above site has been submitted.
It appears that none of the properties abutting the site were notified directly.
Recently a large development has been carried out directly opposite our residence with all the disruption and mess that this incurred.
This development would now mean that our view, which used to be across open fields, would now change to an urban outlook.
There is a large diversity of wildlife supported in this area e.g. Dormice, hares, deer and a large variety of birds which would all be displaced.
Facilities in the town are already stretched with the street impassable at times due to volume of traffic particularly at school times.

The comments below refer to site reference GNLP0312 - this is prime agricultural land, outside the development boundary and a conservation area.
GNLP 0313 - the high street is already congested. And additional 6+ houses would clearly impact the listed buildings and conservation area. At present it is a beneficial green space in Loddon town centre.
GNLP0314 - a Flood area/zone! We need to NOT build on land and further reduce flood plain land which acts as a sponge and prevents flooding elsewhere.
GNLP0372 - would exacerbate flood risk.
General points for all the above:
The applications would result in an additional 460 houses for Loddon (588 if you include Chedgrave) and I would question local need. Schools, medical facilities and local infrastructure area already at capacity. The roads and lanes within and around the settlement of Loddon are narrow and not designed for modern traffic requirements.
The A146 is a constant stream of traffic it can take a good 5 minutes to get out to the bypass from any of the Loddon approach roads. Conservation areas, listed buildings and prime agricultural land should all be protected from developers. Brown field sites should always be used.

SUBMITTED DURING STAGE B OF CONSULTATION:

please now find attached further information to support the Proposed Allocation of Site GNLP0312 - Land East of Beccles Road, Loddon.

Since the previous Local Plan Consultation, Hopkins Homes have acquired a formal legal Option to promote the site for residential development, and hence have now produced the attached Indicative Layout Masterplan to show how the site could be attractively developed to deliver approximately 180 new dwellings upon the available site area, together with approaching 0.8Ha of new public open space. The existing boundary landscaping is proposed to be retained and enhanced, in order to ensure that the overall impact upon the wider surrounding rural landscape beyond is adequately considered and addressed.

The site lies in a wholly sustainable location, adjacent to the main employment area of Loddon, whilst benefits from an existing frontage footway to Beccles Road, which enables direct pedestrian linkages into the centre of Loddon. Public transport also passes directly along the site frontage, enabling connections to Norwich, Beccles and other larger centres beyond.

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