GNLP0418

1. The following comments are submitted in support of the suggested allocation of the land at Cook's Field (ref GNDP0418) for housing.
2. It is noted that the site is classified as being suitable for housing development in the Council's Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) 2017. However, a number of technical issues are identified as potential constraints on development, and these issues are addressed below.
Highway safety
3. Access to the site is available directly off Mill Lane. It is acknowledged that the road along the site frontage is narrow and will need to be widened. The access point will be constructed in accordance with relevant highway standards. Suitable provision would be made for pedestrian movement, which will connect to the established footway to the edge of the site. The established pedestrian footway leads directly to the village centre.
4. It is noted that highway access is good and within the control of the landowner adjacent to a recent development. Good visibility would be available from the proposed access onto Mill Lane in both directions. There are wide highway verges on this section of Mill Lane. These verges currently provide safe refuge for pedestrians and would in the future facilitate the construction of any necessary new footway links.
Access to services
5. Pulham St Market is identified in the current Joint Core Strategy as a Service Village. It benefits from a post office, pre-school, primary school, two churches, doctors surgery, shop, community building and a village hall. There is a playing field situated in Mill Lane, hosting facilities including a pavilion with changing rooms and a small kitchen, a football pitch, tennis court, a BMX bike track and children's play equipment such as swings and climbing frames. The village centre is approximately 800 metres from the proposed development site, and would be readily accessible from it on foot or by bicycle.
6. A number of bus services operate on weekdays and Saturdays through the village, providing links to Norwich, Diss, and Harleston (Konectbus service 83, Semmence & Co service 584 and Simonds service 40). The nearest bus stop to the site is located on Colegate End Lane, approximately 480 metres from the site. Diss railway station is located approximately 13.2km from the site, offering a main line service operating to London.
7. Archbishop Sancroft High School is the catchment high school with is located in nearby Harleston market town, approximately 7.4km from the site.
8. Accordingly, it is considered that the proposal development would benefit from good access to local services, and would accord with local and national planning policies which indicate that to promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. Given their accessibility, existing local businesses and services would be likely to derive support from the development due to the addition to the local economy of the spending power of new residents. In these respects, the proposal would support the social and economic dimensions of sustainability as defined in the NPPF.
9. It is acknowledged that due to the site's rural location, residents of the proposed development would be reliant to a degree on car travel for their main shopping and leisure trips. However, a number of sustainable transport options would nonetheless be available to access local services, including walking, cycling and public transport.
Our ref: 17/097 Page 2 of 3 Date: 20th March 2018
Local character
10. The land proposed for development comprises an open field located on the northern edge of the village, but is well-contained visually by existing housing to the south and by established boundary hedges and trees. From Mill Lane, views of the proposed houses would be limited to glimpsed views along the new access, whilst from Colegate End Road to the east, the site would be screened from view by a series of established hedgerows. Consequently, whilst the proposal would inevitably result in a loss of openness, its impact on the landscape setting of the village and the character of the area generally would be limited. There are no specific landscape designations in the immediate area of the site. The land is generally flat in character with partial boundary hedgerows. The proposal would be consistent in form with surrounding developments, keeping with the residential property on either side of the road.
11. The established pattern of development in the vicinity is mixed, but is made up predominantly of detached and semi-detached houses and bungalows set in good sizes plots. The village has nucleated features as historically it was developed around a village green, with a number of listed buildings which front the green. There is considerable development to the north and west of the conservation area at Falcon Road, Julians Way, Mill Close and Springfield Walk, with additional infill development within the built-up area of the village. The proposal would be consistent in form with these developments and so would not appear out of place. The density of development envisaged of around 30 dwellings would also be compatible with its surroundings and would enable the relatively spacious character of the area to be maintained.
Heritage assets
12. The Conservation Area encompasses the historic core of the village, stretching to the northern fringe. Only limited views of the development would be available from the Conservation Area due to the screening effects of housing, and boundary trees and hedges. It is also envisaged that the proposed houses would be well back from these boundaries, which would diminish their visual impact. Where visible the proposed development would be seen against the backdrop of existing housing to the west, and would appear as a natural rounding-off of this part of the village. The land is generally flat in character with countryside hedges and individual mature trees. The proposal would be consistent in form with surrounding developments.
13. There is a number of listed buildings in the vicinity of the site. Falkland House is the closest to the site, located approximately 800m. The significance of these mostly Grade II listed buildings, appears to derive principally from its architectural form/details and historic fabric, together with its setting in grounds on the edge of the village. Given its separation from the site and the screening effects of intervening houses and vegetation, it is considered that the proposed development would not have a material impact on the setting of any of the listed building.
Flooding
14. The site falls with Flood Risk Zone 1 (low risk). The proposed development would be located on higher ground away from any flood risk areas. Further technical work, including a site-specific flood risk assessment, is being commissioned to demonstrate that the proposed development would not be a risk of flooding or be likely to result in an increased flood risk elsewhere in the locality. This will submitted in support of the proposed development as soon as possible.
Ecology
15. An Ecological Assessment of the site has been carried out by Hopkins Ecology. A copy of this report for will be sent under separate cover. The Assessment found that the development of the site would be unlikely to impact on any designated sites either directly or indirectly.
Our ref: 17/097 Page 3 of 3 Date: 20th March 2018
Delivery of development
16. No significant infrastructure, contamination or ground instability constraints have been identified to date which would be likely to delay or impede the development of the site for housing. The site is in a single ownership and no further land is needed to enable the land to be brought forward for development. The land is currently available for development and so, subject to approval being given, could delivery housing in the short term.
17. The proposed development would make a positive contribution to the supply of housing in the area and possible improvements to the recreational ground. The proposal would also add to the range of housing sites available in the locality, providing flexibility and a wider choice of development opportunities to the market, and thus strengthening the local supply of housing land. By providing sufficient land of the right type in the right place to support growth the development would address the economic dimension of sustainable development, as defined in the NPPF.