GNLP2020

After much thought and consideration Blofield Parish Council would like to make the following response to the proposals contained in the Greater Norwich Local Plan New, Revised and Small Sites consultation : -
Blofield and neighbouring parishes have already seen a large number of developments built or approved. The local infrastructure cannot cope with what is happening now and the council has specific concerns about:
* The capacity of the access to the A47 (Cucumber Lane roundabout). The existing planning consents have taken forecast flows to the limit of the capacity.
* The provision of essential local services including healthcare and schools. The existing developments have overloaded the services and there is no capacity to cope with the impact of the housing which is being built let alone the significant additional houses that have planning permission. There are no credible proposals to improve the situation.
* The capacity of the Postwick Hub if large housing developments occur in the locality: were these housing proposals factored into the traffic flow forecasts when the junction was designed? We already have tailbacks onto the A47 from the slip road that are as bad as before the improvements to the 'hub'; significant additional flows through that junction as a result of housing growth and the NDR won't improve the problem.
* Loss of Grade 1 or 2 agricultural land at a time when there is concern post-Brexit about food security.
* The ability of the water supply and treatment infrastructure to service the proposed housing developments in and near the parishes.
The current Local Plan allocated 'about' 50 houses to Blofield itself and 'about' 25 to Blofield Heath giving the parish of Blofield growth of, say, 75 - 100. The actual growth under the current Local Plan will be about 500 houses - which is 500% of the planned number, casts serious doubt on the utility and effectiveness of Local Plans, and is crippling local services.
Given the extent of development experienced under the current Local Plan the Parish Council opposes all the proposed sites within the parish put forward in the GNLP New, Revised and Small Sites consultation: the parish needs time to absorb the current developments and for the infrastructure issues to be addressed by bodies such as NCC.