Site Proposals document

[Representation text in respect of specific sites and Sustainability Appraisal as under - see also Growth Options - general comments on plan approach are logged against Q66. The full submission letter is attached]

Honingham Thorpe (site GNLP 0415 A to G)
This site is located to the immediate south of the A47 between the small settlements
of Honingham and Easton.

There do not appear to be any known designated heritage assets within the site
directly but given the scale of the map it is hard distinguish precise boundaries. There are however a number of designated heritage assets near the site which will need to be taken into account as part of the allocation process. These include the Grade I listed Church of St Peter and the Grade II* listed Church of St Andrew. Given the high grading of these two designated heritage assets Historic England will be a statutory consultee in any prospective planning application affecting the setting of the churches. There are also seven Grade II listed buildings surrounding the site. These include Church Farm House, the Barn at Church Farmhouse, Malthouse, The Old Hall, the Barn at The Old Hall, The Old Horse and Groom and Greenacres Farm
House.

The site allocation is largely undeveloped open land, there are also two records
indicating the presence of ring ditches within the site area. As the area has not been
developed before, therefore the relative lack of recorded evidence should not be
interpreted to mean that the site has no heritage interest rather than no one has had to undertake any investigation of the site. Therefore it will be important to consider the possibility that the site may contain undiscovered archaeology and to ensure that the impacts on potential archaeological remains within the site are considered. Consideration may also need to be given to other local designated and undesignated heritage assets, but the local and county conservation/historic environment services will be best placed to provide advice on this. The Site Proposals document makes no reference to the presence of designated heritage assets. We are however pleased to see that the Site Proposals document recognises the need for a very significant amount of further work to be carried out in order to investigate the opportunities and constraints of the site. We agree with this assumption and request that extra work involves the production of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and an exploration of potentially undesignated or undiscovered heritage in the form of archaeology. The HIA should consider landscape implications, the setting of heritage assets and how they relate to their surroundings. These findings should inform the site allocation process.

West of Hethel, Stanfield Hall Estate (site GNLP 1055)
The site contains the Grade II* listed Stanfield Hall and the associated Grade II listed bridge across the moat east of Stanfield Hall. It is not exactly clear from the maps but it appears that the Grade II listed Limetree Farmhouse also all within the site boundary. There are a number of other Grade II listed buildings around the north and western boundaries of the site which could also be affected; these are generally farm buildings, cottages, a schoolhouse and Browick Hall. The rural setting and relationship of the properties to the surrounding land will therefore be important aspects of these buildings' significance.
The site also contains a number of historic features which have not been designated
but maybe of local importance. A large expanse of land to the east of Stanfield Hall
and between St Thomas' Lane to the north and Wymondham Road to the south is a
former World War Two military airfield, Hethel Airfield. The airfield was used by the
United States Army Air Force as a heavy bomber base. In 1964 part of the site was
taken over as test track and factory for Lotus Cars. Also running through the site to
the south of Hall Farm is the route of the 1881 Wymondham and Forncett Branch
Railway - the track was lifted in 1952.

Given the high grading of Stanfield Hall, Historic England will need to be a statutory
consultee as part of any prospective applications for planning permission. Stanfield
Hall itself dates from 1792, the moat with its Grade II listed bridge is thought to be an 18th century ornamental landscape feature. The abridged version of Norfolk County Council's Historic Environment Record (HER) indicates that Stanfield Hall has
medievl origins with the current structure being built upon the site of an earlier manor.
A great deal of the historic significance of Stanfield Hall is connected with the two
principal phases of building in 1792 and the early years of the 19th century that
resulted in major early gothic interiors and the house's exterior elevation and
landscaping. The latter includes mature planting and incorporates a gate lodge on
the main road. The principle windows of the Hall command views to the south, it is
unclear if the site was actively managed as part of the Hall's designed setting it does
lie within principle views. The allocation site constitutes the wider setting of the
building and makes a particular contribution to its historic significance. The
development of this site will result in harm to the significance of the building's wider
setting and this should be taken into account when considering the allocation of this
site. The site allocation entirely surrounds Stanfield Hall and this is of concern.
The Site Proposals document makes no reference to the presence of designated
heritage assets. We are however pleased to see that the Site Proposals document
recognises the need for a very significant amount of further work to be carried out in
order to investigate the opportunities and constraints of the site. We agree with this
assumption and request that extra work involves the production of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and an exploration of potentially undesignated or undiscovered heritage in the form of archaeology related to the medieval origins Stanfield Hall as well as more recent archaeological finds associated with the railway and airfield. The HIA should consider landscape implications, the setting of Stanfield Hall and how it relates to its surroundings. These findings should inform the site allocation process.

Comments on Interim Sustainability Appraisal
The historic environment should be considered as part of the sustainability appraisal
process. We recommend that these comments should be read alongside our Advice
Note 8, available here: https://historicengland.org.uk/imagesbooks/
publications/sustainability-appraisal-and-strategic-environmental-assessmentadvice-
note-8/
Key Sustainability Issues
We would suggest that the starting point for considering Key Sustainability Issues for the Historic Environment should include:
- Conserving and enhancing designated and non-designated heritage assets
and the contribution made by their settings
- Heritage assets at risk from neglect, decay, or development pressures;
- Areas where there is likely to be further significant loss or erosion of
landscape/seascape/townscape character or quality, or where development
has had or is likely to have significant impact (direct and or indirect) upon the
historic environment and/or people's enjoyment of it
- Traffic congestion, air quality, noise pollution and other problems affecting the
historic environment
We would expect to see consideration of opportunities. It is considered that the
historic environment can make a significant contribution to the success of
development and there may be opportunities for the enhancement of the historic
environment which comes from sustainable development proposals. It is considered
that the Sustainability Appraisal should highlight these opportunities. Examples of
the sorts of opportunities that can be used can be found in our guidance notes in the
links above.

[Representation text in respect of specific sites and Sustainability Appraisal as under - see also Growth Options - general comments on plan approach are logged against Q66. The full submission letter is attached]

Honingham Thorpe (site GNLP 0415 A to G)
This site is located to the immediate south of the A47 between the small settlements
of Honingham and Easton.

There do not appear to be any known designated heritage assets within the site
directly but given the scale of the map it is hard distinguish precise boundaries. There are however a number of designated heritage assets near the site which will need to be taken into account as part of the allocation process. These include the Grade I listed Church of St Peter and the Grade II* listed Church of St Andrew. Given the high grading of these two designated heritage assets Historic England will be a statutory consultee in any prospective planning application affecting the setting of the churches. There are also seven Grade II listed buildings surrounding the site. These include Church Farm House, the Barn at Church Farmhouse, Malthouse, The Old Hall, the Barn at The Old Hall, The Old Horse and Groom and Greenacres Farm
House.

The site allocation is largely undeveloped open land, there are also two records
indicating the presence of ring ditches within the site area. As the area has not been
developed before, therefore the relative lack of recorded evidence should not be
interpreted to mean that the site has no heritage interest rather than no one has had to undertake any investigation of the site. Therefore it will be important to consider the possibility that the site may contain undiscovered archaeology and to ensure that the impacts on potential archaeological remains within the site are considered. Consideration may also need to be given to other local designated and undesignated heritage assets, but the local and county conservation/historic environment services will be best placed to provide advice on this. The Site Proposals document makes no reference to the presence of designated heritage assets. We are however pleased to see that the Site Proposals document recognises the need for a very significant amount of further work to be carried out in order to investigate the opportunities and constraints of the site. We agree with this assumption and request that extra work involves the production of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and an exploration of potentially undesignated or undiscovered heritage in the form of archaeology. The HIA should consider landscape implications, the setting of heritage assets and how they relate to their surroundings. These findings should inform the site allocation process.

West of Hethel, Stanfield Hall Estate (site GNLP 1055)
The site contains the Grade II* listed Stanfield Hall and the associated Grade II listed bridge across the moat east of Stanfield Hall. It is not exactly clear from the maps but it appears that the Grade II listed Limetree Farmhouse also all within the site boundary. There are a number of other Grade II listed buildings around the north and western boundaries of the site which could also be affected; these are generally farm buildings, cottages, a schoolhouse and Browick Hall. The rural setting and relationship of the properties to the surrounding land will therefore be important aspects of these buildings' significance.
The site also contains a number of historic features which have not been designated
but maybe of local importance. A large expanse of land to the east of Stanfield Hall
and between St Thomas' Lane to the north and Wymondham Road to the south is a
former World War Two military airfield, Hethel Airfield. The airfield was used by the
United States Army Air Force as a heavy bomber base. In 1964 part of the site was
taken over as test track and factory for Lotus Cars. Also running through the site to
the south of Hall Farm is the route of the 1881 Wymondham and Forncett Branch
Railway - the track was lifted in 1952.

Given the high grading of Stanfield Hall, Historic England will need to be a statutory
consultee as part of any prospective applications for planning permission. Stanfield
Hall itself dates from 1792, the moat with its Grade II listed bridge is thought to be an 18th century ornamental landscape feature. The abridged version of Norfolk County Council's Historic Environment Record (HER) indicates that Stanfield Hall has
medievl origins with the current structure being built upon the site of an earlier manor.
A great deal of the historic significance of Stanfield Hall is connected with the two
principal phases of building in 1792 and the early years of the 19th century that
resulted in major early gothic interiors and the house's exterior elevation and
landscaping. The latter includes mature planting and incorporates a gate lodge on
the main road. The principle windows of the Hall command views to the south, it is
unclear if the site was actively managed as part of the Hall's designed setting it does
lie within principle views. The allocation site constitutes the wider setting of the
building and makes a particular contribution to its historic significance. The
development of this site will result in harm to the significance of the building's wider
setting and this should be taken into account when considering the allocation of this
site. The site allocation entirely surrounds Stanfield Hall and this is of concern.
The Site Proposals document makes no reference to the presence of designated
heritage assets. We are however pleased to see that the Site Proposals document
recognises the need for a very significant amount of further work to be carried out in
order to investigate the opportunities and constraints of the site. We agree with this
assumption and request that extra work involves the production of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and an exploration of potentially undesignated or undiscovered heritage in the form of archaeology related to the medieval origins Stanfield Hall as well as more recent archaeological finds associated with the railway and airfield. The HIA should consider landscape implications, the setting of Stanfield Hall and how it relates to its surroundings. These findings should inform the site allocation process.

Comments on Interim Sustainability Appraisal
The historic environment should be considered as part of the sustainability appraisal
process. We recommend that these comments should be read alongside our Advice
Note 8, available here: https://historicengland.org.uk/imagesbooks/
publications/sustainability-appraisal-and-strategic-environmental-assessmentadvice-
note-8/
Key Sustainability Issues
We would suggest that the starting point for considering Key Sustainability Issues for the Historic Environment should include:
- Conserving and enhancing designated and non-designated heritage assets
and the contribution made by their settings
- Heritage assets at risk from neglect, decay, or development pressures;
- Areas where there is likely to be further significant loss or erosion of
landscape/seascape/townscape character or quality, or where development
has had or is likely to have significant impact (direct and or indirect) upon the
historic environment and/or people's enjoyment of it
- Traffic congestion, air quality, noise pollution and other problems affecting the
historic environment
We would expect to see consideration of opportunities. It is considered that the
historic environment can make a significant contribution to the success of
development and there may be opportunities for the enhancement of the historic
environment which comes from sustainable development proposals. It is considered
that the Sustainability Appraisal should highlight these opportunities. Examples of
the sorts of opportunities that can be used can be found in our guidance notes in the
links above.