New, Revised and Small Sites

The proposed site is on the Covey, one the most unspoilt and much-loved parts of the village. The Covey forms part of the Wherryman's Way path between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. The Covey is a narrow lane that leads out onto a dangerous junction with very poor visibility at one end and ends at a footpath and nature reserve at the other. Any mitigation work to widen or install passing places in the Covey (which would be required for the development) would irretrievably degrade the character of The Covey. Also, it is unlikely that the junction can be modified to improve its safety. The Highways department have recommended refusal for other developments in the Covey due to the increased traffic movements generated from them being 'likely to give rise to conditions detrimental to highway safety'.

The site is very near 'nationally and internationally important Broadland habitats designated as SPA, RAMSAR, SAC, SSSI etc'. These sites are important habitats for rare species including bitterns and swallowtail butterflies.

On the entrance to The Covey is Lesingham House, which houses a Buddhist seminary and semi-monastic community. For us, any changes to the character of The Covey, including increased traffic movements and new property developments, have a detrimental effect on what we do here. A quiet natural environment is vital to our religious observances and worship, not least because of our emphasis on silent meditation and contemplative practices. A development of this size is wholly incompatible with this.

Contrary to what was stated in section 7d of the application, the site suffers from significant flood risk. The Environment Agency has classified the whole of the roadside part of the site as mostly being in flood risk zone 3, the rest in flood risk zone 2. Most of the site itself is in flood risk zone 3, the rest is in flood risk zone 2 with a small amount in flood risk zone 1. The property opposite the proposed site (which is also in flood risk zone 3) has had the Environment Agency recommend refusal for various planning applications of the grounds of the severity of fluvial and tidal flood risk, even having the National Planning Inspectorate uphold a refusal by South Norfolk planning department on flooding grounds. The site is not just at significant risk from fluvial and tidal flooding, all three of the properties to the north of the site have suffered from surface water flooding in recent years caused by water run-off from the field to the West of the site, despite the installation of a storm drain after several severe surface water floods in the 1990s.

Finally, other proposed developments in The Covey in recent years have all been refused or withdrawn. This whole episode has proved incredibly divisive, indeed painful, for the local community. Whilst there is a need for carefully considered and incremental development in the village, this site is, for the reasons stated above, wholly unsuitable for such development.