Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy

We support the approach to economic delivery as set out.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe is well related to the Food Enterprise Park, a strategic employment site supporting the high impact agri-tech economic growth area. The proposed housing and infrastructure in this area would support the delivery of the Food Enterprise Park and facilitate improved links with Easton College, delivering a holistic approach to the agri-tech sector and emerging agri-tech corridor from grassroots through to world leading research and technology.

We support the approach to infrastructure as set out, it is considered essential to deliver infrastructure in order for development to be sustainable.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would provide on site infrastructure solutions from the start. Technical work is being undertaken to ensure a comprehensive multi-functional green infrastructure network forms the spine of the proposed development; supporting a modal shift, connecting future residents to services withing the settlement, and improving connectivity for the surrounding villages.
The site is also well related to the planned road improvements being delivered by Highways England to dual a section of the A47 between Easton and North Tuddenham, a grade separated junction is proposed directly to the north of the site, allowing for monies to be spent on providing other essential infrastructure such as schools and shops within the settlement.

We support the Climate Change Statement.

Location of development:
Honingham Thorpe is well located to the strategic road network, and the proposed improvements to the A47. Additionally, the site is well located to Easton, and the proposed Bus Rapid Transit route promoted as part of the Transforming Cities bid, and to Longwater Retail Park. These factors, and the location in close proximity to Norwich City Centre would reduce the need to travel long distances to access significant retail and leisure opportunities, and would allow for the promotion of sustainable transport measures as the primary method of accessing these.

The site is well related to the Food Enterprise Park, Easton College and Norwich Research Park and would support the evolution of a clean growth agri-tech corridor.

Design of development:
The proposed settlement would seek to be carbon-neutral. It would predicated on The Garden City Principles and provide truly walkable neighbourhoods with integral multi-functional green infrastructure and ‘room to breathe’.

All essential services and facilities would be provided within the village centre so as to reduce the need to travel. This would include medical facilities, all-through school, flexible working spaces and a range of community facilities.

The village would be designed to take advantage of passive solar gain, and with climate resilience embedded in the fabric of homes and the community.

Support delivery of decentralised, renewable and low-carbon energy generation and grid infrastructure:
Honingham Thorpe would examine the opportunities to provide decentralised, renewable energy generation.

Clarion have delivered such infrastructure elsewhere, most notably at Graylingwell Park which has won multiple awards including Best Low or Carbon Zero Initiative at The Housebuilder Awards 2010.

Shape places and secure new development to minimise vulnerability and provide resilience to impacts from climate change:
The proposed settlement is not located in an area at risk of flooding, development would incorporate sustainable drainage methods as part of the multi-functional green infrastructure network.

Climate resilience would be embedded within the settlement through design, layout and suitable technologies.

Encourage community-led initiatives such as the promotion of decentralised, renewable and low carbon energy use or securing land for local food sourcing:
Land would be provided throughout the settlement for food production. Whilst the creation of a Community Trust and Residents Association would provide opportunities for community ownership and involvement in development from the time of first occupation.

Increase sustainable transport use and local transport solutions:
The provision of essential services and facilities within the village centre, together with flexible employment space and the nearby Food Enterprise Park would reduce the need to travel. Whilst a comprehensive green infrastructure network and human-scale spaces would increase the attractiveness of walking and enhance connectivity.

The development would provide enhanced public service provision so as to facilitate suitable sustainable transport into the city centre.

Have an effective monitoring regime to ensure evidence on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, recorded against the Climate Change Act and other key national statutory and policy frameworks:
Clarion would retain long-term stewardship and monitoring of Honingham Thorpe.

We broadly agree with the settlement hierarchy, however we do not agree with the distribution of growth. Whilst it is agreed that the majority of growth should be within the Strategic Growth Area and well related to jobs and services, it is not considered that continuing to ‘bolt-on’ development to existing large settlements provides this, or constitutes sustainable development. Rather, such housing estates often result in higher densities and lower quality, with little in the way of placemaking and identikit housing, and urban sprawl which reduces ‘walkability’.
It is considered that a new settlement is a suitable option now. Traditional strategic development in Greater Norwich has placed pressure on existing infrastructure and communities, resulting in the need for significant investment in upgrades in order to provide power, waste water treatment and other social infrastructure. The programme of works required to facilitate a number of strategic and non-strategic proposed and existing allocations is significant, requires significant investment and will, and already has, detrimentally impacted upon the timely delivery of development.
Provision of a new settlement provides the opportunity to deliver an infrastructure-led community, properly planned to meet the needs of future residents. Clarion have the ability and experience to deliver a new settlement at Honingham Thorpe which would overcome the issues and challenges of traditional housing development. As such, the proposed development could come forward quickly and achieve a significant delivery rate throughout, with a realistic prospect that the entire community could be delivered within the Plan period.

We object to the approach for housing numbers and delivery. It is not considered that the proposed numbers or distribution of housing would provide sustainable development which meets the challenges of climate change or supports a post-carbon economy effectively.
The Greater Norwich area has a historic record of poor housing delivery which has only recently improved, largely as a result of large numbers of change of use conversions, and purpose-built student accommodation development. The Draft Plan relies upon 82% of the required housing being delivered on those sites which are currently allocated in the Greater Norwich area, which have not delivered in the current plan period.
Such an approach places the five-year housing supply in jeopardy and increases the opportunities for non-planned development, which can have detrimental impacts upon infrastructure, character and communities.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would offer the opportunity to provide housing in a holistic and sustainable way in order to create a vibrant and resilient community and support the move to a post-carbon economy. Government has recognised the role that new garden settlements can have in achieving sustainability and creating communities, where there is no choice between quality and quantity and green spaces amount to more than token verges and squares.
In order to meet housing need and meet climate change targets, more is required than delivering housing units. Rather, the focus is shifted to the creation of beautiful places and vibrant, resilient communities. A new settlement, based on The Garden City Principles, can deliver such communities together with a wide range of employment opportunities, mixed tenure housing, zero-carbon principles, sustainable transport, comprehensive green infrastructure and local food sourcing, together with comprehensive community governance and long-term stewardship.

We support the approach to the economy.
The Food Enterprise Park will deliver a large amount of employment in a rapidly growing sector, helping to support the growth of Greater Norwich’s post-carbon economy and world-class agri-tech and knowledge intensive jobs.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would support and enhance the Food Enterprise Park, providing the opportunity for a holistic approach with a mutually supportive provision of jobs, education and housing which would help to attract skilled workers, companies and investment. Additionally, the proposed new settlement would support changes in working practices including working-from-home, and the needs of small and start-up businesses with smaller and flexible spaces within the village centre. The new settlement would aim to create a circle economy, ensuring economic growth is retained within the Greater Norwich area, and is not lost to other locations along the A11.

We support the approach to review and the five-year housing land supply.

We support the approach to infrastructure.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would provide on site infrastructure solutions from day one, including shops and a school, to support sustainability. The proposed development would allow for purpose built infrastructure to be provided, opposed to the retrofitting of existing overstretched infrastructure and the associated disruption for existing communities.
The Greater Norwich Local Plan Infrastructure Needs Report indicates that some local infrastructure is already over capacity, notably a number of substations. Additional information should be provided as to how carried forward and new allocations in these areas would overcome to ensure timely delivery.

We support the preferred approach to sustainable communities, including the need for a Sustainability Statement. It is considered that adherence with all of the provisions of Policy 2 as proposed should be the norm for all future development in order to deliver sustainable development.
The proposed new settlement Honingham Thorpe would align with The Garden City Principles, and offer a unique opportunity for all elements to be provided in a holistic and mutually supportive manner. The Government has recognised the role of garden settlements in creating sustainable communities, whilst Policy Exchange and the Town and Country Planning Association have supported this approach and the unique opportunity it provides to encourage the emergence of more sustainable lifestyles.

We support the requirements of the policy as proposed, it would be a missed opportunity if these were to be diluted. In order to meet the objectives and vision of this Plan, and to meet the national target of being carbon neutral by 2050 it is essential that all future development should deliver all elements, it is not considered that there should be any justification for this not being the norm.
We would support more demanding standards, in particular in relation to water consumption and energy efficiency, should Government change its policy approach.