South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 18 Draft)
9. Bunwell
Form and character
The village is a series of dispersed groups of dwellings. The village at Bunwell Street is set in predominantly flat open countryside. This contrasts with the clusters of development at Low Common and Bunwell Hill, which are set in the Tas Valley. Development has been concentrated at Bunwell Street, in an extensive linear form with small clusters of development at Bunwell Hill and The Turnpike, Bunwell Bottom, Cordwell and Low Common. Development along The Street is interspersed with a number of farms generally set back from the road, providing an open aspect on the street scene. Parts of the built-up area of Bunwell Street lie within the parish of Carleton Rode. For the purposes of a Settlement Limit, these are included within Bunwell. The B1113 runs through the parish, linking it to New Buckenham and Norwich. There are also road links to Attleborough and Wymondham.
Services and Community Facilities
There is a good range of facilities, including a bus services, convenience store and garage along Bunwell Street, although the primary school, village hall and playing field are along (or close to) The Turnpike.
Settlement Limit and Constraints
The Settlement Limit has been drawn to include the main built form of the settlement and includes the two small allocations made within the 2016 Site Allocations Plan; land north of Bunwell Street and land at The Turnpike. The proposed Settlement Limit covers most development in Bunwell Street but is split at Lilac Farm where farm buildings and newly developed affordable housing are excluded. There are additional settlement limits at Old Turnpike (by the school), The Turnpike and Little Green. No alterations are proposed to the existing Settlement Limit.
(5) QUESTION 38: Do you agree with the extent of the Settlement Limit and any changes proposed? If not, please explain what further changes should be made.
Preferred and Shortlisted Sites
7 sites have been promoted for consideration, of which 1 was identified as a preferred allocation site and a further 3 shortlisted.
Preferred Sites
On the basis of the assessment undertaken the following site has been identified as a preferred allocation:
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Site: SN0537, Land to the north of Bunwell Street |
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Preferred for up to 25 dwellings on a site of 1.2 hectares. Reasoned justification: The site relates well to the existing pattern of development and available services and facilities. A suitable access is likely to be able to be achievable. The site is adjacent to a previously allocated site that has planning permission and development of the site would continue existing pattern of development along Bunwell Street. The preferred site is considered to have fewest constraints - although the site is over 1ha, numbers are expected to be restricted to ensure coherence with the lower density scheme permitted on the adjoining BUN1 allocation. The site is well related to existing services and facilities and is within a safe walking distance to Bunwell School. |
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(13) QUESTION 39: Do you support or object to the allocation of the preferred site? Please add additional comments to explain your response and please specify which site(s) you are referring to. If the site is allocated do you think there are any specific requirements that should be set out in the allocation policy?
Shortlisted Sites
On the basis of the assessment undertaken the following site(s) have been shortlisted:
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Site
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Location and Reasons not preferred for allocation: |
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SN0538REV |
Land opposite Lilac Farm, Bunwell Street, Bunwell Shortlisted for up to 25 dwellings on a site of 1 hectare. The site currently agricultural land that forms a gap in the existing pattern of development along north side of Bunwell Street. New development in this location would be relatively well contained. The site has suitable access to a range of services and facilities. Further consideration would need to be given to the importance of the trees along the site frontage and the impact on them resulting from the creation of an access and carriageway widening. |
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SN0539 |
Lilac Farm, Bunwell Street, Bunwell Shortlisted for up to 19 dwellings on a site of 0.79 hectare. Development of the site could offer an opportunity to improve the setting of the listed building with removal of existing buildings that detract from it and with the good design of new development. Development of the site as a smaller scale settlement limit extension, could diminish impacts on the heritage asset further. The site is an acceptable walking distance to school. |
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SN2126 |
Land adjoining The Laurels, 114 Bunwell Street Shortlisted for up to 16 dwellings on a site of 0.54 hectare. The site is constrained by existing trees. This may limit the number of dwellings that could be accommodated on the site below allocation level. However, part of the site currently lies within the settlement limit and there may be scope for development. |
Rejected Sites
The following site(s) were promoted for development but have been rejected on the basis of information available at the time of assessment.
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Site
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Location and Reasons for Rejection |
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SN0009 |
Land at Church Farm, Church Lane, Bunwell The overall scale of the submitted site, if developed, would result in an excessive and uncharacteristic addition in this location detrimental to the character and appearance of the area. Heritage concerns have also been identified. The site is also considered to be unreasonable for a small scale linear frontage development. However, the further extension of the settlement in this way would result in the coalescence of the two distinct settlement sections. This is also considered detrimental to the character and appearance of the area. |
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SN2001SL |
Land between Colstream and Burnlea, Chapel Road, Bunwell The development of the site would have a detrimental urbanising effect that would adversely affect the character and appearance of Chapel Lane. |
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SN2004SL |
Land south of Church Lane, Bunwell Development of this site would not be characteristic of the existing form of development and would have an adverse impact on the setting of the Church opposite the site. |
(13) QUESTION 40: Do you think that any of the shortlisted or rejected site(s) should be allocated instead of, or in addition to, the preferred site? Please add additional comments to explain your response and please specify which site(s) you are referring to.
(11) QUESTION 41: Do you think that any of the shortlisted site(s) should be rejected? Please add additional comments to explain your response and please specify which site(s) you are referring to.
To find out more about the Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan, please visit our Virtual Exhibition.
