South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 18 Draft)
29. Rockland St Mary, Hellington and Holverston
Form and character
Rockland St Mary
Development is concentrated along The Street with a small detached cluster of development at Rockland Staithe to the east of the village, and an isolated group of houses to the west at The Oaks, Bramerton Lane. A small number of individual dwellings and farmsteads are widely dispersed throughout the remainder of the parish. The village has developed a linear settlement form based along Rookery Hill and The Street. It has experienced some limited estate development, particularly at the eastern end of the village adjacent to Surlingham Lane together with some infill development.
The village is set on the Yare Valley, and consequently in close proximity to the Broads, with a smaller tributary valley to the south, which together with good views from within the built-up area of the surrounding landscape and the good tree and hedge planting throughout, give the village a pleasant rural character. Most of the parish to the east of the village, including Rockland Staithe, lies within the Broads Authority area. Bramerton Lane / Rockland Road (C202) which meets the A146 at Trowse provides a relatively quick link to Norwich and the A47. Run Lane links to the A146 at Hellington Corner.
Hellington
The parish is very rural in character consisting of a few individual dwellings and farms, with isolated clusters of development at Hellington Corner and Hellington Hill. The A146 runs through the south of the settlement providing a good link to Norwich.
Holverston
The parish is sparsely populated consisting of a few individual dwellings and farms all set in open countryside. The A146 runs through the south of the parish providing a good road link to Norwich.
Services and Community Facilities
The cluster has a range of social, recreational and community facilities including a primary school, post office, shop, pub, doctors surgery and village hall. The village has the benefit of mains sewerage and a bus service.
Settlement Limit and Constraints
Rockland
The Settlement Limit has been drawn to include the main built form of the settlement along The Street, as well as along School Lane and development around Surlingham Lane on Bee-Orchid Way. The boundary is close to but does not adjoin the Broads Authority area. No alterations are proposed to the existing Settlement Limit.
Holverston and Hellington
There is currently no Settlement Limit in Holverston and Hellington and no alterations are proposed.
(27)QUESTION 105: 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 3 were preferred in whole or in part. No further sites were shortlisted.
Preferred Sites
On the basis of the assessment undertaken the following site(s) have been identified as a preferred allocations:
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Site: SN2007, Land south of New Inn Hill, Rockland St Mary &(Part of) SN0531, Land west of Lower Road, Rockland St Mary |
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Preferred for up to 25 dwellings on a site of 1.05 hectares. Reasoned justification: Whilst the site extends beyond the eastern extent of the main village and is fairly prominent as it is on a ridge, the precedent for development has been established by the adjoining Eel Catcher Close development. It is expected that a suitable access can be achieved and the site is relatively well related to the services and facilities in the village. The development of SN2007 in combination with, part of, SN0531 helps to ensure that allocation scales of growth can be achieved and a development incorporating SN0531 appears to offer the potential for an additional footway access back to the main village. SN0531 is promoted as a much larger site, however the development of the whole, or substantial parts, of the larger site is considered to have significant detrimental landscape and townscape impacts. The development of the larger site would also be inconsistent of the overall aims of the plan. |
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(87)QUESTION 106: 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?
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Site: SN2064REV, Land to the south of The Street, Rockland St Mary |
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Preferred for up to 25 dwellings on a site of 1 hectare. Reasoned justification: Whilst the site extends into open space beyond the linear pattern of existing development there is existing development to the south of The Street, as the road curves to the west with development protruding to the south along School Lane to the west of the proposed site. It would need to be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Highways Authority that an appropriate access into the site, with adequate visibility, can be achieved. Otherwise the site relates relatively well to services and facilities within the village. |
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(72)QUESTION 107: 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?
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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SN0165 |
Land north of Bramerton Lane & Rookery Hill, Rockland St Mary The development of the site is considered to have a detrimental impact on the character of the western entrance to the village. Potential access issues have also been identified. |
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SN2061REV |
North of The Street, Rockland St Mary (access between No101 and 103 The Street) Development of the site would intrude into open landscape to the north, away from the existing linear pattern of development of the settlement. This is considered to be detrimental to the character and appearance of the area. There are also concerns about whether a suitable access to the site could be formed. |
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SN2063 |
Land north of The Street (behind Post Office), Rockland St Mary Development of the site would intrude into the open landscape to the north, away from the existing linear pattern of development of the settlement. This is considered to be detrimental to the character and appearance of the area. There are further concerns about whether a suitable access could be formed. |
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SN2070 |
West of the Oaks, Rockland St Mary The site is remote from, and poorly connected to the main settlement. The development of the site is considered to be detrimental to the character and appearance of the area. |
(21)QUESTION 108: Do you think that any of the rejected sites 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.
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