South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 18 Draft)
33. Seething and Mundham
Form and Character
Seething
The village of Seething has developed a linear form along Seething Street. It is characterised by predominantly one plot depth development. The abundance of tree and hedge planting especially along road frontages, together with the large open grounds of the church, and the undeveloped frontage of The Street east of the Church affording good views of the surrounding open countryside, all contribute to the rural setting of the village. This is recognised by its designation as a conservation area.
A particularly attractive feature of the village is the large pond and adjacent woodland area which are an integral part of the setting of Mere House and White Lodge, both listed buildings. To the north-east of the main built-up area is a ribbon of development comprising council housing set in open countryside. The north and north-west of the parish comprises attractive valley landscape which contributes towards the rural setting of the village. Road links exist via Brooke Road (C203) and the B1332 to the west, and to Loddon and the A146 to the east.
Mundham
The parish has a very dispersed settlement pattern of individual dwellings and farms, isolated clusters of development at the London Road/Mundham Road junction and at Mundham Common Road. The remainder of the parish is predominately agricultural.
Services and Community Facilities
The cluster has a range of social, recreational and community facilities including a primary school, shop and village hall. There is a limited bus service.
Settlement Limit and Constraints
The Settlement Limit has been drawn to include the main built areas of the settlement. It is split into three parts to exclude the area around the ponds in order to preserve the rural character of the village. The existing southern-most Settlement Limit will be extended westwards to include the linear development to the west of Seething Road, incorporating the two new dwellings approved under planning permission 2018/1033 in July 2018. A new length of Settlement Limit to the north is proposed to be drawn around existing linear development. These changes are shown on the policies map.
It is also proposed that the Settlement Limit be extended around to specific preferred sites as set out in the preferred and shortlisted sites section.
(2) QUESTION 113: 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
Preferred Sites
On the basis of the assessment undertaken the following site(s) have been identified as a preferred allocation:
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Site: SN0405, Land to North and South of Brooke Road, Seething |
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Preferred for up to 20 dwellings on a site of 1.25 hectares. Reasoned justification: Three parcels of land have been promoted in this location. Of these two sites are preferred for allocation: (1) The land to the north of Brooke Road is well related to the school. Development is subject to mitigation of constraints, particularly the highway impacts, impacts on existing hedgerow/trees, landscape considerations and heritage issues; and, (2) Discussion needs to be undertaken with the school as to whether land between the school and the Church Farm buildings could provide (a) additional car-parking and/or (b) an alternative pedestrian access to the school. The third parcel of land, 'the cart shed', immediately north of Church Farmhouse is not considered suitable for allocation as this forms part of the setting of a notable non-designated heritage asset within the Conservation Area, contributing significantly to this rural approach to the village. |
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(11) QUESTION 114: 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: SN2148, Land to the west of Mill Lane, Seething |
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Preferred for up to 12 dwellings on a site of 0.5 hectares. Reasoned justification: Although at the edge of the village, the site is less than 1km from the local services and facilities; Mill Lane has no footways, but wide verges, and there are footways on the main Brooke Road (although some upgrades may be required). The north east corner of the site contains a small waste-water treatment plant; however, the site itself has few features and is relatively unconstrained, and a small extension to the current linear pattern of development is considered reasonable. Allocating this site would require a Settlement Limit to be defined for the remainder of Mill Lane. |
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(6) QUESTION 115: 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: SN0406SL, Land to the west of Seething Street, Seething |
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Preferred for a Settlement Limit Extension on a site of 0.46 hectares Reasoned justification: Land to the west of Seething Road does not currently have a Settlement Limit south of Pear Tree House. South of Mere Farm three small Settlement Limit extension sites have been proposed, SN0406SL, SN0587SL and SN0588SL - the latter now has permission for two dwellings. SN0406SL is considered reasonable for a settlement extension, to accommodate a linear type of development, subject to mitigation of constraints in highway, impact on existing hedgerow/trees, and heritage terms. Given the on-site constraints, this may be limited to 1 or 2 dwellings. In combination with SN0587SL and SN0588SL, this would require a new section of Settlement Limit on the west side of Seething Road, from Mere Farm to The Cottage. |
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(6) QUESTION 116: Do you support or object to the proposed use of the site? Please explain your reasons.
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Site: SN0587SL, Land to the west of Seething Street, Seething |
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Preferred for a Settlement Limit Extension on a site of 0.36 hectares Reasoned justification: Land to the west of Seething Road does not currently have a Settlement Limit south of Pear Tree House. South of Mere Farm three small Settlement Limit extension sites have been proposed, SN0406SL, SN0587SL and SN0588SL, the latter now has permission for two dwellings. SN0587SL is considered reasonable for a settlement extension, to accommodate a linear type of development (approx. 5 properties), subject to mitigation of constraints on the highway, the impact on existing hedgerows/trees, and heritage terms. In combination with SN0406SL and SN0588SL, this would require a new section of Settlement Limit on the west side of Seething Road, from Mere Farm to The Cottage. |
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(7) QUESTION 117: Do you support or object to the proposed use of the site? Please explain your reasons.
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 |
Location and Reasons for Rejection |
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SN1035 |
Land South of Wheelers Lane, Seething Although located close to the centre of the village, the site is not considered reasonable principally due to the poor highway network, with visibility restricted by narrowness and alignment, and also at the junction with Seething Road. The adjoining former garage site has been redeveloped for three properties and infilling this gap between those houses and the village hall playing fields would erode the rural character of Wheelers Lane. |
(2) QUESTION 118: Do you think that any of the rejected sites should be allocated instead of, or in addition to, the preferred sites? Please add additional comments to explain your response and please specify which site(s) you are referring to.
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