Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan - Reg. 19 Pre-submission Addendum

8. Spooner Row and Suton

Form and character

8.1. The village has developed as four significant settlement groupings, with the Norwich to Ely railway line and agricultural land separating the groups. The open spaces between these settlement groups contribute to the character of the village. To the north-east, across the A11, is Suton which is a small hamlet. There are minor road connections to the A11 providing access to Attleborough, Wymondham and Norwich.

Services and Community Facilities

8.2. The village hall, rail halt and primary school are in the School Lane/Station Road cluster, while there is a pub on the crossroads to the east. Suton has preschool facilities. Spooner Row has a railway station with one train a day to Norwich and Cambridge. There is also a regular bus service to Norwich, Wymondham and Attleborough, although these only stop on the B1172 across the A11, and several hundred metres from the central areas of the village.

Settlement Limit

8.3. The Settlement Limit has been drawn to include the main built form of the settlement but excludes the school playing field. As such, it appears in clusters, reflecting the dispersed nature of Spooner Row. The Settlement Limit has been updated to include development at The Ridings. No Settlement Limit is defined for Suton.

Site allocations

VC SPO1REV

8.4. The site lies to the west of Bunwell Road, opposite a residential development under construction at the time of preparing this plan. Linear development characterises much of the existing development within the village with notable exceptions including the new development east of Bunwell Road. Spooner Row comprises a number of distinct areas of development separated by modest parcels of agricultural land. This site forms part of a larger agricultural field to the south east of the main settlement.

8.5. The site is located in the south-east corner of the agricultural field, along the road frontage and adjacent to the boundary with residential dwellings to the south. Development of this site will reduce the existing undeveloped gap The field within which the site lies is between The Orchards to the south and the Queen's Street/Bunwell Road junction to the north. , however linear development will complement the traditional built form in evidence in the village, whilst continuing to retain some separation between the different clusters of development. In combination with the development on the opposite side of Bunwell Road, the site marks a transition between the village and the rural surroundings. As such a modest level of development is allocated in this location to limit the visual impact in the wider landscape setting. For the same reason appropriate boundary treatments will be required along the newly created site boundaries, as well as the protection and enhancement of the existing boundary with properties to the south. The site is contained by existing development to the north, east and south, as well as the slightly more dispersed development to the west. The development immediately to the east of Bunwell Road, opposite the site, has taken a modern estate form whilst there is a more traditional linear pattern of development in evidence elsewhere throughout the village. In combination with the development on the opposite side of Bunwell Road, the site marks a transition between the village and the rural surroundings.

(1) 8.6. Development of the site will need to retain hedgerows and trees on the west and north-west boundaries. The hedgerow on the south-east boundary should be retained as far as possible however some hedgerow loss is likely in order to accommodate highways improvement works.

8.7. To maintain and protect highway safety a number of on- and off-site highways works have been identified. These include improvements to both the existing carriageway and the pedestrian frontage footpath between the site and Station Road, as appropriate, and a review of the existing speed limit along the site frontage.

8.8. To the north of the site, and within the same parcel of agricultural land, an extensive area is identified as being within floodzones 2 and 3a. An active surface water flowpath has also been identified north of VC SPO1REV. The allocation does not extend into these identified areas and the Lead Local Flood Authority has confirmed that, with an appropriate drainage strategy, development of the site is acceptable. Opportunities to improve the existing flood risk as part of the site layout and design should be sought as part of development of the site. A site-specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) for the site will need to have regard to the findings of the Level 2 VC Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

8.9. The impact of VC SPO1REV on the identified heritage asset to the south of the site, The Orchards, has been assessed via the supporting updated Heritage Impact Assessment. Development of the site is not considered to result in negligible harm to the significance of the setting of the listed building. however Protection and reinforcement of the existing boundary vegetation will also provide further protection of this heritage asset and its setting. Archaeological records exist for land south of Bunwell Road therefore consultation with the Historic Environment Record will be required to determine the need for surveys prior to development.

8.10. Spooner Row Water Recycling Centre (WRC) is small constrained due to the small number of dwellings it serves. and cConsequently development of VC SPO1REV may have a disproportionate impact on the WRC, which may require upgrades. Therefore therefore early engagement with Anglian Water is recommended to address future connection requirements. Alternatively, the developer may need to consider alternative on-site treatment, subject to the necessary permits.

8.11. An area of 0.76ha 2.31ha is allocated for approximately 15 35 dwellings in this location. This is considered to result in be an efficient use of land whilst avoiding areas of identified flood risk within the wider area and limiting the visual impact of development on the approach into the settlement. whilst also addressing those matters set out above, including landscape and flood risk matters.  

(3) Policy VC SPO1REV: Land west of Bunwell Road

0.76ha2.31ha of land is allocated for approximately 1535 dwellings.

The developer of the site will be required to ensure that:

• Linear frontage development only to reflect the existing pattern of development in Spooner Row;
• Appropriate landscaping of the north and west boundaries, to contain the development and integrate it with the wider countryside; and the
• Protection and enhancement of the existing vegetation along the south west boundary, including outside of the site itself, in order to integrate the site with the wider landscape and to protect the significance of the setting of The Orchards to the south of the site;
• A site-specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and strategy, to inform the layout of the site, which has regard to the requirements of the Stage 2 VC Strategic Flood Risk Assessment;
• Early engagement with Anglian Water (AW) regarding connecting to the local water recycling network;
• Highway works to include improvements to the existing carriageway as well as the pedestrian footway between the site and Station Road; and
• Historic Environment Record to be consulted to determine the need for any archaeological surveys prior to development.

VC SPO2

8.12. The site is located to the south of Station Road, immediately opposite Spooner Row Primary School. The main area of the settlement is to the east of the site. Spooner Row comprises a number of distinct areas of development, separated by modest parcels of agricultural land. A linear pattern of development characterises much of the existing built form although there are also some small clusters of housing, most notably along Bunwell Road as well as the current development site opposite VC SPO2. The frontage of VC SPO2 has a planning history that includes a previous permission for residential development on the site that has subsequently expired.

8.13. Originally promoted for allocation as two separate parcels of land, the site is one allocation in order to maximise the benefits of housing delivery, and as such a single scheme is required with no artificial subdivision of the site.

8.14. Frontage development of the site along Station Road will reflect the existing linear development in Spooner Row, whilst the larger area to the rear of the frontage provides an opportunity for a more comprehensive development. The site will be viewed against the backdrop of the existing development along Station Road, as well as the new dwellings under construction at the time of preparing this plan; however, it will also reinforce the transition between the settlement and the rural surroundings. Appropriate landscaping of the site boundaries will be required to mitigate the visual impact of the site development, particularly along the southern boundary, whilst the protection and enhancement of the existing landscaping on the eastern and western boundaries will also provide mitigation of the visual impact.

8.15. Vehicular access to the site will be via Station Road only. In order to secure adequate visibility splays it will be necessary to remove some or all of the existing established hedgerow and mature trees along the site frontage. Where possible retention of the existing landscaping should be a priority, however replacement landscaping should be incorporated into the site layout and design if this is not achievable. An area of potential traditional orchard priority habitat has been identified as lying adjacent to the western boundary of the site and opportunities to enhance this area could be considered as part development of this site, securing additional biodiversity gain.

8.16. To preserve and maintain highway safety, highway works associated with the development of this site will include the provision of a footway across the site frontage to connect to both the existing footpath provision in the village and enable safe pedestrian access to Spooner Row Primary School.

8.17. An area of surface water flooding has been identified along the site frontage and within part of the site boundaries. This is not considered to preclude development of the site and the Lead Local Flood Authority has confirmed that a reasonable drainage solution is achievable to address this issue.

8.18. Spooner Row Water Recycling Centre (WRC) is small and serves a small number of properties in the settlement. Consequently development of VC SPO2 may have a disproportionate impact on the WRC, requiring upgrades, therefore early engagement with Anglian Water is recommended.

8.19. The site is allocated on an area of 1.67ha and is allocated for approximately 25 dwellings, reflecting the gateway location of the site and the need to address flood risk issues.  

(2) Policy VC SPO2: South of Station Road

1.67ha of land is allocated for approximately 25 dwellings.

The developer of the site will be required to ensure that:

• Access from Station Road only with off-site highways works to include a pedestrian footpath along the site frontage and a crossing point to connect to Spooner Row Primary School;
• Protection and enhancement of the trees and hedgerows on the east and west site boundaries and an appropriate boundary to the south of the site, which both contains the site and integrates it with the wider rural landscape;
• Site layout and design to include linear development facing the Station Road frontage;
• A site-specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and strategy, to inform the layout of the site, which has regard to the requirements of the Stage 2 VC Strategic Flood Risk Assessment; and
• Early engagement with Anglian Water (AW) regarding connecting to the local water recycling network.

Carried forward allocations

VC SPO3

8.20. Previously called SPO2, this allocation from the 2015 Local Plan is carried forward within this document to ensure that development on the site continues to be achievable in an appropriate manner. Since 2015 the site has been subject to a number of planning applications with subsequent amendments also granted planning consent. The site continues to benefit from planning permission for 7 dwellings (2016/0627) and a CIL payment has been made following the commencement of the site.

8.21. Local concerns have been raised about flood risk in relation to this site. Flood risk was appropriately considered through the planning application process and any future proposal for the site will also need to consider flood risk as part of the application process.

8.22. This site lies to the north of the playing field, opposite existing housing and consolidates one of the existing development boundary clusters. 

Policy VC SPO3: Land at School Lane

0.30.55 hectares of land is allocated for up to 7 dwellings. This site is expected to be built out in accordance with the existing planning permission (2016/0627). Any new planning permission will need to ensure the following:

• Off-site highway works to include improvements to the provision for pedestrian safety in the immediate area of the development site, details of which to be agreed with the Highways Authority and the LPA;
• Protection of the existing protected tree (subject to a Tree Preservation Order) on the east of School Lane during the construction phase of development;
• Retention, protection and reinforcement of the existing established hedgerow and tree boundaries along the south and east boundaries of the site wherever possible;
• Appropriate boundary treatments to the north and east boundaries to reflect the rural context of the site.

VC SPO4

8.23. Previously called SPO1, this allocation from the 2015 Local Plan is carried forward within this document to ensure that development on the site continues to be achievable in an appropriate manner. This site sits opposite and adjacent to existing housing on Chapel Road, and consolidates one of the existing clusters of dwellings that make up Spooner Row.

8.24. The site has been subject to several planning applications, as part of linked permissions for development south of the village, east of Bunwell Road. At the time of preparing the this Plan the site has permission for 14 units. However, whilst development east of Bunwell Road has commenced, development on VC SPO4 has not started and a constraint has been identified in terms of an underground gas pipeline at a shallow depth on the site frontage, which has delayed implementation. The Chapel Lane part of the linked planning permissions accommodates all of the affordable housing for the combined 39 units, and this is reflected in Policy VC SPO4.

Policy VC SPO4: Land at Chapel Road

0.6 hectares of land is allocated for up to 14 dwellings. This site is expected to be built out in accordance with the existing planning permissions (2014/2472, 2016/2424 & 2018/1622). Any new planning permission will need to ensure the following:

• Sufficient affordable housing to meet the Local Plan policy requirements for the combined Chapel Lane and east of Bunwell Road sites;
• The northern edge of the site should be landscaped to lessen the visual impact when approaching the village along the Wymondham Road;
• Advice is sought from the appropriate water authority regarding the need for relocation of the existing nearby sewage pumping station, to facilitate maintenance.