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

9. Tacolneston and Forncett End

Form and character

9.1. The main concentration of development within the parish of Tacolneston is based along Norwich Road and adjoins the built-up area of Forncett End to the south. Development in the remainder of the parish comprises scattered individual dwellings and farmsteads. The village developed as a predominantly linear settlement along Norwich Road with the addition of post war estate development, namely at Dovedale Road, Boileau Avenue and off Bentley Road in Forncett End.

9.2. Further estate development exists at The Fields to the west of Norwich Road. A significant break in the built-up frontage on both sides of Norwich Road exists to the north of the Manor House buildings whose setting in spacious grounds with good tree growth contributes towards the 'open' nature and rural character of this part of the village. The area to the north of the estate development at Dovedale Road is designated as a Conservation Area and extends as far east as the church. This area has a distinctly rural character with mature trees.

9.3. In Forncett End ribbon of development has extended along Long Stratton Road to the east with development limited to the north side of the road east of Chestnut Tree Farm with the southern side largely undeveloped and fronting open fields. Development has also extended along the south side of West Road and along both sides of Tabernacle Lane as far as Elm Tree Farm.

9.4. The B1113 provides relatively good access to Norwich and New Buckenham whilst the B1135 runs to the north providing access to Wymondham and Long Stratton. The remainder of the parish is served by 'C' class and unclassified roads.

Services and Community Facilities

9.5. The parish has a range of social and community facilities including a primary school, pub, takeaway restaurant, village hall and recreation facilities. There is a limited bus service to Norwich, Diss, Wymondham, Wreningham and East Harling.

Settlement Limit

9.6. Tacolneston has two separate areas contained within Settlement Limits. A Settlement Limit has been drawn to include the main built form of the settlement whilst a smaller Settlement Limit has been drawn around the estate development at Dovedale Road to the north of the village.

Site allocations

VC TAC1REV

9.7. The site lies to the west of Norwich Road, in front of an existing bungalow and the agricultural buildings associated with Hill Top Farm. To the north of the site, separated by existing residential development, is Tacolneston Conservation Area which extends north along the B1113. On the opposite side of the B1113 is the Dovedale Road development comprising single and 1.5 storey dwellings whilst to the south of the site is a parcel of agricultural land which forms a gap in the built form of the settlement.

9.8. The site has a strong relationship with the existing services and facilities within the village, being located within 200 metres of the village primary school and approximately 550 metres from the recreational facilities and village hall. A continuous footpath, on the opposite side of Norwich Road, connects the site to these amenities as well as to the rest of the settlement.

9.9. A green gap separates Tacolneston into two clusters of development, north and south along the B1113. Whilst VC TAC1REV will have an impact on the open, semi-rural, character created by this gap it relates well to the existing built form to the north of the village, particularly the development at Dovedale Road, as well as the existing agricultural buildings to the west and the planning permission for 3 dwellings along the site frontage (2016/2635). With appropriate design and landscaping, and viewed in the context of the existing developments, this site will not have a significant impact on the wider landscape setting. With appropriate design and landscaping, and viewed in the context of the existing developments, VC TAC1REV will not have a significant impact on the wider landscape setting.

9.10.  A network of off-site ponds exists in proximity to the site and development of the site should ensure ongoing connectivity between these ecological features. Similarly, access proposals should seek to protect and retain the appropriate measures will need to be taken to ensure the continued protection of the protected horse chestnut trees on the site frontage outside 91 Norwich Road, covered by a Tree Preservation Order.

9.11. The existing farm access is proposed to be upgraded and altered to create the new vehicular access to the site and provide suitable visibility splays. Some highways works have been identified as being appropriate to preserve existing highway safety. These measures include the provision of a pedestrian footpath extending along the site frontage, as well as the delivery of a highway crossings to connect the site to the existing footpath on the opposite side of the road thereby creating a safe pedestrian route to Tacolneston CE Primary Academy.

9.12. There is currently limited capacity at the receiving Water Recycling Centre (Forncett End) and early engagement with Anglian Water is recommended regarding the potential need to phase of the site beyond the earlier years of the Plan. As part of the consideration of planning application 2023/2234 Anglian Water have identified that they have assets on- or near to the site and that the layout of the site will need to take these into account.

9.13. A site area of 0.6ha 1.08ha has been allocated for up to approximately 25 dwellings. A concept drawing has been provided illustrating that this number of homes could be accommodated on the site however this layout comprises a high number of one- and two-bedroom dwellings. Whilst this does not accord with the current housing mix as set out in the Greater Norwich Local Housing Need Assessment (LHNA), a regular criticism of smaller village sites is that there is often a high proportion of larger dwellings at the expense of smaller, entry level, dwellings. As such, this site could help address this concern. However, should an alternative housing mix be necessary this may reduce the number of dwellings that can be achieved on the site.

(4) Policy VC TAC1REV: Land to the west of Norwich Road

0.6ha1.08ha is allocated for up to approximately 25 dwellings.

The development of the site will be required to ensure:

• Highway works to includeprovide a safe walking route to the school and the nearest bus stops, including the provision of a frontage footpath and the creation of a crossing points across the B1113 to connect to the existing pedestrian footpaths, and provide a safe route to school;
• Retention and protection of the horse chestnut tree on the site frontage which is subject to an existing Tree Preservation Order;
• Appropriate boundary treatments to the south of the site minimise the landscape impact of the development; and
• Early engagement with Anglian Water (AW) to determine theensure that there is adequate capacity, or capacity can be made available, capacity of the receivingin the local Water Recycling Centre (WRC). and the consequent potential need to phase the site until capacity is available.

Carried forward allocations

VC TAC2

9.14. Previously called TAC1, 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. The site is located off a cul-de-sac called the Fields which is accessed from the B1113 Norwich Road. At the time of preparing this plan the site benefits from outline planning permission (2017/0225) and the Council is in receipt of an associated Reserved Matters application (2021/2572) as well as applications to discharge a number of planning conditions. However, the site lies within an area impacted by nutrient neutrality and as such these applications currently remained undetermined at the time of drafting this Plan.

(1) Policy VC TAC2: Land adjacent The Fields

0.95 hectares of land is allocated for housing and associated infrastructure for approximately 21 dwellings. This site is expected to be built out in accordance with the existing planning permission (2017/0225). Any new planning permission, other than the approval of reserved matters applications in line with the existing outline, will need to ensure the following:

• Vehicular access from The Fields only;
• Site layout and design to minimise the impact on the residential amenities of existing and future residents;
• Highway improvement works to include promotion of a 20mph Traffic Regulation Order at The Fields as well as improvements to the existing pedestrian footpath provision between the site and the existing bus stop on Norwich Road (at The Jolly Farmers, Forncett End) unless otherwise agreed with the LPA;
• Appropriate boundary treatments along the north-west and south-west boundaries of the site to reflect the rural context of the site and the edge of settlement location;
• Protection and retention of the existing established trees along the site boundaries;
• Historic Environment Record to be consulted to determine the need for any archaeological surveys prior to development; and
• Early engagement with Anglian Water (AW) to determine theensure that there is adequate capacity, or capacity can be made available, capacity of the receivingin the local Water Recycling Centre (WRC). , and the consequent potential need to phase the site until capacity is available.