The proposed area for development has increased in size from January 2023 Regulation 19. Here it states 1.63 ha for up to 30 dwellings. The revision states that this was 2.5 ha which is incorrect. This has now been increased again to 2.97 ha for the plan for 40 homes. The revision also states that there is space for further extension of the proposed revised site if required for this proposed housing plan. This suggests that further green land is already being considered for further development.
SNVCH allocation plan document seeks to allocate a series of 12-25 dwellings of smaller sites across the villages, this proposal does not fit in with this plan. This exceeds the upper end of SNVCP. This increase takes Wicklewood allocation above SNDC own limit of 50 houses for a settlement of this size.
Wicklewood has 3 areas proposed for development - for 12, 6 and also now 40 new homes, a total of 58.
Previous consultation documents have identified the site is not connected to the village settlement, sitting outside the main built form of the settlement and is within a prominent location within the landscape and states intrusion into open countryside.
This proposal ignores the rural character charm of the village and its shared open vista of open countryside. It does not enhance the village characteristics and would sit alone in the green countryside.
Natural infills to follow the natural form of the village would not spoil the village character.
Any development would open up the green land to further development as already indicated in this plan, leaving further green land adjacent and beyond at risk of further development
The density of the proposed housing is excessive, above the suggestion from the VCHP. Currently 403 homes in the village boundary including farmsteads, resulting in an increase of approximately 14%.
The village has basic services only; a primary school, pub, village hall with limited clubs and, bus service until 2000hours.
The suggested access to this proposed development does not include traffic travelling south of the village towards Wymondham College and A11. This road is a narrow rural road with poor visibility which often floods and a problem with surface water. The Green access also floods. The extra traffic will cause safety issues for drivers and pedestrians and cyclists.
The area is known to flooding in its present state, adding homes will only worsen this problem.
The plan does not mention the pending 6 new dwellings on the nursery site (ref 2022/0899) with infill, further homes and small developments possible off the High St in the future.
Wicklewood already has had infill of 12 plus homes with affordable housing on High St over recent years and currently a pending application (ref 2022/0899) is potentially adding a further 5 dwellings on the old Nursery land off High Street. These 5 plus the other infills since 2015 have not been included in the totalling up of increased dwelling allocations.
The proposed development on 2.97h of this field leaves approximately 6.9h of agricultural field left to farm here and this would in many farmer's opinion be uneconomic to farm productively, leading to the potential future further development of the remaining land to its western boundary with Milestone Lane. This proposed site in WW could easily be developed in the same way, loosing all its rural views. Towns are suffering loosing their characters and now villages are to become mini towns. This is destruction of the countryside and the rural characteristics of the village and Norfolk's landscape.