Policy VC LM1: South or School Lane and East of Burnthouse Lane
Object
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 2648
Received: 03/03/2023
Respondent: Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Yes
This site is within an amber zone for great crested newts.
This species is protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. It is a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. It is also listed as a European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive.
Joint Core Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk (Adopted 2014) Policy 1: All new developments will ensure that there will be….. no adverse impacts on European protected species in the area and beyond….
We therefore recommend that any policy wording includes reference to the need for an appropriate great crested newt assessment prior to determination, in order to ensure that the allocation is supported by the appropriate ecological evidence.
Object
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 3175
Received: 01/03/2023
Respondent: Historic England
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
The grade II listed barn at Elm Farm lies within the site. Therefore, any development of this site has the potential to impact upon the significance of this heritage asset.
We welcome the preparation of the HIA.
The HIA makes a number of helpful recommendations in relation to the barn. We welcome the references in paragraph 23.8 and in bullet points 4, 5 and 6 of the policy which reflect these recommendations. It is clearly important for this land to remain open and we welcome that being reflected in policy.
We do have some concerns about the possibility of one part of the site being accessed across this open land by the barn. Any access road is likely to also include lighting etc and would harm the significance of the listed barn through development within its setting. It would be preferable for that part of the site to be accessed either through the development that is currently being built, or alternatively directly off Burnthouse Lane. We recommend that alternative access options be explored, and the policy wording amended accordingly to reduce harm to the listed building.
Bullet point 7 states that the HER should be consulted to determine the need for any archaeological surveys prior to development. In our view, some assessment is needed to inform any planning application.
We therefore advise that bullet point 7 should be amended to read, ‘Planning applications should be supported by archaeological assessment including the results of field evaluation where appropriate.’
Explore opportunities to access the far part of the site by alternative means (not across the open area to protect the setting of the barn). Amend policy wording accordingly.
Amend criterion 7 to read ‘Planning applications should be supported by archaeological assessment including the results of field evaluation where appropriate.’
Object
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 3204
Received: 07/03/2023
Respondent: Hethersett Parish Council
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Proposed development in neighbouring villages, will put further pressure on existing infrastructure within Hethersett e.g. local schools, doctor's surgery. Hethersett Surgery currently has a patient count of 22,083, making it the fourth largest in the county. Any increase in housing within its catchment areas will further exacerbate its capacity.
Support
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 3222
Received: 08/03/2023
Respondent: Ms Jill Margaillan
Agent: Sequence (UK) Ltd
Sequence (UK) Ltd support the allocation of land south of School Lane and east of Burnthouse Lane as defined on the Little Melton Policies Map under allocation VC LM1.
n/a
Object
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 3223
Received: 08/03/2023
Respondent: Ms Jill Margaillan
Agent: Sequence (UK) Ltd
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Yes
Sequence objects to Policy VC LM1 in its current drafting as it is not considered to be sound. In particular the policy is neither justified as it is not an appropriate strategy, nor effective in terms of being deliverable over the plan period (paragraph 35 of the Framework 2021).
The policy as currently drafted is inconsistent with other policies and allocations in the plan in that it does not set out the area of land to be developed in hectares, nor the number of dwellings.
Therefore the policy should be updated to include the following: '3ha of land is allocated for approximately 35 dwellings' consistent with paragraph 23.13.
This revision to the policy would ensure that the policy is sound and a full text is provided in the 'change to plan' part of this response.
This also includes taking the opportunity to address 2 drafting errors.
Sequence also confirms that the site remains available, deliverable and viable, as set out in the attached Site Promoter Engagement Form.
Sequence would suggest that Policy VC LM1 is revised to read as follows:
"Policy VC LM1: South of School Lane and East of Burnthouse Lane
3ha of land is allocated for approximately 35 dwellings.
The developer of the site will be required to ensure:
- Access from School Lane, with potential secondary pedestrian and cycle only access onto Braymeadow Lane;
- Footway improvements along the School Lane frontage, to link with existing provision;
- Provision of a parking area within the site (adjacent to School Lane) principally for school use, the nature and scale to be agreed with the Highways Authority, the Education Authority and Little Melton Primary School, as appropriate;
- South-east section of the site to remain undeveloped, and the layout and design on the adjoining areas to protect the rural setting of the listed barn, as detailed in the Heritage Impact Assessment;
- Access across the southeast section of the site, between the two elements to be developed, to be sympathetic to the setting of the listed barn;
- Proposals for the site to secure the long-term future of the listed barn;
- Historic Environment Record to be consulted to determine the need for any archaeological surveys prior to development;
- Protection and enhancement of the ecological/biodiversity features of the site, including the established trees, hedgerows and ponds, including appropriate reinforcement of planting on the southern and western boundaries, to contain the development in the rural landscape;
- Early engagement with Anglian Water regarding the need to phase development within the catchment of Whitlingham Water Recycling Centre."
Support
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 3249
Received: 08/03/2023
Respondent: Anglian Water Services
Anglian Water agrees with the approach taken regarding the site allocation policies for Wicklewood where matters regarding cumulative/in-combination effects with the development identified in the GNLP may require the phasing of development beyond the early years of the plan, are addressed in the supporting text and therefore a policy requirement is not considered necessary.
We suggest that the same approach is taken with other VCHAP allocations within WRC catchments that have in-combination effects with the GNLP developments, including sites within the catchment of Whitlingham WRC:
The small-scale nature of these allocations is unlikely to require phasing in respect of Whitlingham WRC and therefore the policy requirement can be removed.