I feel these issues make this development untenable.

Dear Sir i am a resident at Bramerton Lodge East Hill Lane and object strongly to any proposed development to the paddock that borders our property. In the first instance the access to this site from both directions would prohibit the use of HGV vehicles as it is in both directions single carriage way and from the direction of Kirby Bedon village there are no passing places for cars or vans there is also no drainage and as we are now having a drainage problem rectified in Surlingham Lane after 5yrs of pressure , i find it incredible that this is being considered.
There is also the added factor of the enviromental and conservation impact of this area as it sits between 2 conservation areas and is considerd an area of natural beauty. The water supply locally is very often compromised ie water pressure and where we live on Bramerton Lodge the sewage system is very old and very problematical ,both these isssues would put more pressure on an already compromised system. I feel these issues make this development untenable.

I strenously object to any building on this proposed site (SN5017) and wish this to be taken into account if there appeal process is activated on behalf of the applicant.

I refer to your recent notification about planning ref sn5017. I have attempted to access this via the link given but although I am directed to the council site, it is unavailable. In view of this, could I have details of the applicant for ref no 5017 please.


I understand the council has determined this site is unsuitable for building but that the applicant may appeal and one element in favour of this may be the recently implemented trod path. I would like to point out that as residents were have for some years actively sought this as a road safety issue with particular reference to the flooding at the junction of Kirby Bedon Road and Surlingham Road which is partially blocked by a home made dam. We are pleased that our lenghty requests for a sutiable footpath has been acknowledged but disappointed that it could be used by developer for their own purposes. The local councillor Vic Thompson will know of our many approaches to him on this matter and has recently visited the location. I note there was a "generous donation" for the trod path would this be by the potential developer by any chance?

I live at Bramerton Lodge and would like to express in the most ernest of terms my objection to this. The road is unsuitable with no passing spaces and heavy vehicles cannot pass this way. There is no lighting, poor drainage and the roads are narrow and often untreated in bad weather. A development of buildings would cause more run off into East Hill Lane that has no visible drainage on the verges as it is. It is an area between 2 conservation areas and of natural beauty, as is Bramerton Lodge, where we are prohibited from any form of development without homeowner planning. It seems ironic that a developement could be placed there by a planning application that does not require a notice on the site to inform local residents and can also be appealed, much more generous than our circumstances here.

We have poor water supply, there has been an unresolved issue with water supply to this site that Anglian Water are aware of but have not repaired in 8 months. We loose water pressure when larger customers draw off water and note that you have sited a water supply to our north boundary that could be picked up to supply this new development. This could only negatively affect our supply in the long run if it is also proposed to supply the new buildings . Our sewers are old and need frequent attention and we have 2 big outlets from our site. It is possible the new buildings would overload this old system and compromise us. We maintain our grounds and internal roadways, provide lighting by service charges to the residents here and have to maintain a great number of established trees and therefore gain very little benefit from our council tax payments at the best of times.

There are great crested newts immediately adjoining this proposed site ( I have photographs of these) and bats in the wooded area around our site bordering this proposed building land. The hedges are well populated with nesting birds, small mammals and form protection for deer passing through the surrounding area.

I strenously object to any building on this proposed site and wish this to be taken into account if there appeal process is activated on behalf of the applicant.

I have tried to make comment through the Village Cluster website on this site application but it does not seem feasible. I am therefore sending this email instead.

I note the subject application has not been recommended by SNDC which I agree with, however I recognise there can be an appeal process. As such I am writing to concur with the council decision and also raise some key points around this site applications that may or may not have been considered in the process, so at highlight them in writing, should a subsequent appeal be received.

They are as follows:-

1. TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS IMPACTS
1.1 Bramerton is a small, historic, development accessed by a similarly small, and in most cases, historic network of roads. There is already significant pressure on local highway network, which is, for the most part, not adapted to the size and frequency of modern traffic.
1.2 The introduction of further dwellings along Easthill Lane would create significant difficulties as this is a single-track road with little opportunity for traffic to pass. There are also many walkers using the lane as access to Wherrymans Way footpath but there is no footpath on the lane, as such an increase in traffic would increase the risk of an accident.
1.3 The proposed development site is also removed from the centre of Bramerton village itself, with a walk of in excess of half a mile to the parish church, along unlit roads, the majority of which does not benefit from a separate footway.
1.4 The proposed development site is also in excess of 600m away from the village bus stop, with similar access difficulties. The bus service is infrequent.
1.5 There would also be little opportunity for cycling between the proposed development and larger settlements (e.g. for work or social activities) due to highway safety concerns.
1.6 Given the constraints of the road network in and around Bramerton, it is hard to see how the impact of a large, car-reliant, development could be sustainably mitigated. This risks running contrary to paragraph 108 (c) of the National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”)
1.7 Bramerton does not benefit from a well-developed public transport network. Accordingly, the future residents of any development is going to be heavily dependent on private motor vehicles; the scale of the development, whilst large in the context of the village, would not be sufficient to support new public transport options.
1.8 Paragraphs 102 to 104 of the (“NPPF”) focus on the desirability of promoting sustainable transport options and managing patterns of development that support these objectives. An allocation at this location would only serve to undermine these objectives.
2. INABILITY OF BRAMERTON TO SUPPORT SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT
2.1 Bramerton is a small community of approximately 158 dwellings. It has no schools and aside from a village pub and a chandlery at the northern edge of the village, there are no commercial facilities; residents are required to travel for the majority of their shopping and social needs.
2.2 The children of the village are required to travel to, primarily, Surlingham and Rockland St Mary to attend school. The majority of these journeys are by private motor vehicle.
2.3 Paragraph 72 of the NPPF requires that significant extensions to existing developments should only be supported where they are well located and supported by the necessary infrastructure and other facilities. The proposed development would be significant in the context of Bramerton, but would not be well located, nor supported by the necessary facilities and infrastructure.
3. ENCROACHMENT INTO COUNTRYSIDE
3.1 The proposed site is on the edge of Bramerton, towards its northern end. It is currently occupied by parkland, arable fields and low-density housing.
3.2 The conservation area appraisal for the village notes that the northern-end has best retained its landscape character. It also notes that the village hall and surrounding parkland (which is adjacent to the proposed development site) is significant in landscape terms.
3.3 These features would be significantly diminished by the introduction of an area of high density housing. This would run contrary to the requirements of paragraph 127 of the NPPF which requires that planning policies (including allocations) are sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and landscape setting.
3.4 The rural character of the proposed development site means it is currently important to local biodiversity, with a range of avian predators including Barn Owls, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels reported as using the site for hunting. Deer and bats are also regularly spotted.
3.5 Development at the site would also lead to the loss of “best and most versatile” agricultural land, failing to recognise its benefit as required by paragraph 170 of the NPPF.
4. IMPACT ON SETTING OF BRAMERTON CONSERVATION AREA
4.1 The proposed development site is directly adjacent to the Bramerton Conservation Area. Heritage assets such as this are protected by statute, national planning policy and local planning policy.
4.2 The introduction of higher density housing on the boundary would detract from the otherwise rural setting of the conservation area. Any development would also be visible from within the conservation area, further detracting from its character.
4.3 As noted in the conservation area appraisal, “Bramerton is a conservation area where the coherence of the whole depends more than usual on the green elements of the village scene”.
4.4 Development would also impact on setting of Bramerton Village Hall. Whilst this is not listed, it is identified in the conservation area appraisal as an unlisted building of townscape significance. Careful consideration should be given to ensuring that this significance is preserved.

Site reference SN5017, Easthill Lane, Bramerton

I agree with the District Council report, dated 28/04/2022, that I recently received a copy of, that site reference SN5017, Easthill Lane, Bamerton, is not suitable for development. I also support the decision that the site, Land north of Church Farm, was deemed unreasonable.
REASONS AS FOLLOWS:
1. EASTHILL LANE IS VERY, VERY NARROW
2. ACCESS TO THE LAND IN QUESTION IS VERY LIMITED
3. MAJOR IMPACTS RE TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAY
4. BRAMERTON HAS NO AMENITIES e.g SCHOOL, SHOP, DOCTOR'S SURGERY

Bramerton Parish Council has concerns with regards to limited access to site SN5017 on a single track lane.

Bramerton Parish Council agrees with the District Council report and that site reference SN5017, Easthill Lane is not suitable for development. Bramerton Parish Council also supports the decision that the site, Land north of Church Farm was deemed unreasonable.

The decision to reject the application for development of a paddock on East Hill Lane is one I would support. East Hill Lane is not suitable for traffic being a single track, high hedged lane with no passing places. The recent temporary closure of one end of Surlingham Road has resulted in local residents having to use East Hill Lane and Mill Hill with hair raising consequences - vehicles mounting banks etc and queues forming whilst trying to negotiate passing (photos attached). There is no street lighting and the poor maintenance of these highways makes them hazardous for vehicles that have low chassis. Any development in this area would necessarily result in increased traffic because, whilst there is a regular bus service, it is limited to day times, six days a week so residents necessarily depend on cars to access work outside normal 9-5 or any evening leisure activities.

Any development would have a detrimental impact on the protected environment but the land on East Hill Lane in particular, is the hunting ground for birds of prey.

A new response report has been submitted in response to the report SN5017 and the recommendations / comments
made within it. The client is offering a revised site plan with a lower site density of 4 dwellings on a reduced
area of the original proposed site. The new site is now approx 7300 sqm.

Regarding Site Reference SN5017
I would support the Council’s assessment that Easthill lane is inappropriate for a new development but wish to add contex to some of the assessments made.
The council notes that the lane is a single carriageway with no passing places and the connecting road network is very constrained. I would add that the quality of the road is poor, numerous potholes and broken road surface with grass growing down the middle of it for long stretches. It is in fact most used as a lane for country walks, rather than a viable route for regular traffic. That additional traffic would have a negative impact on the functioning of the highway cannot be denied, with particular danger to pedestrians (who in many places along the route have to climb banks to avoid vehicles). Notably the proposed 9-13 new dwellings would more than double the residential and associated (i.e. deliveries and other services) use of the road.
The council notes that “it is an important site within this rural enclave focused around the village hall. When travelling west the narrow Lane takes you along the treed conservation area frontage with only intermittent houses to the south. Passing the driveways to Lodge Cottages, to the south and Bramerton Lodge to the north the lane is undeveloped. Developing the site would not relate well to the character of this area. Adjacent to the conservation area, shares eastern boundary. It would have an impact on the setting of the conservation area to the east.” I would add that past the village hall heading north, the handful of pre-existing properties are either in keeping with the rural aspect or (like Bramerton Lodge) set back more than 100m from the lane. Consequently, a new development this close to East Hill Lane and requiring hedge removal, carriage widening and a footway at frontage (as noted by NCC Highways) would make a significant negative impact to the character of the area.
I would agree with the assessment that ponds nearby and on site make this a risk zone for great crested newts. Noting the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s view that this site may be supporting species-rich grassland and is possibly Priority Habitat.
I would suggest that the flood risk associated with a potential development in this area has been understated in the council’s assessment. Although the site is on higher ground and CURRENTLY there is only a low to medium risk of surface water within the site, this is not a full and forward thinking assessment. As recently as last year the park area adjacent to the other side of the village hall was mostly unusable for a time due to flooding. With climate forecasts indicating higher risk of flooding in the future, this should be borne in mind. Any hard standing areas of the proposed development would displace water to the surrounding area, as it is on higher ground. This presents a risk of flooding not only to Bramerton Lodge but also to East Hill Lane itself which is the only access route to the proposed development.
From a community perspective the site is poorly supported by local services. The nearest primary school is more than 2.5km away, along a road with no footpath. Same applies to the nearest shop. I would suggest that alternative sites, if required, would be better if nearer to those facilities. Any development adjacent to Surlingham Road would be a more viable alternative. This would not only be closer but is wide enough for two way traffic and, as the recent footpath being constructed at the Bramerton end of that road shows, has at least some scope for a safe pedestrian route.
I strenuously object to any building on this proposed site and wish this to be taken into account if there is an appeal by the proposer.

The Directors of Bramerton Lodge agree with the District Council, that site reference SN5017, Easthill Lane, Bamerton, is not suitable for development
Although we are not opposed to affordable housing there are a few issues we feel would cause problems to current residents of Bramerton Lodge and nearby properties. It is felt that services and infrastructure in Bramerton would not support more housing at present as water supply and sewage problems have been issues on our property over the years. Further more the roads are single track with no passing places meaning increased traffic will widen unmade verges. In addition, a lot of the locals use this quiet road for leisure activities such as cycling/running and exercising their dogs. There is a bridleway that runs off Easthill Lane a further past the proposed site and this exacerbates the problem of increased traffic with little space for pedestrians & cyclists to move out of the way.

There is also ecological concern for more development near our property as there are a good number of Great Crested Newts in Bramerton Lodge which is on East Hill Lane next to the proposed site. There are at least 2 or 3 species of bats using the whole site. Increased light from new development would affect feeding routes for the bats and could effect the Tawny owls found around our property plus other nocturnal species that reside in the area.

Being very near the Broads National park boundary and conservation areas with sensitive species only found in Norfolk we feel increased housing and road traffic along East Hill Lane would not be suitable nor fits in with the character of the area.

I strongly object to the building of more houses in the horse paddock along East Hill Lane and fully support the rejected endorsement on the proposal that the site is unsuitable for development.

There are Great Crested Newts in the grounds of Bramerton Lodge adjoining the area where the proposed houses would be built. I am greatly concerned that building here would threaten their habitat.

From a personal point of view it is very important to me to I live at the edge of Bramerton village and being near countryside. Due to chronic illnesses I cannot walk very far and often my entire walk is along the paddock on East Hill Lane and back again. I sometimes need to use a wheelchair to walk my Hearing Dog for Deaf People assistance dog so I need a quiet lane to go down. East Hill Lane is a quiet lane without much traffic making this safe for our daily walks, but if this area were to be built on that would increase the traffic along that stretch of road dramatically making it unsafe for us as we are hearing impaired. I need a wide space in the road so there is enough space for my assistance dog to be beside my wheelchair. An increase in traffic would make me feel very vulnerable.

Expanding our village would detract from its small village charm. East Hill Lane is a single track lane with no passing places so I don't feel it would be suitable for more traffic from new housing.

I agree with the assessment of the site being unsuitable for development (sn5017). It is out of tune with the area, poor access and the infrastructure is not suitable for any development. Also is extremely close to sensitive wildlife areas (Broads Authority, two conservation areas and the Yare Valley Wildlife catchment area) with general species loss of 80% over the last 40 years further development at a such location is unwise. Road is used by a lot of pedestrians walking dogs and for leisure with a bridleway further down the lane so increased traffic with no space is not safe.

I fully support the Council's decision to decline application SN5017 and should like my comments to be taken into consideration:
The area adjoins the Conservation Area. I remember attending a meeting at Bramerton Village Hall in 2018 where residents' opinions were sought on whether the Conservation Area should be decreased or increased in size. I believe the outcome was that the size should remain unaltered. It's a pity it wasn't increased.
Bramerton Lodge and the adjoining paddock support a thriving population of Great Crested Newts, occasional Common Toads, Barn Owls and at least two bat species. This proven habitat would be destroyed if the construction of dwellings were to proceed now or in future.
Access to the area would be hampered by Easthill Lane being little more than an ancient cart track that is unsuitable for heavy vehicles including construction equipment.
Hall Corner floods each time there's any quantity of precipitation as does Easthill Lane. Kirby Road frequently develops potholes.
The car parks and lawns at Bramerton Lodge also flood regularly. Due in part to the clay soil and the fact that the ground is so flat.
The entire area has many fine ancient trees and hedgerows which support local birdlife, hedgehogs, etc. No doubt these would be lost and the proposed housing area would be named after the destroyed trees.
I note that a hedgerow along Kirby Road was recently dug up and replaced by saplings. There must have been a good reason for that.
Bramerton and Kirby Bedon lack the amenities which people seem to demand nowadays. The closest shops and schools are in Rockland St Mary and Surlingham but the roads are entirely unsuitable for use by pedestrians. Possibly, it was assumed that, should dwellings be built on the proposed site, then a GP surgery, shop and other amenities would be sure to follow, by which time Bramerton would have become joined up to Norwich..
The new trod path between Surlingham Road and Hall Corner will make the local bus service more accessible to pedestrians. I am glad this has finally happened.
The Kirby Road is likely to become rather congested once the huge Bom Group greenhouses are fully staffed, further reducing access to Kirby Bedon and Bramerton for residents. Imagine traffic jams in our little corner!
I sincerely hope that future appeals or modified planning applications will be rejected, too.