Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan - Alternative Sites & Focused Changes (Reg. 18)

We consider the area to be too small to accommodate the proposed number of dwellings.
a. The proposed development would infill a significant break in the built-up frontage currently provided by Hill Top Farm. This would change the rural character of the village and contribute to ribbon development of the area, impacting again on the rural character of the village, the ecology and tourism in the local area. This point was raised in a previous site assessment. The negative impact on the landscape of this development was considered so great as to be impossible to mitigate against.
b. The presence of 25 additional homes is likely to lead to approximately 50 additional cars. This will increase traffic on the local roads and reduce their amenity value and the safety of cyclists and walkers. This is a small site and we have concerns about the accessibility of the development to emergency vehicles. This causes issues at the relatively recent development at McKee Drive in Tacolneston.
c. The concentration of affordable housing on one site in the village, will change the mixed nature of the village. The Parish Council would prefer to see mixed affordable and market housing on all planned sites in the village.

We believe that a number of specific requirements should be added to the allocation policy to address the following issues.
a. There is only a very limited local bus service, and the primary school is currently full. Improvements to the bus service and additional school places will be needed to accommodate the increased population.
b. Concerns previously raised over the poor drainage of the site and the impact of the housing on nutrient neutrality have yet to be addressed satisfactorily.