Proposed Residential Development, Redisham Road, Redisham, BECCLES NR34 8LU Planning Representation

Introduction In the context of the current review of the Waveney Local Plan and the decision not to allocate Site 19 - Halesworth Road, Redisham and Site 157 - West of Redisham Road, Brampton, a plot of land in Redisham is proposed as an alternative residential allocation.

Location of site The proposed site is located on the Redisham Road, Redisham between Elm House to the south and Rose Villas to the north. It is approximately 0.8 kilometres north of the centre of the village, 8 kilometres south of Beccles and 10 kilometres north-east of Halesworth.

Site

Redisham

Annotated extract from Google Earth

Site Analysis The site is flat and is currently used as pasture with rough grass all over. The boundaries are defined by mature native mixed species hedges punctuated with mature indigenous trees with the northern boundary supporting numerous mature trees. There is also a ditch draining to a small pond on the northern boundary.

The existing vehicular access to the site is located in the north-east corner of the site and affords good visibility in both directions along the Redisham Road.

Redisham is characterised by ribbon development of houses along the roads with predominantly individual houses located within generous plots with isolated houses located further towards the edges of the parish boundary.

GMP Architecture • 37 Cyprus Street • Norwich • NR1 3AX • T: 01603 920174 • M: 07766 578997 Proposed Residential Development, Redisham Road, Redisham, BECCLES NR34 8LU Planning Representation

Planning Policy Context The planning policies considered relevant to this proposal are listed below.

National Planning Policy Framework 2012 Paragraph 9. Pursuing sustainable development involves seeking positive improvements in the quality of the built, natural and historic environment, as well as in people’s quality of life, including (but not limited to): • making it easier for jobs to be created in cities, towns and villages; • moving from a net loss of bio-diversity to achieving net gains for nature; • replacing poor design with better design; • improving the conditions in which people live, work, travel and take leisure; and • widening the choice of high quality homes.

Paragraph 17. Within the overarching roles that the planning system ought to play, a set of core land-use planning principles should underpin both plan-making and decision-taking. These 12 principles are that planning should: • be genuinely plan-led, empowering local people to shape their surroundings, with succinct local and neighbourhood plans setting out a positive vision for the future of the area. Plans should be kept up‑to‑date, and be based on joint working and co‑operation to address larger than local issues. They should provide a practical framework within which decisions on planning applications can be made with a high degree of predictability and efficiency; • not simply be about scrutiny, but instead be a creative exercise in finding ways to enhance and improve the places in which people live their lives; • proactively drive and support sustainable economic development to deliver the homes, business and industrial units, infrastructure and thriving local places that the country needs. Every effort should be made objectively to identify and then meet the housing, business and other development needs of an area, and respond positively to wider opportunities for growth. Plans should take account of market signals, such as land prices and housing affordability, and set out a clear strategy for allocating sufficient land which is suitable for development in their area, taking account of the needs of the residential and business communities; • always seek to secure high quality design and a good standard of amenity for all existing and future occupants of land and buildings; • take account of the different roles and character of different areas, promoting the vitality of our main urban areas, protecting the Green Belts around them, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and supporting thriving rural communities within it; • support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate, taking full account of flood risk and coastal change, and encourage the reuse of existing resources, including conversion of existing buildings, and encourage the use of renewable resources (for example, by the development of renewable energy); • contribute to conserving and enhancing the natural environment and reducing pollution. Allocations of land for development should prefer land of lesser environmental value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework; • encourage the effective use of land by reusing land that has been previously developed (brownfield land), provided that it is not of high environmental value;

• promote mixed use developments, and encourage multiple benefits from the use of land in urban and rural areas, recognising that some open land can perform many functions (such as for wildlife, recreation, flood risk mitigation, carbon storage, or food production); • conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations; • actively manage patterns of growth to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable; and • take account of and support local strategies to improve health, social and cultural wellbeing for all, and deliver sufficient community and cultural facilities and services to meet local needs.

Paragraph 29. Transport policies have an important role to play in facilitating sustainable development but also in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. Smarter use of technologies can reduce the need to travel. The transport system needs to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes, giving people a real choice about how they travel. However, the Government recognises that different policies and measures will be required in different communities and opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas.

Paragraph 34. Plans and decisions should ensure developments that generate significant movement are located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. However this needs to take account of policies set out elsewhere in this Framework, particularly in rural areas.

Paragraph 55. To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. For example, where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby. Local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances such as: • the essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at or near their place of work in the countryside; or • where such development would represent the optimal viable use of a heritage asset or would be appropriate enabling development to secure the future of heritage assets; or • where the development would re-use redundant or disused buildings and lead to an enhancement to the immediate setting; or • the exceptional quality or innovative nature of the design of the dwelling. Such a design should: • be truly outstanding or innovative, helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas; • reflect the highest standards in architecture; • significantly enhance its immediate setting; and • be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area.

Waveney Local Plan First Draft Plan, July 2017 Overall Spatial Strategy Vision • Rural Areas Through allowing more growth than in recent years, settlements in the rural areas will become more sustainable and more vibrant. Through the provision of a wide range of types and tenures of housing, new homes will be more affordable in the rural areas, allowing people with a local connection or those who work in the rural areas to live in the rural areas. New housing will also help support existing services and facilities in the rural areas such as small rural schools and pubs. New development in rural villages will have increased the coverage of high-speed broadband.

Objectives 1. To improve health, wellbeing and education opportunities for the population. 2. To meet the housing requirements of the whole community (both urban and rural) including those wishing to move into the area. 3. To enhance and protect the natural and built environment. 4. To reduce contributions to climate change and mitigate the effects and conserve natural resources. 5. To achieve sustained and resilient economic growth in towns and rural areas. 6. To enhance the viability and vitality of town centres and service provision in villages. 7. To significantly improve the quality of urban design across the District. 8. To improve the quality and provision of all types of infrastructure.

Policy WLP1.1 – Scale and Location of Growth In the period 2014 to 2036, the Council will: • Make provision for the delivery of a minimum 8,223 dwellings in Waveney. • Maximise opportunities for economic growth, with the aim of achieving a minimum of 5,000 additional jobs in Waveney. To deliver this, make provision for: o 43ha of employment land for B1/B2/B8 uses. o 2,200m2 (net) of convenience (food) and 11,000m2 (net) of comparison (non-food) retail floorspace.

In order to sustainably deliver the growth targets set out above, new residential development will be distributed across the District approximately as follows: • Lowestoft (including Carlton Colville, Oulton, Oulton Broad, and the parts of Gisleham and Corton bordering the built up area) - 55% of housing growth • Beccles and Worlingham - 15% of housing growth • Halesworth and Holton - 8% of housing growth • Bungay - 6% of housing growth • Southwold and Reydon - 4% of housing growth • Rural Area - 12% of housing growth (See Policy WLP7.1 for more detail on the distribution across rural villages)

Employment land development will be focused mainly in Lowestoft and Beccles and distributed approximately as follows: • Lowestoft (including Carlton Colville, Oulton, Oulton Broad, and the parts of Gisleham, Corton bordering the built up area) - 60% of employment land development • Beccles - 25% of employment land development • Other Market Towns and Rural Areas - 15% of employment land development

60-70% of retail and leisure development will be focused in Lowestoft Town Centre as the District’s main town centre. Beccles as the next largest town should accommodate approximately 15% of retail and leisure development. The remaining proportion of development should come from the other Market Towns commensurate with the level of housing and employment growth.

Provision has been made in this Local Plan through site allocations and policies to deliver this scale and strategic distribution of growth. Neighbourhood Plans can allocate additional growth to meet local needs at a scale which does not undermine the overall distribution strategy.

Policy WLP1.2 - Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development Planning applications that accord with the policies in this Local Plan (and, where relevant, with policies in Neighbourhood Plans) will be approved wherever possible without delay, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Where there are no policies relevant to the application, or relevant policies are out of date at the time of making the decision, planning permission will be granted unless: • The proposal would undermine the achievement of the vision and objectives set out in this Local Plan; • The adverse effects of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against national planning policy; or • Specific national planning policies indicate that development should be restricted.

Policy WLP1.3 - Settlement Boundaries Settlement boundaries are defined on the Policies Map. Land which is outside of settlement boundaries and allocations in the Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans is considered as the Countryside. New residential, employment2 and town centre3 development will not be permitted in the Countryside except where specific Policies in this Local Plan indicate otherwise. Neighbourhood Plans can make minor adjustments to settlement boundaries and allocate additional land for residential, employment and town centre development providing that the adjustments and allocations do not undermine the overall distribution strategy outlined in Policy WLP1.1 and would not be contrary to the other Policies of this Local Plan. Neighbourhood Development Orders can permit development outside of settlement boundaries providing that the overall distribution strategy outlined in Policy WLP1.1 is not undermined and the development would not be contrary to the other Policies of this Local Plan.

Policy WLP8.6 – Affordable Housing in the Countryside Proposals for the development of affordable housing in the Countryside will be permitted where: • It is demonstrated there is an identified local need for affordable housing and this cannot be met through existing housing allocations in the Local Plan or relevant Neighbourhood Plan; • The scheme is adjacent to a Larger Village, a Smaller Village or another hamlet or community within the Countryside; • The scheme incorporates a range of dwelling sizes, types and tenures appropriate to the identified local need; • The location, scale and design standard of a scheme will retain or enhance the character and setting of the settlement.

A limited amount of market housing will be permitted as part of affordable housing developments in the Countryside where it is required to cross-subsidise the affordable housing. Where market housing is to be provided on site this will be subsidiary to the affordable housing element of the proposal and the amount of market housing required will need to be demonstrated through a viability assessment. The amount of market housing on the site should be no more than one third of dwellings on the site. Where exception sites are brought forward with an element of market housing, both housing tenures should be built to the same design standards which contribute towards the character of the area. Market housing should be reflective of the size of the affordable dwellings proposed on the site.

Policy WLP8.7 – Small Scale Residential Development in the Countryside Small scale residential development in the Countryside of up to three dwellings will be permitted where: • The site constitutes a clearly identifiable gap within a built up area of a settlement within the Countryside; • There are existing residential properties on three sides of the site; and

• The development does not extend further into the undeveloped Countryside than the existing extent of the built up area surrounding the site.

Small scale residential development in the Countryside of up to and including five dwellings will also be permitted where: • There is clear and demonstrable local support; • The scheme demonstrates meaningful and robust consultation with the Parish Council, local community and other stakeholders; • Following consultation, it can be demonstrated that any planning impacts identified by the local community have been fully addressed and therefore the scheme is supported by the community; • The site is adjacent or within the built-up area of the settlement within the Countryside; and • The scheme when considered cumulatively with other developments in the Countryside would not result in a level of development which would be contrary to the strategy outlined in Policies WLP1.1 and WLP7.1

For all small scale development in the Countryside the design of the scheme will need to respect and reflect the character of the settlement and existing built up frontage including: • Housing density is reflective of the density in the village and surrounding built up area; and • The ratio of the building footprint to the plot area is consistent with existing properties nearby which characterise the village.

Planning issues The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that local authorities should maintain a five-year land supply for housing. Waveney District Council in the last published figures (September 2016) demonstrated that as at 31 March 2016 there was a 123 shortfall in housing provision.

The Analysis of the ‘Options for the new Waveney Local Plan’ (July 2017) has dismissed two potential development sites around Redisham - Site 19 - Halesworth Road, Redisham and Site 157 - West of Redisham Road, Brampton on the grounds that ‘The site(s are) not located within or adjacent to a larger or smaller village in the rural area. The site (are) not considered suitable for allocation as part of this Local Plan.’ Redisham does not have local facilities – shop, school public house or meeting place but villages, such as Redisham without their own community facilities, support nearby villages as is acknowledged in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The site is located between two existing properties, Elm House and Rose Villas and would infill the gap between them which Waveney Local Plan Policy WLP8.7 proposes could be an acceptable location subject to public support.

Redisham has only seen very modest growth between 2001-2013 with only 5 new properties being built. Whilst the village may not be considered ‘sustainable’ all villages will retain a need for new housing, particularly affordable housing to ensure that local people can stay close to family, employment, etc..

Access and Highways The site has good visibility in both directions commensurate with a national speed limit road. The road is used by the regular bus service that runs between Beccles and Halesworth (Anglian Bus – 60H). There is no opportunity for a pedestrian route to the main part of the village but as the NPPF acknowledges it is necessary to accept car use in rural areas.

The Development Opportunities • Modest residential development (4 units) infilling the gap between two existing properties - the properties could be affordable rather than market houses. Affordable housing would enable local people to stay closer to family and employment, and would support community facilities in nearby villages – shops and schools. • Windfall site – the site would provide a windfall site to contribute to overcoming the council’s shortfall in five-year land supply. • Impact on heritage assets – the two sites in Redisham previously considered under the local plan could have impacted on adjacent Listed buildings, the proposed site does not affect any heritage assets. • Low grade agricultural land – the site is likely to be classified as Grade 3b agricultural land and is currently used as pasture and, therefore, development on the site would not result in the loss of good quality agricultural land, in accordance with the guidance in the NPPF. • Ecological impact – the loss of a small strip of pasture would have minimal impact on the local ecology and the retention of the existing mature hedgerows with their high ecological value would minimise the visual impact on the local environs. • Public Transport – development of the site would help support the existing bus service.

Constraints • Planning – the two other sites considered in Redisham were not considered for allocation as they were not located in a ‘Small’ or ‘Large’ village as classified in the Local Plan • Lack of local facilities – Redisham does not have any community facilities, therefore, the residents of the development would need to travel for these.

Proposal The site described above is commended for consideration within the current Local Plan review for allocation as a residential development site for the reasons set out above in reference to the sites previously considered in Redisham (Sites 19 and 157).

GMP Architecture • 37 Cyprus Street • Norwich • NR1 3AX • T: 01603 920174 • M: 07766 578997