Vision and Delivery Document Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham CONTENTS |1.0| Introduction 4 |2.0| Planning Context 8 |3.0| The Site in Context 12 |4.0| Development Opportunity 26 |5.0| Opportunities and Constraints 30 |6.0| Masterplan Strategy 34 |7.0| Delivery & Competition 42 |8.0| Conclusion 50 Published February 2020 Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham | 3 View south towards the site and Hingham from FP3 1.0 Introduction Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham | 5 1.0 Introduction Lanpro Services is instructed by Hardingham Farms The document does this through: Limited to assist in the promotion of a development of up to 70 homes at Swan Field, Hardingham Road, • Setting out the planning context within which Hingham through the emerging Local Plan process. these representations are submitted; The site is located within South Norfolk District, • Assessing the site’s capacity to accommodate new and as such, this document is prepared to inform development (against a series of environmental discussions with the local planning authority and the and social criteria); continued promotion of the site through the Greater Norwich Local Plan process. The site has previously • Comparing the site’s deliverability against been submitted through the ‘Call for Sites’ process competing sites in the locality; and is identified as site GNLP0554R. • Setting out the vision and key development The site, comprising 3.9 hectares, lies immediately principles for the site (including the water to the northeast of Hingham, 7km to the north of positive development); Attleborough, and 20km southwest of the city centre of Norwich. • Translating the identified opportunities and constraints into a concept masterplan that is The provision of up to 70 homes in this location, capable of delivering the development vision; within walking distance of Hingham’s town centre before, and the Hingham Industrial & Business Centre, has the propensity to support existing uses within the • Summarising the mechanism and timeframes for town and deliver a sustainable scale of new housing the site’s delivery. development for Hingham. This Vision and Delivery Document provides information on the site and the proposed development opportunity, setting out how this site can deliver unique benefits by way of providing a water positive development which will assist the diversification of the landowner’s adjacent farming operations. This document demonstrates that the site is an available, suitable and deliverable development opportunity. It has the potential, through its development, to help meet local housing needs within this town and South Norfolk. 6 | Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham 1065 140 Reepham to Fakenham 1067 to Cromer Horsford Sorth EE 1270 Taverham to King’s Lynn to King’s Cessey NORWICH Mattishall to Gt. Yarmouth A47 A47 Swaffham Sdham 1135 1108 Hethersett 146 Cd to Lowestoft 1075 Swan Field, 140 1172 Hingham ON A11 Watton Hingham Poringland Mulbarton 1108 1065 1077 Attleborough Forncett 134 Stratton Brandon A11 TETOD 143 Harleston 1066 140 134 to Cambridge, London to Ipswich Figure 1: Location of Swan Field, Hingham in Mid-Norfolk Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham | 7 View east along Hardingham Road, near to Lincoln Avenue 2.0 Planning Context National Policy and Guidance Greater Norwich Local Plan Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham | 9 2.0 Planning Context 2.1 National Policy and Guidance The National Planning Policy Framework (‘the Framework’) Working with the support of their communities, strategic 2019, sets out the Government’s planning policies for policy-making authorities should identify suitable England and provides a framework within which locally locations for housing development where this can help prepared plans can be produced. to meet identified needs in a sustainable way. This may include ensuring that their size and location will support The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to a sustainable community, with sufficient access to services the achievement of sustainable development which has and employment opportunities in larger towns to which three overarching objectives: an economic objective; a there is good access. social objective; and an environmental objective. These objectives should be delivered through the preparation Such development should also follow clear expectations and implementation of plans and in the application of for the quality of the development and how this can be policies within the Framework. maintained and ensure that a variety of homes to meet the needs of different groups in the community will be For Plan making this means that: provided. “…plans should positively seek opportunities to meet Development plans should also include a realistic the development needs of their area and be sufficiently assessment of likely rates of delivery. flexible to adapt to rapid change; strategic policies should, as a minimum, provide for objectively assessed needs for In providing a framework for understanding the social housing and other uses, as well as any needs that cannot be consequences of development, Paragraph 91 sets out how met within neighbouring areas…” planning policies and decisions should aim to achieve healthy, inclusive and safe places which enable and support Paragraph 23 confirms that broad locations for healthy lifestyles, such as through the provision of safe development should be indicated on a key diagram, and accessible green infrastructure, access to allotments and land use designations and allocations identified on and promoting layouts that encourage walking and a policies map. Strategic policies should provide a clear cycling. The NPPF then goes on to explain the importance strategy for bringing sufficient land forward, and at a of access to a network of high quality open spaces and sufficient rate, to address objectively assessed needs over opportunities for sport and physical activity for the health the plan period, in line with the presumption in favour and well-being of communities. of sustainable development. This should include planning for and allocating sufficient sites to deliver the strategic priorities of the area (except insofar as these needs can be demonstrated to be met more appropriately through other mechanisms, such as brownfield registers or non- strategic policies). In identifying these sites, the Plan indicates in Paragraph 67 how strategic policy-making authorities should have a clear understanding of the land available in their area and should take into account their availability, suitability and likely economic viability. 10 | Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham 2.2 Greater Norwich Local Plan Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) Call for Sites and When taking account of existing commitments, the First Regulation 18 Consultation Council suggest a need for sites to accommodate at least 7,840 homes. The Swan Field site was submitted to the GNLP process in the 2016 Call for Sites. The site was then open Notwithstanding outstanding questions on the robustness to representations as part of the first Regulation 18 of the paper or its ‘environmental and sustainability Consultation held in Spring 2018. Since that time further testing’, the report confirmed the following principles for assessment work has been carried out on the site and the the distribution of growth which are of relevance, and area subject to promotion has been refined. have been responded to throughout this document: The site (identified as GNLP0544R) was considered prior To demonstrate that the approach is sustainable and to these representations within the December 2017 deliverable, the scale of growth needs to broadly follow GNLP HELAA. The site was considered against a series the settlement hierarchy already consulted on as this of criteria and deemed ‘suitable’ for allocation through reflects access to services and jobs; the Local Plan process. Overall, the site scored best of all identified potential housing sites within Hingham. Further This report is submitted to the GNGB to demonstrate the information on the GNLP HELAA and the comparison with deliverability of the proposed allocation, and to confirm other sites in Hingham can be found on page 46. the potential scale and uses that may be delivered. This document provides additional information on the The proposed allocation will meet identified housing and site’s suitability and deliverability, to support the Greater community needs and assist the Council in their duty to Norwich Growth Board’s (GNGB) conclusion the site is deliver sustainable housing development. ‘suitable’ for allocation and is the best site to accommodate a sustainable scale of housing growth in Hingham. Greater Norwich Growth Strategy The Greater Norwich Development Partnership presented a paper to the GNGB on 6 January 2020 outlining their proposed planning strategy for growth for the Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan Regulation 18 which is to be consulted on from 29 January to 16 March 2020. The paper confirms that through applying the standard methodology for calculating housing need and re-basing the housing figures to 2018, the housing need for the Plan Period is 44,500 homes, and with a 10% delivery buffer is 48,950 dwellings. Swan Field, Hardingham Road, Hingham | 11 View of the Swan Field site, taken from its northeastern boundary 3.0 The Site in Context Location Transport Connectivity Landscape Character Areas Landscape and Visual Context Statutory Ecological Designations County Wildlife Sites Priority Habitat Types Heritage Flood Risk and Drainage View west