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Residents misled over Broomhill development

Thursday, February 15, 2024 - 19:00

I recently moved from Reepham to be with my daughter, having spent many happy years in the town.

Last month I stayed with some friends in Reepham and read with interest your website.

When living in Reepham I attended a meeting in the town when the matter of the Broomhill Lane development was discussed.

There was lots of debate about the site and the agent for the landowner proposed a development of 120 properties with a good proportion being affordable.

The landowner was also going to provide land and construct a sports hall which would be used by the high school and general public if planning permission were given.

After reading your website and chatting to my friends, it seems that, since the developer Lovells have “got their hands” on the site, the whole thing has changed with many more properties being built, less affordable units and the school has to supply the land for the sports hall to which the developer is only making a contribution!

I think the people of Reepham have been badly misled by the greedy landowner.

If this goes ahead it will be a disaster for the wonderful town, especially with the traffic problems that will be caused adjacent to the school and on Townsend Corner.

I am sure Reepham needs more housing but there are many plots in the town which have not yet been built, including several just behind where I used to live on Crown Meadow.

Margaret Lines, Poole, Dorset

Mystery monolith for storage, not skiing

Monday, January 29, 2024 - 17:40

I’m led to believe by a farming friend that the “monolith” on Reepham Road (Your Letters: Mystery of the monolith, 15 January) is temporary storage of an agricultural product that will subsequently be transferred to the anaerobic digester plant near Taverham to produce green energy.

All good, then (not a ski slope).

John Griffin, Reepham

Mystery of the monolith

Monday, January 15, 2024 - 19:24

Thanks to the local fire crews for ridding the Norwich Road of the giant puddle.

But can anyone explain the nearby monolith near Alderford by the Reepham Road?

It’s huge, sometimes covered by some sort of fabric, which is regularly stripped off by the wind, and resembles the first tier of a step pyramid.

Steve Howard, Norwich

Stony Lane development does not count as additional housing

Wednesday, December 13, 2023 - 08:57

I read the article (Concerns over 25% increase in new housing, Reepham Life, 8 December 2023) on the proposed Greater Norwich Local Plan modifications for Reepham, in which I was quoted. I would like to add a further point.

In the third paragraph, the 15 two-bed bungalows at the Ash Tree Care Village development [off Stony Lane] are mentioned.

It is important to highlight that the whole development permitted in 2020 is in fact specifically described and conditioned in planning permission 20180963 as 15 “assisted” bungalows, 20 “assisted” flats and a 60-bed “care home”.

In other words under the Planning (Use Classes) Order this is a C2 (residential institutions) use and not a C3 (dwelling house) use, and therefore they are not available as market or affordable housing units.

In which case the GNLP allocation for REP2 [land at the former station yard] for 20 homes is a complete misnomer and they will now have to be found elsewhere in Reepham to make up the proposed 203 dwellings by 2038.

Hugh Ivins, Whitwell

Benefits of Bread Source at the Dial House

Thursday, December 7, 2023 - 17:26

It’s wonderful to see the Bread Source café in the Dial House doing so well. Long may it last.

I have never seen so many cars and people in Reepham before. I hope that all the local businesses are benefitting.

Terry Lawton, Bircham Road, Reepham

Update on Market Place defibrillator

Friday, October 27, 2023 - 11:35

In response to Jan König’s letter of 23 October (“Life-saving defibrillator out of action”), the defibrillator in Reepham Market Place is owned and maintained by Original Cottages, with the assistance of the Community Heartbeat Trust.

Since it was drawn to the attention of the town council that the defibrillator is not operational, we have been working with both organisations to try and get it repaired as soon as possible.

Kirsty Cotgrove, Town Clerk, Reepham Town Council

Life-saving defibrillator out of action

Monday, October 23, 2023 - 08:19

I would be interested in finding out what is wrong with the defibrillator that was installed in the Market Place earlier this year. Does anyone know?

It’s had a notice scrawled in red pen stuck on it for weeks, which says “Out of Order”; it doesn’t give any other information.

Has it been reported to anyone? What exactly is wrong with it? Who needs to fix it? And what if it’s needed?

It hasn’t been there that long. Surely these machines should be fixed quickly as the whole point of having them is being able to use them quickly if needed.

Just wondering if there is any information about it anywhere.

Jan König, Reepham

Photo: Reepham Community Press

Town council is right to resist Neighbourhood Plan

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 19:13

Reepham Town Council has done the right thing in resisting District Cllr Stuart Beadle’s attempts to push for a Neighbourhood Plan.

As a former local authority planning officer and having been involved in such proposals, the principal issues tend to be housing allocations and highway issues.

In Reepham’s case, Broadland District Council has already determined that the future housing requirements for the town of 141 homes for the next 25 or so years will be at a single site at Broomhill Lane, next to the high school and college and proposed sports hall – despite the significant number of local objections and the local road network not being “fit for purpose”.

And the only highway issues that are considered will relate to traffic management and not highway improvements due to financial restraints.

The town council needs to be extremely careful regarding any “willing volunteers” coming forward as there have been significant cases of “vested interests”, especially relating to facilitating housing development for reasons other than the best interests of a Neighbourhood Plan.

Hugh Ivins, Whitwell

Thanks to all who made the car show a success

Monday, September 25, 2023 - 20:31

I would like to thank all the people that helped make Reepham Classic Car Show a great success this year after three years’ absence.

Without the help of the Reepham & District Rotary Club, Reepham Town Council and volunteers it simply would not have happened.

Hugh Ivins and I decided to resurrect the show in honour of the late Peter Fitzjohn, who masterminded the event for seven years. I now appreciate what went into his efforts. We hope we did you justice, Peter.

We hope to repeat the event next year on Sunday 29 September with everybody’s help again.

I believe our very special town and community deserve events like this. They help make Reepham a special place to live in.

Many thanks again to all who made this event possible.

Steve Capel, Reepham

Community Speed Watch on Norwich Road

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 - 15:38

Please can the Community Speed Watch team set up somewhat closer to the bridge when monitoring Norwich Road, Reepham?

They can then record vehicles’ speed before cars have to slow down to negotiate the bridge.

I’m sure regular drivers will know by now that having been warned of the speed watch team’s presence by the sign on Booton green, they are safe to continue speeding right up to the bridge as the team always sets up just before The Moor turning.

Mike Rogers, Booton

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