Outline housing scheme proposed for Whitwell Road site

Details about one of the “Preferred Options” for housing development in Reepham have been uploaded to Broadland District Council’s Consultation Portal.
 
A proposed scheme for 45 dwellings on Whitwell Road (PO48-02) has been submitted to meet some of the requirements for new homes in Reepham, which has been identified as a Key Service Centre, where around 100-200 new homes are proposed up to 2026, subject to service constraints.
 

 
Submitted by planning agent Hugh Ivins on behalf of the landowners (who are represented by Julian Blake), the scheme also takes into account the requirements of the Site Concept Statement and the Site Location Plan outlined in the Preferred Options Document 2013.
 
The outline scheme prepared by SMG Architects of Sheringham proposes the development of 45 dwellings on part of the site (2.1 hectares) with the remaining 1.7 hectares allocated for recreational open space and landscaping. (An earlier proposal had indicated 50 houses spread across the whole 3.8-hectare site.)
 
The 45 dwellings will be a mix of housing types, including detached and semi-detached houses and some terrace dwellings and with nine bungalows on the eastern boundary. There will be a requirement that 33% of the dwellings within the scheme are designated for social housing/affordable housing.
 
Under the Code for Sustainable Homes, the dwellings will be required to be built to Code Level 3 and in some cases to Code Level 4 for water efficiency. A sustainable drainage system (SUDS) will be incorporated into the scheme to ensure that any water run-off is contained within the site, said Mr Ivins.
 
The sole vehicle access will be from Whitwell Road and the proposed scheme incorporates road widening and a footpath along the whole road frontage to link with the existing public footpath. There will also be a footpath link to Mill Road for pedestrian and cycle access to the town centre.
 
Landscaping is proposed along the northern boundary adjacent to the existing housing and within the scheme. In addition, a significant landscaping scheme is proposed to enhance the existing tree belt along the southern boundary. Within this area the scheme also includes a recreational area with a pedestrian link to the dwellings.
 
The layout of 45 dwellings within this site represents a density of around 20 dwellings per hectare, which is “considered appropriate for an edge-of-settlement site that includes significant vehicle and pedestrian improvements to Whitwell Road and an extensive belt of additional landscaping to the south”, Mr Ivins stated.
 
He added that the proposed scheme takes into account the relevant policies of the Development Plan comprising the adopted Core Strategy and the National Planning Policy Framework.
 
Broadland District Council is now consulting on its “preferred options” in terms of sites for future development across the district.
 
The consultation will help the Council to produce a Site Allocations Development Plan Document, which will identify or “allocate” areas of land for specific types of development, such as housing, employment, community facilities, etc. It will also include the definition of development boundaries or settlement limits for those places where some further “infill” development may take place.
 
The public consultation closes at 5 pm on Monday 2 September 2013. To view comments, click HERE
 
See our earlier news stories:
Broadland’s ‘Preferred Options’ summer consultation opens
Broadland announces preferred sites for development

Related stories: