The site is located east of Norwich and west of Thorpe End, adjacent Plumstead Road East. The red line application boundary measures approximately 32.39 hectares (80 acres) and was formerly used for commercial forestry along with recreation activities, such as paintball and dirt track racing. The application site is surrounded by a woodland, which will be retained in perpetuity.
The site is within proximity of several neighbourhood areas, with existing residential communities to the South and West and Thorpe End village to the north east, and is within walking distance of a range of existing local amenities, such as Primary and Secondary schools, local retail, recreation fields and health services. With good foot, bicycle and bus connections.
Planning Context
The outline planning permission for up to 300 residential dwellings and a community woodland park was allowed at appeal on 30 January 2019. The outline planning permission approved the principle of development at the site and details of vehicular access and shared footway/cycle way off Plumstead Road East, alongside the parameters of a community woodland. The permission did not grant details of the layout, scale, appearance, or landscaping of the proposed residential development. The outline planning consent established that the future development would need to deliver the following;
- Provision and maintenance of a Community Woodland
- 33% affordable housing (85% rented housing and 15% intermediate housing)
- Retention of moderate and high-quality trees
- Highway improvement works that incorporate two toucan crossings, bus stops and a shared cycle/footway along Plumstead Road East
- Public open space (including under 8’s mini soccer pitches, children’s play equipment and allotments)
- Financial contribution towards off-site sports facilities
An illustrative masterplan, for the residential scheme, was submitted with the outline application to show how the scheme could be accommodated on the site. However, this is an indicative plan has no planning status.
