New, Revised and Small Sites

The Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) seeks to prepare a co-ordinated series of development
programmes encompassing Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk. This regional approach has
many advantages as a means to adapt to national housing and economic policy, but it also has
disadvantages in special areas.
Aylsham is one of these special areas together with the adjacent Bure valley and its associated
communities. There are particular risks from potential development outlined under the GNLP
Regulation 18 identification of sites plans.
We believe there are three principal risks to the Aylsham area to over-development.
1. The potential to alter the essential character of the historic market town of Aylsham itself.
2. The likely deleterious effects of excessive expansion on Aylsham as a focus for tourism in North Norfolk as a whole.
3. The consequences for undermining the special natural environment along the Bure valley, its associated communities and the high grade agricultural land in and around the valley.
Sites were outlined in Part A of the GNLP proposals for approximately 1000 new houses on the eastern edge of Aylsham. These sites lie outside of the existing Aylsham building boundary but remain to the west of the A140 corridor which could act as a boundary for further developmental creep towards the Bure valley to the east.

It has been recognised that a major limitation of these potential developments is the lack of capacity of the Aylsham sewerage works to the east of the town. The sewerage works feeds treated water into the Bure above the village of Burgh-next-Aylsham. An increase in the risk of releasing untreated sewage into the Bure through over-development would have significant potential to damage both the natural and agricultural environment along these reaches of the river.

A second series of sites under Part A of the Regulation 18 plans was identified for a further 1000 houses in Marsham. Marsham lies on the Mermaid river which feeds into the Bure between Burgh and Brampton. Dealing with sewage from such large developments would produce an additional risk to the local environment.
Two further sites have been identified in the Aylsham area under Part B of the Regulation 18 plans. Both lie outside of the existing Aylsham building boundary but one is of particular concern. Site GNLP2059 (for 15 - 20 houses) lies south of the A140 - B1145 junction between Aylsham and Marsham. Development here would set a precedent to continue in-fill development on the land between Aylsham and Marsham. This would generate a rural conurbation which would have negative consequences especially for Aylsham and its central role in regional tourism. While we accept the need for building of much-needed new housing in the region as a whole, we wish to express our concerns of the unintended consequences in creating expanding rural conurbations in economically and environmentally sensitive areas around Aylsham.

The Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) seeks to prepare a co-ordinated series of development
programmes encompassing Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk. This regional approach has
many advantages as a means to adapt to national housing and economic policy, but it also has
disadvantages in special areas.
Aylsham is one of these special areas together with the adjacent Bure valley and its associated
communities. There are particular risks from potential development outlined under the GNLP
Regulation 18 identification of sites plans.
We believe there are three principal risks to the Aylsham area to over-development.
1. The potential to alter the essential character of the historic market town of Aylsham itself.
2. The likely deleterious effects of excessive expansion on Aylsham as a focus for tourism in North Norfolk as a whole.
3. The consequences for undermining the special natural environment along the Bure valley, its associated communities and the high grade agricultural land in and around the valley.
Sites were outlined in Part A of the GNLP proposals for approximately 1000 new houses on the eastern edge of Aylsham. These sites lie outside of the existing Aylsham building boundary but remain to the west of the A140 corridor which could act as a boundary for further developmental creep towards the Bure valley to the east.

It has been recognised that a major limitation of these potential developments is the lack of capacity of the Aylsham sewerage works to the east of the town. The sewerage works feeds treated water into the Bure above the village of Burgh-next-Aylsham. An increase in the risk of releasing untreated sewage into the Bure through over-development would have significant potential to damage both the natural and agricultural environment along these reaches of the river.

A second series of sites under Part A of the Regulation 18 plans was identified for a further 1000 houses in Marsham. Marsham lies on the Mermaid river which feeds into the Bure between Burgh and Brampton. Dealing with sewage from such large developments would produce an additional risk to the local environment.
Two further sites have been identified in the Aylsham area under Part B of the Regulation 18 plans. Both lie outside of the existing Aylsham building boundary but one is of particular concern. Site GNLP2059 (for 15 - 20 houses) lies south of the A140 - B1145 junction between Aylsham and Marsham. Development here would set a precedent to continue in-fill development on the land between Aylsham and Marsham. This would generate a rural conurbation which would have negative consequences especially for Aylsham and its central role in regional tourism. While we accept the need for building of much-needed new housing in the region as a whole, we wish to express our concerns of the unintended consequences in creating expanding rural conurbations in economically and environmentally sensitive areas around Aylsham.