New, Revised and Small Sites

The Yare Valley Society submits the comments below for consideration in the current consultation. YVS continues to maintain its objections put forward in the earlier consultation.
1. General Comment for Sites GNLP 2123 and GNLP 2158
The Sites lie in Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor protected by Norwich Yare Valley Character Area, or SNDC River Valley Policies. The Corridor is more than the sum of its parts. Any reduction in area could impact along the corridor and impair its ability to function effectively.
The Corridor is vital to the wellbeing of humans and wildlife. The link between health and outdoor physical activity is established, as is the need for a robust green infrastructure network if our wildlife is to survive.
The Corridor is much used for informal recreation (as evidenced by worn paths), and changes to the Corridor should only be to increase its extent to meet the demands of a growing population from adjacent house building.
A sufficiently large number of sites, outside of valley, are being proposed to meet the expected growth need.
2. Comment for Specific Sites
Norwich GNLP2123
In addition to the constraints stated with the proposed allocation, the development on this site would encroach on the Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, and so be detrimental because of the reasons stated in 1. above. The site lies within the Norwich Yare Valley character area, where "development will only be permitted where it would not damage the environmental quality, biodiversity or character of the area and where it is for: a) agriculture or forestry purposes; or b) facilities ancillary to outdoor sport and recreation or other uses appropriate to the purpose of this policy; or c) the limited extension of or alteration to existing buildings."
The proposed use for this site for "University related development..." is far too vague, and opens the door for future planning applications that do not conform to the criteria for the Norwich Yare Valley Character Area. The application should be rejected.
Caister St Edmund Site GNLP2158
In addition to the constraints stated with the proposed allocation, the development on this site would encroach on the Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, and so be detrimental because of the reasons stated in 1. above. As well as the constraints referred to with the proposal, this site falls almost in its entirety within the SNDC River Valleys of the Yare and the Tas covered by Policy DM 4.5 and within the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone (NSBLPZ). It is also constrained by Landscape Setting of Norwich Policy DM 4.6. The application should be rejected.

Colney GNLP0331R A
This proposed site allocation does not lie within the SNDC River Valleys Policy, but is considered by YVS as providing an important wildlife link between the Yare Valley and the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone, and the countryside beyond. (The NSBLPZ while originally put in place for landscape protection, also, incidentally, serves as a valuable part of any future protection of wildlife migration routes.) With the current scale of development on both sides of the river corridor, there is a real danger of the valley corridor becoming isolated from the surrounding countryside. This site is an important landscape and green break between Colney and Cringleford and forms part of the present network of wildlife movement. At the very minimum, any proposal for this site should provide for the maintenance of a substantial green corridor. The application should be rejected.

The Yare Valley Society submits the comments below for consideration in the current consultation. YVS continues to maintain its objections put forward in the earlier consultation.
1. General Comment for Sites GNLP 2123 and GNLP 2158
The Sites lie in Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor protected by Norwich Yare Valley Character Area, or SNDC River Valley Policies. The Corridor is more than the sum of its parts. Any reduction in area could impact along the corridor and impair its ability to function effectively.
The Corridor is vital to the wellbeing of humans and wildlife. The link between health and outdoor physical activity is established, as is the need for a robust green infrastructure network if our wildlife is to survive.
The Corridor is much used for informal recreation (as evidenced by worn paths), and changes to the Corridor should only be to increase its extent to meet the demands of a growing population from adjacent house building.
A sufficiently large number of sites, outside of valley, are being proposed to meet the expected growth need.
2. Comment for Specific Sites
Norwich GNLP2123
In addition to the constraints stated with the proposed allocation, the development on this site would encroach on the Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, and so be detrimental because of the reasons stated in 1. above. The site lies within the Norwich Yare Valley character area, where "development will only be permitted where it would not damage the environmental quality, biodiversity or character of the area and where it is for: a) agriculture or forestry purposes; or b) facilities ancillary to outdoor sport and recreation or other uses appropriate to the purpose of this policy; or c) the limited extension of or alteration to existing buildings."
The proposed use for this site for "University related development..." is far too vague, and opens the door for future planning applications that do not conform to the criteria for the Norwich Yare Valley Character Area. The application should be rejected.
Caister St Edmund Site GNLP2158
In addition to the constraints stated with the proposed allocation, the development on this site would encroach on the Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, and so be detrimental because of the reasons stated in 1. above. As well as the constraints referred to with the proposal, this site falls almost in its entirety within the SNDC River Valleys of the Yare and the Tas covered by Policy DM 4.5 and within the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone (NSBLPZ). It is also constrained by Landscape Setting of Norwich Policy DM 4.6. The application should be rejected.

Colney GNLP0331R A
This proposed site allocation does not lie within the SNDC River Valleys Policy, but is considered by YVS as providing an important wildlife link between the Yare Valley and the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone, and the countryside beyond. (The NSBLPZ while originally put in place for landscape protection, also, incidentally, serves as a valuable part of any future protection of wildlife migration routes.) With the current scale of development on both sides of the river corridor, there is a real danger of the valley corridor becoming isolated from the surrounding countryside. This site is an important landscape and green break between Colney and Cringleford and forms part of the present network of wildlife movement. At the very minimum, any proposal for this site should provide for the maintenance of a substantial green corridor. The application should be rejected.

The Yare Valley Society submits the comments below for consideration in the current consultation. YVS continues to maintain its objections put forward in the earlier consultation.
1. General Comment for Sites GNLP 2123 and GNLP 2158
The Sites lie in Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor protected by Norwich Yare Valley Character Area, or SNDC River Valley Policies. The Corridor is more than the sum of its parts. Any reduction in area could impact along the corridor and impair its ability to function effectively.
The Corridor is vital to the wellbeing of humans and wildlife. The link between health and outdoor physical activity is established, as is the need for a robust green infrastructure network if our wildlife is to survive.
The Corridor is much used for informal recreation (as evidenced by worn paths), and changes to the Corridor should only be to increase its extent to meet the demands of a growing population from adjacent house building.
A sufficiently large number of sites, outside of valley, are being proposed to meet the expected growth need.
2. Comment for Specific Sites
Norwich GNLP2123
In addition to the constraints stated with the proposed allocation, the development on this site would encroach on the Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, and so be detrimental because of the reasons stated in 1. above. The site lies within the Norwich Yare Valley character area, where "development will only be permitted where it would not damage the environmental quality, biodiversity or character of the area and where it is for: a) agriculture or forestry purposes; or b) facilities ancillary to outdoor sport and recreation or other uses appropriate to the purpose of this policy; or c) the limited extension of or alteration to existing buildings."
The proposed use for this site for "University related development..." is far too vague, and opens the door for future planning applications that do not conform to the criteria for the Norwich Yare Valley Character Area. The application should be rejected.
Caister St Edmund Site GNLP2158
In addition to the constraints stated with the proposed allocation, the development on this site would encroach on the Yare Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, and so be detrimental because of the reasons stated in 1. above. As well as the constraints referred to with the proposal, this site falls almost in its entirety within the SNDC River Valleys of the Yare and the Tas covered by Policy DM 4.5 and within the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone (NSBLPZ). It is also constrained by Landscape Setting of Norwich Policy DM 4.6. The application should be rejected.

Colney GNLP0331R A
This proposed site allocation does not lie within the SNDC River Valleys Policy, but is considered by YVS as providing an important wildlife link between the Yare Valley and the Bypass Landscape Protection Zone, and the countryside beyond. (The NSBLPZ while originally put in place for landscape protection, also, incidentally, serves as a valuable part of any future protection of wildlife migration routes.) With the current scale of development on both sides of the river corridor, there is a real danger of the valley corridor becoming isolated from the surrounding countryside. This site is an important landscape and green break between Colney and Cringleford and forms part of the present network of wildlife movement. At the very minimum, any proposal for this site should provide for the maintenance of a substantial green corridor. The application should be rejected.