Building enough houses to make sure everyone in our area has the chance for a roof of their own, while also making sure we protect our rural landscape and heritage, is often a difficult balance.
That’s why I set up my Norfolk Way Project to promote a new model of rural development, protecting our heritage AND driving a ‘Rural Renaissance’ in our towns and villages with improved transport links and new businesses and opportunities.
Since becoming MP for Mid Norfolk back in 2010, I have worked with local community groups and councillors to promote a more local and organic model of development and make sure everyone’s voice is always heard on planning issues. Whether on protecting the Lizard or saving the Tiffey Valley, where there is a danger of large-scale over-development I will always speak out to make sure we protect our landscape and heritage.
What we need is a long-term local plan. That’s why I will continue to work with local councils over this Parliament to make sure they get proper Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans in place, ensuring development is always in keeping with our area’s traditions and heritage.
Please see my latest updates on my work on this issue below.
It is no secret that I have deep concerns about the high number of applications in our part of Norfolk – many of which are, often, highly inappropriate and on a scale that is unsustainable and out of keeping with the heritage and identity of our largely rural area, clearly breaching the sustainable development criteria set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and 2011 Localism Act.
Following considerable local concern about the proposed size of the application for 42 dwellings at Elm Close, Yaxham, including from the Parish Council and NP4Yaxham, I was pleased that permission was refused on the grounds of density and flood risk, amongst other factors.
I was shocked to hear that the application for 255 homes on land east of Yaxham Road/south of Dumpling Green in Dereham was being heard at today’s Planning Committee hearing – despite the fact that the public consultation did not in fact finish until this coming Friday (four days later).
Over the past few months, I have held a series of meetings with the Parish Councils of Great Ellingham, Little Ellingham and Rocklands, as well as local councillors and developers, to discuss the likely impact of future developments in the area, and to ensure that adequate highways infrastructure and educational facilities are in place.
Having formally written to Breckland’s Planning Committee to put on record my concerns about the Glavenhill application for a minimum of 291 homes on land off Shipdham Road, Westfield Road and Westfield Lane, I was hugely disappointed to see the application was given permission.