Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan 2020-2035

1. Rollesby is a village in east Norfolk 7.5miles north-west of Great Yarmouth. It has a population of around 950 and a number of local services and facilities including primary/nursery school, business park, pub/restaurant, hair salon, village hall and sports pavilion. The village also has a bus service that connects it with neighbouring communities and Great Yarmouth.

2. Historically Rollesby is a farming community, and today remains surrounded by arable farmland, much of which is tenanted. This gives the village a strong rural and open feel with panoramic views from the field and from many homes within the village. Residents also have great access into the open countryside through the network of footpaths that exist.

3. The eastern edge of the parish and village lie in the Broads, which has equivalent status to a National Park. This is recognised nationally and internationally as a key site for wildlife and has nature conservation designations such as the Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Trinity Broads Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Rollesby Broad is part of the Trinity Broads, a small network of landlocked Broads not connected with the rest of the waterways in terms of navigation. It is highly valued by both residents and visitors, as well as providing a water supply to local homes in the Great Yarmouth area.

4. The layout of the village is fairly linear, though recent development has made it more nucleated. The settlement itself is split into two separate but linked residential areas that are around 350m apart. The A149, the main route between Stalham and Great Yarmouth, runs through the centre of the village which means that traffic can be seen to dominate in some parts of the community.

5. Rollesby has a number of buildings of historical significance that are typical of centuries of local agricultural industry. The older part of the village has historic features such as farm buildings, the church and a number of Listed Buildings, and has been designated a Conservation Area. To the south of the parish there is also the Old Court House, originally built as a workhouse in 1776.

6. Rollesby is identified as a Secondary Village in the Great Yarmouth Local Plan Core Strategy. Secondary and Tertiary Villages will be providing approximately 5% of the Borough’s housing growth. The Great Yarmouth Local Plan does define ‘Development Limits’, and development proposals will be generally supported within this area. The Local Plan for the Broads covering the Broads Authority Area does not define a development limit. 

7.  Neighbourhood Planning was introduced in the Localism Act 2011. It is an important and powerful tool that gives communities such as parish councils statutory powers to develop a shared vision and shape how their community develops and changes over the years. 

8. The Neighbourhood Plan will be a document that sets out Local Planning policies for the Parish and these will be used to decide whether planning applications are approved or not, alongside the adopted policies of the Broads Authority and Great Yarmouth BC. It’s a community document, that’s written by local people who know and love the area.

9. The Neighbourhood Plan has to support the delivery of the ‘strategic policies’ contained in the Local Plans for the Broads and Great Yarmouth. It cannot promote less development than set out in the Local Plan for the borough. That is, the Local Plan for Great Yarmouth sets the amount of new development, such as housing numbers, and the distribution of that development across the borough. This Neighbourhood Plan is in general conformity with emerging Policy GSP2 in the Great Yarmouth Local Plan.

10. The Neighbourhood Plan can include ‘non-strategic policies’, such as the mix of housing needed, design principles for new development, conserving and enhancing the natural and historic environment, protecting local green spaces from development, and setting out other development management policies. Once a Neighbourhood Plan has been brought into force, following consultation with residents and a local referendum, it becomes part of the statutory development plan for the parish and will be used by the Borough Council and Broads Authority in deciding on all planning applications where relevant in the parish.  

11. The parish area shown in Figure 1 was designated as a Neighbourhood Plan Area in March 2017.

12. Working on behalf of the community and Parish Council, the Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan Group has prepared this plan that will shape and influence future growth across the parish. 

13. A broad range of evidence has been reviewed to determine issues and develop policies for the plan that will ensure the village grows in a way that enhances cohesion and meets the needs of current and future residents. 

14. The policies contained within it will influence the design, location and type of new homes being delivered in the village, as well has ensuring infrastructure improvements are delivered alongside growth so as to maximise community benefit. 

15. This Neighbourhood Plan has been developed by residents of Rollesby on behalf of the wider community. A working group, comprising a selection of residents, including representatives of the Parish Council, have overseen the process throughout on behalf of the Parish Council. 

16. Engaging the wider community in development of the Neighbourhood Plan has been a key focus for the working group.

17. In the early stages of development, consultation focused on identifying key issues the plan should tackle. It also reviewed different approaches for addressing these, in particular options for creating a more cohesive community through the delivery of housing growth. Engagement took a range of forms including surveys, drop in events and simulation games to understand how the village could look with additional housing. 

18. This early engagement helped the working group to formulate a pre-submission draft, which was consulted upon December 2019 – February 2020 as part of Regulation 14. 

19. A full account of consultation activities, the key points and how these were considered by the working group is provided in the Consultation Statement. 

20. The vision for Rollesby depicts how the village will be in 15 years’ time, 2035, once the plan has been delivered.

Vision for Rollesby - Rollesby will be a cohesive and thriving community. Improved community facilities and services to support daily life in the parish will be easily and safely accessible by foot and bike. It will have a more balanced population with housing for younger people and families as well as older residents. The village has grown but this has not been at the expense of having a rural and open feel with views into the open countryside. The natural environment will be protected and enhanced, especially biodiversity in the Trinity Broads.

21. The objectives for Rollesby are:

Objective 1: To provide the housing that current and future residents need;

Objective 2: Create a more cohesive community by joining up the two halves of the village through housing development and delivering its associated infrastructure benefits;

Objective 3: To support services and facilities that offer opportunities for enhancing the wellbeing of residents by providing for daily needs and enabling social contact;

Objective 4: To provide a safe place for people to live, work and get to school;

Objective 5: To protect and enhance the natural environment for its own sake and for the amenity value it provides for residents and visitors, and reduce the carbon footprint; 

Objective 6: To improve the walkability and cyclability of the village.

22. Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s Local Plan includes the Core Strategy 2013 - 2030, which was adopted in 2015. The Borough Council is currently developing a new Local Plan Part 2 which will comprise updates to the Core Strategy, new strategic policies, site allocations and detailed policies. Both the adopted and the emerging Local Plans contain planning policies for the whole of the borough, including Rollesby Parish. This emerging Neighbourhood Plan contains other non-strategic policies for Rollesby Parish itself specifically. 

23. In addition, part of the Parish falls under the Broads Authority. In these areas, the Local Plan for the Broads, adopted in 2019, applies.

24. There is no need to repeat or copy the planning policy framework in place in the Local Plans. However, where there are policy details missing that are important for Rollesby, or where it was felt that a slightly different policy is needed, then new policies were developed for the Neighbourhood Plan. Some of the policies in the following sections are not strictly ‘planning’ related. Nevertheless, it was felt that they were important enough to include in the plan and be called ‘Community Actions’, being something that the local community and parish council will lead on.

25. The policies are intended to meet the vision and objectives set out above. They are aimed at guiding decision makers and applicants in order to achieve high standards of development, and development in the right places. Development proposals should have regard to all the planning policies in this Neighbourhood Plan, and of course those in the relevant Local Plans.

26. To have more local control over the planning process and particularly where new developed should take pace, this Neighbourhood Plan has allocated a number of sites for development, mainly for residential development.

This section on Housing and the policies it contains aims to deliver the following Neighbourhood Plan objectives: 

Objective 1: To provide the housing that current and future residents need; and

Objective 2: Create a more cohesive community by joining up the two halves of the village through housing development and delivering its associated infrastructure benefits

27. Rollesby is designated as a Secondary Village in the Great Yarmouth Local Plan Core Strategy (2015). This is a reflection of its size and the services and facilities that are available, as well as public transport accessibility. The Great Yarmouth Local Plan sets out that, “….growth should be proportionately limited in scale and well-related to the existing settlement and infrastructure. Neighbourhood Development Plans are particularly encouraged in these locations to define locally preferable, positive development.” The Neighbourhood Plan has taken up this challenge and will be allocating sites for development. The aim of the Great Yarmouth Local Plan is that at least 5% of all new dwellings in the borough should be built within the Secondary and Tertiary Villages identified in Policy CS2.

28. The Great Yarmouth Local Plan Policies map for the North West of the borough defines the development limit for the village. The main village of Rollesby runs along the A149 and is split in two with a gap of some 350m between. There are currently two development limits for Rollesby, one for each half and the gap is outside of the limits. The Neighbourhood Plan will not amend the development limits, but will leave this to future iterations of the Local Plan. This will ensure that they are consistently applied and accurately reflect changing settlement boundaries and allocations. 

29. The split between the two halves of the village results, in some ways, in two separate communities and this was often seen as a weakness for the village in the consultations, with support for housing within the gap being seen as an opportunity to bring the community together. 

30. In recent years, housing growth in Rollesby has been modest and mainly as a result of speculative applications due to a lack of a five-year housing supply. There is a desire to reduce speculative applications and ensure development takes place in a planned way.

31. Consultations suggest that the community is supportive of new housing within the gap between the two halves of the village conditional on it:

• Being a good mix of dwellings that meets the needs of the community;

• Making speculative, unplanned development far less likely;

• Providing key community benefits such as a reduced speed limit on the A149 with traffic speeds being a key community concern;

• Delivering improved transport infrastructure, such as a widened footway and crossing points along the A149;

• Retaining key views into the wider countryside to keep a rural feel that is valued by residents.

32. The overall scale of new housing need in the parish is modest, proportionate to its population size, available services and facilities, and its overall role as a Secondary Village. There is strong local support for each development site to be relatively small in nature, with growth focused on the gap between the two halves of the village.

33. Looking at the housing need, the emerging Great Yarmouth Draft Local Plan Part 2 identifies that Secondary and Tertiary Villages will be providing approximately 5% of the Borough’s housing growth. The Borough Council welcomes the proposed allocations made within Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan, though does not rely on these housing numbers to achieve its housing target. 

34. As part of developing the Neighbourhood Plan, the working group commissioned the large consultancy firm AECOM to conduct a housing need assessment (HNA) for the parish*. Note this is different to anything the Borough Council has produced. This calculated two different figures for housing need. Firstly, based on a Local Housing Need of 363 across Great Yarmouth, the HNA calculates that Rollesby’s proportion according to population share is 4 dwellings per year, or 64 dwellings over the Neighbourhood Plan period 2019-2035. It should be noted that the emerging Local Plan for Great Yarmouth does not propose distributing future housing like this.

35. Alternatively, considering the emerging strategy for the pattern and scale of development across the borough, approximately 5% of new development across Great Yarmouth should be delivered in Secondary and Tertiary Villages, including Rollesby. 5% of 363 (the borough’s annual housing need) is 18 dwellings per year, of which Rollesby’s share according to its proportion of the combined population of the Secondary and Tertiary Villages is 11.9%, or 2 dwellings per year. This equates to 32 new dwellings over the Plan period. 

36. By taking the average of the results of these two calculations, the HNA recommended an overall need (so a minimum) of 48 dwellings over the Plan period 2020-2035, or 3 dwellings per year. If all extant planning permissions are delivered over the Plan period (of which there are 18), there will remain a residual need for 30 dwellings, or 2 dwellings per year.

37. However, the Neighbourhood Plan is looking to allocate land for up to 65, so in line with one estimate of the housing need, with a reserve allocation for a further 25 if an early review of the plan shows these to be necessary. There are a number of reasons why the plan is looking at the higher end of the various estimates.

38. Although indications are that the parish population has picked up a little since 2011, the evidence suggests that it has declined over the years, being less than it was in 2001, and this might be in part due to the available housing, or lack of it. This could invite a need for more housing to reverse the population decline and enable people to stay in the village. The consultations highlighted a concern related to younger residents having to move away from the village.

39. Delivering the right mix of housing as described in the next section could also have implications for the actual number of houses being planned. There is a significant need for smaller homes of one or two bedrooms, but housing schemes comprising almost entirely of smaller homes are not likely to be very viable or attractive for developers. This might suggest a need to have a different balance so that larger homes included in a housing scheme can effectively cross-subsidise the smaller ones that are most needed.

40. A key part of the strategy is to close the gap between the two halves of the village with a view to bringing the community closer together, introducing a 30mph limit all the way through the village, improving the roadside footway to make it more attractive to walk, and introduce crossing points for people. This might require a housing number at the upper end of the estimates. 

41. The Neighbourhood Plan will therefore plan to deliver at least 65 new dwellings over the plan period to 2035 through site allocations. The main housing allocations will be in the gap between the two halves of the village, and on both sides of the A149 to ensure, for example, that the speed limit can be reduced to 30mph and other benefits achieved. 

*Rollesby Housing Needs Assessment, AECOM, May 2019

As part of this Neighbourhood Plan, sufficient land will be allocated to deliver a minimum of 65 dwellings. These will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 will deliver around 40 homes, and phase 2 will deliver a further 25 homes.

The housing allocations will be made within the gap between the two halves of the village, and will be on both sides of the A149. A further small allocation for mixed use east of the school will include up to five dwellings.

Consideration will be given to bringing forward an additional reserve allocation for housing during the plan period if any of the adopted allocations either do not come forward as expected or there is demonstrable evidence that additional housing is warranted. For this reason, the plan will be subject to a review by 2029, and a further allocation (Phase 3) will be held in reserve for this purpose.

Within the development limits for the village, development on infill sites should be sympathetic to its context, including the surrounding built environment, its landscape setting and must respect views and the amenity of neighbouring properties.

Proposals that result in the erection of a dwelling or dwellings on parts of large gardens attached to existing dwellings, known as backland or tandem development, within the development limits will only be supported if it can be demonstrated that acceptable vehicular and pedestrian access can be achieved and that the site can provide adequate off-road parking.

Permission for development outside of allocations or the development limits will only be supported if a specific policy in the Neighbourhood Plan or Local Plan allows for the proposed development outside of the adopted development limits or adopted allocations. 

42. The allocations will be mixed in terms of size, but will be generally small comprising no more than 30 dwellings. This will help to support small to medium sized developers rather than volume house builders. This is a policy aim that the Government specifically encourages in the Housing White Paper, and in the NPPF. The policies for the allocations are in Section 10 of this plan.

43. The six sites allocated for residential development and one for mixed use have been objectively assessed, firstly by AECOM to determine their suitability for allocation and secondly against 22 sustainability objectives as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). 

44. The large consultancy company AECOM assessed twelve potential sites for development, assessing them against a range of criteria such as flood risk** . Each site was assessed using the traffic light system of red, amber and green, whereby red is not acceptable and green is acceptable, whilst amber means the site could be acceptable with mitigation measures. All sites assessed as either green or amber, except one red adjacent to the conservation area. 

45. The allocation sites were assessed with alternative sites through the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) supporting this plan. The SEA appraised the sites against a comprehensive set of social, environmental and economic objectives that are consistent with the Great Yarmouth Local Plan. The allocation sites performed well against the criteria, with a major benefit being that the sites meet the community aspiration of joining up the two halves of the village, delivering quality of life and cohesion benefits. Full details of these assessments are included in the SEA Report.

46. The land being allocated is owned by Norfolk County Council as part of their County Farms Estate. Rollesby Parish Council has worked closely with NPS Property Consultants, on behalf of Norfolk County Council as landowner, to help address the needs of the local community and provide land for housing. Norfolk County Council has agreed not to pursue opportunities for further development on land in their ownership around the village subject to the planned phased development of allocations within this plan. 

**Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan. Site Options and Assessment (May 2019)

47. According to the 2011 Census, the housing profile in Rollesby is dominated by bungalows, predominantly with two or three bedrooms; over half of dwellings are 3 bedroomed. 69% of Rollesby households occupy dwellings of three or more bedrooms, compared with 58% in Great Yarmouth, and 64% of dwellings in the parish are detached, compared with 29% in the borough. A quarter of homes are occupied by just one person but in contrast there are relatively few one-bed properties. Home ownership is very high (84%) and very few properties are available to rent or as social housing. There is evidence of demand for further affordable housing in Rollesby and this will not be met by the existing housing stock, which has been depleted significantly through the Right to Buy scheme. 

48. Longer term the housing profile could make it difficult for families or younger people to remain or move into the village, and encourage an ongoing imbalance of population towards older residents, threatening the viability of the school. The parish already has an ageing population and higher than average proportion of retired people. Based on current trends, the parish’s demographic profile in 2035 is projected to be dominated by households aged 65 and over (which make up 55% of all households). The housing profile also makes it difficult for older residents living alone to downsize whilst staying in the village, and so they won’t be able to free up larger homes for families wishing to move up. The 65 and over age group generally express a strong preference for two-bedroom homes. Further analysis is provided in the Evidence Base which accompanies this Neighbourhood Plan. 

49. Much of this evidence suggests a need for an increase in the number of smaller dwellings, but the housing stock has been changing in the direction of larger homes with more rooms and more bedrooms, at a time when the need is for smaller dwellings with fewer rooms or bedrooms. Although a mix of housing may be needed to meet the mix of community needs, there needs to be a particular focus on meeting the need for smaller homes, first-time buyers and homes suitable for older and more infirm residents. Consultations have found a broad level of support for such a mix of housing.

50. The Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) concluded the need for, “the following mix of dwelling sizes for new development over the Plan period:

• 43% one-bedroom units

• 48% two-bedroom units

• 4% three-bedroom units

• 5% four-bedroom units; and

• 0% five- or more bedroom units”

51. Assuming an outstanding need for 48 dwellings, which was the middle housing need scenario in the HNA, this would suggest around five being three or four bedroomed, and 43 being one or two bedroomed. 

52. However, as discussed in the previous section, this is likely not to be viable or attractive for developers and so it has been decided, for this and other reasons, to increase the number of dwellings allocated to 65 to provide scope for additional larger dwellings whilst meeting the need for smaller dwellings. This would therefore allow for around 22 three or four bedroomed dwellings and 43 smaller dwellings.

53. Feedback from consultations tended to support the evidence, in that people want predominantly smaller homes, affordable homes, especially starter homes for young people and young families and homes that are adaptable for older, more infirm residents. There was still recognition of the need for some three or four bedroomed family homes.

All new residential development proposals should provide a mix of housing types and sizes, especially smaller unit homes and homes suitable for younger and older residents, including single-storey dwellings. Proposals for a housing with care scheme will be supported, subject to other policies. The mix for the allocated sites is set out in the site specific policies.

Other new housing proposals, including the conversion of existing buildings to dwellings, shall provide evidence of the community need in terms of likely housing mix. As a minimum, schemes of more than 5 dwellings must, unless evidence to the contrary is provided, meet the following criteria:

a. At least 25% of dwellings should be suitable for occupation by people who are elderly, infirm or disabled; and

b. At least 50% of those dwellings should have two bedrooms or fewer. 

This applies to all housing on an application site taken as a whole, including both open-market and affordable housing combined. This will need to be met unless a different mix is fully justified on the grounds of viability or updated evidence of local housing need. 

New housing is encouraged to be designed to a high energy efficiency standard.

Separate proposals on contiguous sites that are in the same ownership and/or control, or have a planning history indicating that they have been, will be considered as single proposal.

54. This policy, and the allocations policy, should redress a housing imbalance in the village by providing additional smaller dwellings. These should be more suitable for older people living alone and wishing to downsize, and they should also be more affordable for younger people wanting to get on the housing ladder.

55. Although a mix of housing as set out in Policy HO2 will be expected, it is recognised that with building conversions it might not be possible to meet the size requirements as it could be constrained by the existing building fabric.

56. Planning practice guidance allows local planning authorities to require planning policies to require energy efficiency standards 20% above building regulations. This is encouraged to be used for Policy HO2 unless the guidance changes and more rigorous standards can be applied. 

57. There are currently no Housing Association properties in Rollesby, therefore any affordable housing units are those provided by the Council, of which there are just 16. The evidence suggests that there is a significant demand for affordable housing, especially smaller units of one or two bedrooms, that exceeds supply. No additional affordable homes have been included in recent planning applications, including the recent 10 dwelling permission

58. A current definition of affordable housing is provided in the National Planning Policy Framework*** . This has recently introduced the concept of Entry-level Housing Exception Sites. These are affordable homes suitable for first time buyers and so discounted from the open market value (or those looking to rent their first home), and outside of the development limits. However, in many cases and despite the discount, many people would still be unable to afford the cost.

59. Policy HO2 intends to ensure appropriate levels of affordable housing are delivered where landowners/developers own large sites within the village, but choose to divide these up in such a way that affordable housing thresholds are not met.

60. Affordable housing is very much needed in the parish. The allocation of sites as part of the Neighbourhood Plan will help to deliver some affordable housing. Any proposal for less than the requirements in the prevailing Local Plans will need to be fully justified by a comprehensive viability assessment. The Local Planning authorities will ensure that any planning permission granted for affordable housing is subject to appropriate conditions and/or planning obligations to secure its affordability in perpetuity (for the life of the property) where possible, although this of course does not override the Right to Buy scheme.

61. The process used in the allocation of affordable homes will need to have due regard to the sequential preference criteria used by the Borough Council. This means that although people on the waiting list with a Rollesby connection could get priority, ultimately the housing could be allocated to people in housing need across the borough. This Neighbourhood Plan would support the Borough Council in favouring applications made by service personnel and their families, so that applicants in housing need who have served in the Armed Forces are given greater priority over those who have not. This would be in line with the terms of the Government’s Armed Forces Covenant published in May 2011. Through the Military Covenant, the Government has made clear its responsibility to support our Armed Forces in return for the important contribution they make to the country. 

***  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework/annex-2-glossary 

62. The older part of the village, along Fleggburgh Road, has historical features such as farm buildings, the church and a spattering of Listed Buildings, which are characteristic of the village’s local vernacular. This area of the village is designated a Conservation Area by Great Yarmouth Borough Council in recognition of its heritage value, see figure 3. To the south of the parish is The Old Court House, originally built as a workhouse in 1776 to accommodate 400 inmates. There are 60 sites of archaeological interest in the parish currently on the Norfolk Historic Environment Record, and there could be many more sites of interest as yet unknown. The Broads area also has potential for exceptional waterlogged heritage.  

63. Outside the Conservation Area, the character appraisal carried out for the Neighbourhood Plan identifies a broad mix of housing that is of relatively low density, with most homes having front and back gardens. Although there is some estate development, homes are not uniform in their character but rather mixed. Key themes from the community consultation on design features of existing homes included:

• Eclectic mix of homes

• Bungalows / single storey

• Traditional brick with Norfolk pantiles

• Combination of traditional and contemporary

64. At consultation 65% of people supported more modern/contemporary designs or sustainable eco-homes.

65. During the consultations there was support for housing densities on new development reflecting the rural open nature of the area, so not being too dense and urban, accompanied by soft landscaping comprising of vegetation and natural features such as trees and hedgerows.

All new development within Rollesby must demonstrate high-quality design. This means responding to and integrating with local surroundings and the open landscape context. In particular:

a. Housing schemes should not exceed a density of more than 25 dwellings per hectare, unless compelling evidence can be presented which demonstrates that a higher density will be in keeping the immediate character and appearance of the area, or it is delivering a critical housing need;

b. New residential development, especially that intended for family occupation, shall include garden areas which are of an appropriate size and which provide a suitable and usable area for the occupiers of the dwelling as well as affording visual delight and reflect the current character of the area;

c. Contemporary and innovative design will be supported, especially if also making use of traditional materials evident in the village;

d. The character, integrity and appearance of heritage assets will be protected and where possible enhanced. Alterations or extensions to buildings of heritage value, designated or non-designated, or in the Conservation Area should use traditional materials and designs for roofs, chimneys, porches, elevations, windows and doors;

e. The overall external appearance of affordable dwellings shall be indistinguishable in terms of the materials used and architectural detail from the open market housing on site;

f. New development must be in keeping with that of a rural village in a rural open setting and be well integrated into the landscape. Good soft landscaping that makes use of existing natural features will be expected, as will be the retention of views into the open countryside to avoid an enclosed and urbanised streetscene;

g. All development should be designed to incorporate biodiversity enhancements, as per Policy E1. 

h. Development will be designed so as to provide distinct character across housing proposals so as to avoid homogeneity;

i. Proposals for new residential development comprising mainly bungalows, terraced or semi-detached dwellings will be considered favourably, depending on the immediate context and the need to visually integrate;

j. Housing proposals will need to be well integrated functionally with the rest of the village and with any neighbouring proposals, including connecting footways and public space. The design of major residential development should incorporate public open space in a way that creates an attractive and interesting community focus; and

k. Development directly fronting the A149 should be provided with suitable off road parking to prevent the streetscene becoming overly dominated by vehicles. 

l. Tree-lined streets should be included in developments unless in specific cases there are clear justifiable and compelling reasons why this would be inappropriate. Trees should be included within developments where the opportunity arises. Where development is permitted, conditions will be imposed to secure the long-term maintenance of newly-planted trees. Existing trees, tree belts and hedgerows should be retained wherever possible.

In all cases, an exceptional standard of design will weigh significantly in favour of proposals.

66. It is of critical importance that new development relates well to the landscape setting and character of the existing settlement. Analysis of current housing density in Rollesby (provided in the Evidence Base which accompanies this Neighbourhood Plan) indicates an average density of around 20 dwellings per hectare throughout the parish currently. Many new housing developments, even in rural communities, have higher densities than this. Given the required housing mix with a high proportion of smaller dwellings and the fact that all available land in the parish is of high agricultural value, it is appropriate for the Neighbourhood Plan to require a maximum density of 25 dwellings per hectare. This will allow dwellings to be comfortably accommodated to create good townscape and significant landscape appropriate to their scale and setting. An important exception is where development will meet a critical housing need, such as the provision of affordable housing. 

67. The Character Appraisal identifies key aspects of the built-environment which make it unique or of interest, these should be preserved or enhanced. New development must have due regard to this, although this should not stifle innovation, which is welcomed. This policy applies to new residential development as well as other types of development, including extensions.

This section on the Environment and the policies it contains aims to deliver the following Neighbourhood Plan objectives:

Objective 3: To support services and facilities that offer opportunities for enhancing the wellbeing of residents by providing for daily needs and enabling social contact; and

Objective 5: To protect and enhance the natural environment for its own sake and for the amenity value it provides for residents and visitors, and reduce the carbon footprint. 

68. Rollesby is a rural parish with high environmental and landscape value. This Neighbourhood Plan aims to achieve greener developments with access to local natural spaces, creating more pleasant places to live and establishing habitats for wildlife through biodiversity net gain. In addition to supporting habitats that provide home for a diverse range of species, this will help to build resilience to climate change. 

69. The Neighbourhood Plan encompasses an area of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, see Figure 4****. This area is designated as the Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the Trinity Broads Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Trinity Broads are a tranquil and beautiful part of the Broadland landscape, known as a hidden gem isolated from the main Broads river system, being landlocked. The five broads of Ormesby Broad, Rollesby Broad, Ormesby Little, Lily Broad and Filby Broad are much quieter than other broads in the Rivers Bure and Ant. There are no motorised boats to protect drinking water, though sailing and fishing is popular. A boardwalk at Rollesby Bridge was created to allow easier access to the water, though currently there are no Public Rights of Way that connect the village settlement directly with Rollesby Broad and it is not possible to walk around the Broad. 

70. The Trinity Broads are extremely rich in wildlife with some species rarely found outside of the Broads fen habitats. Habitats include wide expanses of shallow open water, extensive tracts of broadshore reedbed and undisturbed areas of wet woodland. These habitats support a wealth of wildlife, from the tiniest rare snail, to stands of bulrushes virtually disappeared from the rest of the Broads area, to the bittern. The ecological importance of the area is reflected in the variety of international, national and local nature conservation designations. 

71. Trinity Broads make up 14% of the open water within the Broads Area. They are a significant fresh water supply with approximately 5 million litres of water abstracted each day, supplying 80,000 homes in the surrounding villages and Great Yarmouth. They cover 162 hectares of open water in total, with 21km of broadshore habitat including fen meadow, tall herb fen, littoral reed bed and alluvial forest. It is important to ensure that the water quality is not impacted by future development. Water extraction is dealt with in the Habitat Regulations Assessment supporting this and the emerging Local Plan. The Environment Agency is content with the current Water Management Plan and the potential effects arising from extraction.

72. Close proximity to the Broadland landscape results in a transitional edge to the built-up settlement area, with the fringes characterised by wetland that contrasts the arable fields of farmland which surround much of the village. Figure 4 highlights the area of Rollesby settlement that this particularly effects. Some areas on the settlement fringe with Broads contain green corridors for wildlife to move, and it will be important to conserve and enhance this. 

73. Rollesby residents value the tranquillity and naturalness of the Trinity Broads and are keen to protect and enhance this as the village settlement grows. The Broads Local Plan has a policy for the Trinity Broads – SSTRI. During community engagement exercises to develop this Neighbourhood Plan some residents indicated that the Broads reflected what is special about the village, and one of the reasons they moved here. They are a place where people go to enjoy peace and quiet and abundant wildlife, both on the water by boat and from land using viewing areas and walkways. Recreational pressure could increase with new housing development in Rollesby and this will need to be managed, with alternative opportunities for accessing the countryside provided as part of development proposals.  

74. It is recognised that existing planning policy and legislation already protects our network of internationally and nationally designated sites, including the Broads. This Neighbourhood Plan aims to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of Rollesby, with new development delivering net biodiversity gain and with the allocations being focused away from the Broads, although some is within the impact risk zone for the SSSI.

**** It should be noted that exact boundaries for the SSSI and SAC can change, which is the responsibility of Natural England.  Magic Map  is regularly updated. 

Opportunities to incorporate biodiversity into new developments will be encouraged. All development proposals will be expected to deliver a net gain of at least 10% in biodiversity. 

Development proposals will be permitted where they: 

a. Protect, enhance, restore and implement appropriate conservation management of biodiversity rich areas or green areas which are of value in terms of landscape, wildlife or quiet enjoyment;

b. Use native species and soft landscaping to provide new habitats for local wildlife and make use of appropriate rural treatments such as tree planting, hedgerows, low walls, fences and grassed verges as boundaries for properties or open spaces;

c. Minimise environmental fragmentation and maximise opportunities for the restoration, enhancement and connectivity of natural habitats or green spaces (including links to habitats outside of Rollesby parish);

d. Deliver the required net biodiversity gain for the natural environment within the development site or nearby within the parish; 

e. Ensure that any impacts on water demand and quality are assessed to safeguard the Trinity Broads; and

f. Incorporate features within site proposals that benefit biodiversity conservation, such as built-in wildlife homes, pollinator strips, native hedging, green walls and roofs and wetlands which can enhance on-site wildlife and provide associated benefits for run-off attenuation and energy efficiency.

Greater weight will be given to proposals that would result in significant net gain in biodiversity. 

Any development proposals within or near to the Broads Area will need to be accompanied by landscaping proposals that demonstrate how the development will minimise its impact on the Broads landscape and benefit the wider area. Development must suit the location and setting, with landscape design proposals that reflect the area’s special landscape qualities. 

To mitigate recreational pressure effects on Norfolk’s protected sites, a Habitats Monitoring and Mitigation Strategy (HMMS) has been put in place by Great Yarmouth Borough Council. This provides for mitigation measures in the Broadland SPA / Ramsar, The Broads SAC, the Breydon Water SPA / Ramsar, the North Denes SPA and the Winterton-Horsey Dunes SAC. Rollesby parish lies within the impact zone identified in the HMMS and therefore appropriate financial contributions will be required by residential developments allocated in the Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan in line with tariffs detailed in the strategy. Furthermore, residential developments will have to be accompanied by a project-level Habitats Regulations Assessment to ensure that such developments will not result in recreational impacts that are individually significant.

75. Achieving a biodiversity net gain is expected to be passed into national legislation in the near future. In the absence of national legislation and guidance on measurement of biodiversity net gain, the calculation tool available from Defra should be used. This considers the on and off-site baseline and post development habitat, including habitat creation or enhancement. This enables losses and gains in biodiversity to be measured in an objective and repeatable manner. A 10% net gain will be applied unless a higher standard is required by the Environment Bill. 

76. In delivering Policy E1 developers should first look to avoid harm. If harm cannot be avoided, the developer should adequately mitigate any harm to biodiversity. In all instances, developers are expected to enhance biodiversity on site. As a last resort, compensation can be considered if the development must go ahead. Where it is not possible to avoid, mitigate and compensate all harmful impacts on site, the developer should secure enhancement or creation of habitat locally, within the parish. 

77. Rollesby is historically a linear settlement, though increasingly nucleated due to more recent development. 

78. The village is surrounded by arable farmland, the majority of which is part of Norfolk County Council’s County Farms Estate. These farms, which are tenanted, form part of the Rollesby and Repps Estate which extends some 203 hectares. The entire area is classified as the best and most versatile farmland, or Grade 1 according to the Agricultural Land Classification map. This farmland and the wide panoramic views it provides is a key feature of the landscape character of Rollesby, which the community would like to preserve as much as reasonably possible. 

79. Rollesby is fortunate to have a network of Public Rights of Way, enabling residents and visitors to the village to access the wider countryside and enjoy views out across the farming landscape. These can help to reduce recreational use of the more sensitive environment around the Broads, although not all rights of way are very accessible due to their surface or width.

80. There are particular long views that the community find special and would like to preserve. This includes views across the fields from behind King George V Playing Field / Rollesby School, which is accessed via a Public Right of Way and views from Back Lane, as illustrated in Figure 6 & 7. 

81. The Great Yarmouth Borough Local Character Assessment identifies that Rollesby lies within the West Flegg Settled Farmland character area. The primary landscape planning guidelines of this area include conserving its function as part of the landscape setting of the Broads. In particular, views into the Broadland landscape should be conserved. There is recognition however that the main A149 road is a key landscape feature that detracts from this landscape setting. Focusing housing development along the A149 should therefore minimise any adverse impacts on the wider landscape setting.

82. The Broads Landscape Character Assessment for this area, Muck Fleet Valley: The Trinity Broads, identifies that care needs to be taken when landscape change occurs, to ensure that the positive characteristics that contribute to the areas unique sense of place are conserved and enhanced. Where new development opportunities are being pursued care needs to be taken to ensure that proposals do not adversely affect the key landscape characteristics of the area. 

83. As in many farming communities, hedgerows are an important feature of the landscape, supporting a high proportion of woodland birds, mammals and butterflies, creating important green corridors. Generally, the older and more timely managed the hedgerow, the more species rich it will be and therefore better for wildlife. The current farming landscape is predominantly open in Rollesby with large fields, some hedging and trees existing mainly along key boundaries. Extension of hedgerows could enhance the biodiversity, water quality and landscapes in some areas.

All development will be expected to respect and where possible enhance the distinctive landscape character of Rollesby and the Broads. 

Key views (identified in Figure 6) will be safeguarded to ensure future enjoyment of the community. Development proposals which result in the obstruction or restriction of such key views without appropriate mitigation will be refused. 

Development on productive agricultural land should avoid isolating/segmenting adjacent smaller parcels of land that cannot be viably farmed. 

All new development should incorporate and enhance existing hedgerows where feasible and create soft boundaries through planting of hedgerows and trees to reinforce the landscape structure and enhance connectivity. Additional planting should be of native species. 

New development will be expected to take opportunities to enhance and improve accessibility, particularly in relation to the local Public Rights of Way network.

It is expected that planning applications will be accompanied by appropriate evidence, including landscape and visual appraisals as needed, to demonstrate how the proposal meets the criteria in this policy.

84. Much of the undeveloped land in Rollesby is classified as Grade 1, the highest quality, and is in active farming use. Where possible this should be retained and Policy E2 seeks to ensure that any development does not inadvertently isolate or cut-off land from future farming use. 

85. The policy requires planning applications to be accompanied by appropriate and proportionate evidence to show how the requirements of Policy E2 are to be met. Not all developments, for example, extensions to domestic dwellings, will need to submit evidence, but where they do evidence should be up to date and proportionate and appropriate to the type of development sought.

86. As a village with little street lighting Rollesby is a good place to enjoy the night sky. Consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan has indicated that residents value the dark skies and wish to keep them, 93% of individuals who responded to the Issues and Options Consultation during 2019 would like to encourage lighting that is Dark Sky friendly. The Broads Authority survey shows Rollesby Broad area to be in one of the darkest categories, and parts of the village are in the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s second darkest category for light pollution, with the main settled parts of the village being lighter on the scale. The plan supports retention of dark skies at these levels. 

87. The Local Plan for the Broads has a policy which seeks to protect the dark night sky. Policy E3 of this Neighbourhood Plan applies outside of this area, protecting the rest of the parish.  

Development proposals outside of the Broads Authority Executive Area should include provision for conserving dark night skies by avoiding the introduction of street lighting as part of new development. Any permitted lighting should be limited to specific operating hours and it must be designed so as to minimize adverse impact on dark skies, local amenity and wildlife. 

Other lighting proposed as part of development proposals, such as security lighting, will only be supported where it is shown to be necessary and to minimise adverse impacts such as on dark skies.  

88. An area of the parish adjacent to the Broads Area falls within Flood Zone 3, with this representing the functional flood plain. This area would be precluded from any new development and constrains further growth of the residential area to the south of the village. 

89. There is medium and high risk from surface water flooding in several parts of the village, south of Low Road near to the Broads Area and along Back Lane. Parts of the older residential area off Martham Road have low risk of surface water flooding. The Lead Local Flood Authority has two records of external flooding in the parish dating from 2014 to the present day and recommend the importance of considering surface water flooding. There is a need to ensure that infrastructure and drainage is adequate to ensure any new development does not pose an increased risk to surface water flooding. 

90. The plan area lies over a Principal Aquifer and a drinking water protection zone. It is essential that any surface water run-off that is released should be properly managed to ensure that it does not result in pollution of groundwater. 

All development proposals coming forward within the areas of high and medium risk from surface water flooding, as identified by the Environment Agency or Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, will need to be accompanied by a Surface Water Drainage Strategy, proportionate to the scale of the development. This should demonstrate that the proposal will not result in any increase in the risk of surface water or groundwater flooding on site or elsewhere off-site. The Surface Water Drainage Strategy, including any necessary flood risk mitigation measures, should be agreed as a condition of the development before any work commences on site.

The following will apply to all planning proposals:

a. Planning applications that improve surface water drainage in the Neighbourhood Plan area will be supported;

b. Sustainable Drainage Systems must be considered for all planning applications and where applicable should be multifunctional and incorporated into the landscaping and ecology scheme, delivering biodiversity improvements where at all possible; and

c. Appropriate on-site water storage shall be incorporated into drainage schemes to intercept, attenuate or store long term surface water run-off.

All new development must be served by mains sewerage of sufficient capacity and function to reduce the risk of surface run-off and ground water contamination in the Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Evidence shall be provided by applicants to demonstrate that capacity is available or will be made available within the foul sewerage network in time to serve the development. If mains sewerage is not possible, a project-level assessment will have to confirm that there will be no additional phosphate release into the SAC and an effective and sustainable private sewerage system plan shall be agreed with the Local Planning Authority in advance of development commencing. Such a plan must be implemented prior to the occupation of the first dwelling. 

This section on Community Assets and the policies it contains aims to deliver the following Neighbourhood Plan objectives: 

Objective 1: To provide the housing that current and future residents need;

Objective 2: Create a more cohesive community by joining up the two halves of the village through housing development and delivering its associated infrastructure benefits;

Objective 3: To support services and facilities that offer opportunities for enhancing the wellbeing of residents by providing for daily needs and enabling social contact;

Objective 5: To protect and enhance the natural environment for its own sake and for the amenity value it provides for residents and visitors, and reduce the carbon footprint.

91. Rollesby is identified as a Secondary Village in the Great Yarmouth Borough Council Local Plan Core Strategy. It has a range of local amenities spread throughout the village including:

• Primary and Nursery School

• Cricket and bowling green, with changing facilities

• King George V Playing Field and children’s play area

• Sports Pavillion

• Community hall

• Church

• Hairdressers

• Farm shop 

• A mix of commercial and industrial activity including Hall Farm Business Park

• The Horse & Groom Pub

• The Waterside café and activities on the Broads

• Allotments

92. The Great Yarmouth Open Space Study 2013 identifies that the recreation ground, cricket club and bowls club are all accessible and well connected to the settlement with a good quality pitch and changing facilities. The allotments are recognised to be of high quality and value.  

93. These facilities attract people into the village. The primary and nursery school, currently Ofsted Rated Good, has a wide catchment with a significant proportion of children coming from neighbouring villages. These facilities are also important amenities for residents. CS15 in the Great Yarmouth Local Plan seeks to resist the loss of important community facilities such as these. Additionally, the Neighbourhood Plan through Policy CA1 seeks to support new facilities within the village. 

Proposals for new shopping or other community facilities, especially a convenience store, will be supported where they are of an appropriate scale to meet the daily needs of the local community.  

Any new facilities located within the Broads will need to be fully justified.

94. There was strong feedback from residents during the Issues and Options Consultation that additional services including a shop and a more regular bus service for accessing higher order services like the doctors in Martham or Fleggburgh, would significantly benefit the community. Residents are keen to encourage this through the Neighbourhood Plan by allocating a site for mixed use development within the village, see Policy SSA05 at Section 10. 

95. The community understand the importance of economic growth and support the development of small local business including offices or a shop, subject to it being in keeping with the local character of Rollesby. 

96. The Neighbourhood Plan recognises that some open spaces are especially important to the local community. For example, they can provide a valuable formal and informal recreational facility for both children and adults, or they can add character and interest to a community. People who have good access to open space, parks and other recreational areas have the opportunity to lead more active and healthy lives. 

97. The Character Appraisal and consultation with residents has identified some open green spaces that positively contribute to the overall character and enjoyment of the part of the settlement in which they are located. 

98. Rollesby would like to designate four Local Green Spaces in the Neighbourhood Plan, see Figure 9. The designation of land as Local Green Space through Neighbourhood Plans allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them. The designation should only be used where the land is not extensive, is local in character and reasonably close to the community and where it is demonstrably special, for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value, tranquillity or richness in wildlife. Designation of Local Green Spaces affords the same level of protection as Green Belt. The national policy for Green Belt refers to protecting against inappropriate development, essentially the construction of new buildings, except in very special circumstances, these are set out in paragraphs 147-151 of the National Planning Policy Framework. The policy still allows for development in very special circumstances. All of the Local Green Spaces identified here are within easy walking distance of people living in the community and considered special in some way. 

99. The potential for designating the community greenspace gifted to the parish through the allocation as Local Green Space, will be considered at the planned review, as per Policy PR1. 

The following existing open spaces will be designated as Local Green Space, as per Figure 9:

1) Rollesby Staithe - common land adjacent to the Trinity Broads, by virtue of its ecological and recreational value;

2) The King George V Playing Field and children’s play area, for its recreational value; and

3) The pond at the Back Lane/ Martham Road junction, by virtue of its ecological value.

100. Open space within a community can take many forms, from the Local Green Spaces identified in this plan to more general open areas or linear corridors within the settlement or beyond. They provide health and recreation benefits, enable people to move easily between different parts of the village, have ecological value and contribute to green infrastructure, as well as being an important part of the landscape and setting of built environments. Any new development must make provision for new open space. This Neighbourhood Plan aims to enhance existing open spaces within the parish. This is reflected in Policy CA3. 

101. As set out in Policy SSA03, phase 2 of the residential development being planned through the allocations will release a 0.96ha parcel of land adjacent to the King George V Playing Field for additional recreational open space, introduce a new public footpath linking with the recreation ground and school and provide additional community green space adjacent phase 2 of development. Phase 1 will also deliver 0.18ha additional community green space (see Policy SSA02).

All development will be expected to contribute towards the provision of high-quality open space within the community, with a contribution in line with the policy in the relevant Local Plan. 

Any contributions towards off-site provision will be prioritised for: 

a. Maintaining, improving and extending the recreational ground and children’s play facilities on King George V playing field;

b. Maintenance and improvement of other areas identified as Local Green Space; and

c. The improvement of Public Rights of Way in consultation with the parish council.

This section on Traffic and Transport and the policies it contains aims to deliver the following Neighbourhood Plan objectives: 

Objective 2: Create a more cohesive community by joining up the two halves of the village through housing development and delivering its associated infrastructure benefits;

Objective 4: To provide a safe place for people to live, work and get to school; and

Objective 6: To improve the walkability and cyclability of the village.

102. Rollesby lies on the A149. This is considered to be a Principal Road in the County Council’s route hierarchy. The village has a reasonably good footway provision on the main road, including connecting the two halves of the village, although this is only available on the northern side of the A149. Off the main road footway provision is patchy and could need some improvement, with feedback suggesting residents want to see better footways. There are no obvious cycle facilities, either on-road or off-road. Although a 30mph limit is in place in parts, there is a 40mph limit in place too, including between the two built-up-areas, and this might deter cycling, especially given the heavy traffic on the A149. It also results in an unpleasant walking environment, with traffic in the gap between the two halves clearly dominating as a result of its speed, noise and volume, and indeed the speed and volume of traffic is seen as an issue, with people supporting a lower speed limit. The openness of the gap probably invites higher traffic speeds.

103. Access by public transport is fairly poor with an infrequent service and some bus stops not comprising shelters, and feedback suggests that improvements are supported. Bus waiting facilities could be improved, as supported by three quarters of residents, which will help those dependent on public transport and may also attract additional users, but it will remain the case that car ownership, already high, will continue to be seen as necessary. This can result in some on-street parking by residents with not enough off-street parking spaces. 

104. There is reasonable access into the countryside and green open space using Public Rights of Way, and although this is valued it is not without concerns about the poor condition of the some of the footpaths. New development will need to avoid adversely impacting on both countryside access and key views from public footpaths, and improve access where possible.

105. Given the strength of community feeling about traffic speeds and its impacts on quality of life and the walking environment, especially on the A149 outside the school and in the gap between the two halves of the village, the Neighbourhood Plan will aim to deliver lower traffic speeds. Policy SSA02 will deliver a maximum speed limit of 30mph throughout the village. Measures will be implemented that will make this self-enforcing, but with a view also to achieving lower speeds of 20mph in the vicinity of the primary and nursery school. 

106. Additionally, the Parish Council, on behalf of the community, will seek to deliver a number of measures to reduce the impact of speeding. This community aspiration is set out below, note that this is not a planning policy but a community action. 

Community Action 1: Traffic management

The parish council will deliver a programme of measures, including speed watch, with a view to monitoring traffic speeds through the village, encouraging lower speeds, and providing information to the highway authority and police.

107. It is now widely recognised that restricting the off-road space to park vehicles at home does not restrict car ownership, but instead leads to indiscriminate on-street parking.

108. Given the high levels of car ownership, off-street parking will be important in new developments. The National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance now discourage the use of maximum parking standards unless clearly justified. The County Council’s 2007 Parking Standards for Norfolk are therefore now out-of-date as guidance as they refer to maximum standards. In light of the relatively high car ownership levels in the Parish, the modest public transport provision, and limited availability of local services and facilities, the use of minimum parking standards, where possible and reasonable, in this Neighbourhood Plan is fully justified. The Neighbourhood Plan therefore supports the use of the county council’s standards, but as a minimum rather than a maximum. This was supported by the community during consultation. 

As a starting point, new development will be expected to have regard to the most recent parking standards adopted by Norfolk County Council. The standards for car parking will be treated as a minimum number to be provided rather than a maximum. However, each site must be considered on its own merits bearing in mind its location, access to services and existing highway and parking problems. The level of provision should be such that indiscriminate parking and the obstruction of footways and carriageways is avoided and this must be determined on a site by site basis, subject to the above. 

The standards may be relaxed if:

a. Strict adherence is incompatible with the local character; or

b. The type of housing being proposed (such as terraced) makes it physically impossible.

In these circumstances, formalised on-street provision nearby may be acceptable depending on the location. Additionally, in recognition that on-street parking could still occur even where standards are being met, streets should be designed to safely accommodate modest unallocated on-street parking, such as for visitors. 

109. These car parking standards were strongly supported, by 83% of respondents to a consultation on issues and options for the Neighbourhood Plan. However, it is recognised that meeting these standards may not always be possible or desirable. Flexibility can therefore be shown to take into account the circumstances.

110. In development of the Neighbourhood Plan, parking issues around the school were identified as a key concern by residents. Although this is not a planning issue, there would be widespread support for proposals to address parking issues at the school. Additionally, Policy TR1 will be stringently applied around the school, in recognition of existing parking issues. 

111. Walking and cycling improves both physical and mental well-being and health. It also reduces the need to use the car which has environmental benefits.

112. A feature of the village is the patchy provision of footways, or indeed footways that are narrow or poorly maintained. 90% of people felt that there should be a policy encouraging new development to link with existing footways and enhance the current network, and so improving the walking experience. However, the absence of footways is a key part of the character in places such as Back Lane or in the Conservation Area.

113. Developments will be expected to take all reasonable and appropriate opportunities to provide for safe and convenient pedestrians and cycle access. This could include providing new or enhanced facilities as well as improving the physical condition of existing facilities.

New developments will be expected to encourage and enhance sustainable travel choices to village services and facilities, especially the school, and to the bus stops.

To promote safe and convenient walking within the parish, new developments in or adjacent to the development limit will be expected to improve and/or extend footpaths and footways where this is compatible with the prevailing character of the immediate area. Footways must be sufficiently wide so as to provide safe, convenient and equitable access. 

Shared footway/cycleway should be provided where this is necessary, appropriate and viable. 

New development will also be expected to contribute to improved bus waiting facilities where this is reasonably related to the development.

The allocated residential development in the gap between the two halves of the village will be expected to provide improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure as set out in Policies SSA01 and SSA02.

114. The National Planning Policy Framework and the Local Plans support the promotion of sustainable transport and highway safety. 

115. To promote sustainable access, applications within or next to the development limits should, where reasonable to do so, be able to demonstrate that the site is accessible by walking and that future occupiers will be able to walk to most of the local services and facilities and to a bus stop. This might require the provision of entirely new footways, or the improvement, such as the widening, of existing ones. The footways width should ideally be sufficient for two parents pushing a child’s buggy to walk side by side. 

116. It may not always be appropriate to provide new or widened footways in the parts of the village that host narrow and quiet rural lanes, such as in the Conservation Area. Fortunately, traffic tends to be going slower on these rural lanes within the village due to the narrowness, and so the roads are effectively operating as shared spaces. There have been no obvious road safety issues.

117. To deliver and support the growth plans outlined within this section the following new and improved infrastructure will be required.

118. The planned phased development along the A149 aims to connect the two halves of the village. Currently, walking on the footway adjacent to the main road is unpleasant, dominated as it is by the road and the traffic, which is often travelling in excess of the 40mph speed limit. Indeed, the feeling is one of walking besides a busy road rather than walking in a rural village. Advice from the Highway Authority, Norfolk County Council is that to justify a reduction in the speed limit, development will need to be on both sides of the A149. The phased development will have good access to the highway, and vehicle access should be onto the A149 which will also help to slow traffic. There will be good sustainable access to community facilities and services such as the primary school, village hall, and the church, and this will be aided by improved infrastructure such as footways.

119. The allocated sites are currently in agricultural use, owned by Norfolk County Council as part of their County Farms Estate. They are all identified as Grade 1 agricultural land, which means they have some of the best and most fertile soils according to the agricultural land classification scale. The fact that development will remove high quality land from farming use is a negative, however, all available land in Rollesby is of this grade, and further growth taking this land is anticipated regardless of the Neighbourhood Plan whilst Great Yarmouth does not have a 5-Year housing land supply. 

120. To the south of the allocations the landform gently rises, limiting long views, at least at the eastern end of the gap. Towards the western end of the gap, views to the south open up, offering views of the church. North of the main road, the land slopes down gently, affording long views across the fields towards Back Lane and beyond towards the church at Martham, and this therefore has a more open feel. Key views will need to be retained into the open countryside behind the proposed developments. The fields, being in agricultural use, have few natural features such as trees, although some have mature hedgerow boundaries to the front adjacent the road. The developments should not extend too far into the landscape, but rather they should wrap around the main road, where the landscape character is already adversely affected by the road. The phased development will not extend Rollesby’s built-up pattern further into open countryside. Instead they fill a gap between the two parts of the village.

121. The large consultancy AECOM were commissioned independently to assess a range of potential sites for allocation. This included sites that came forward as part of the Great Yarmouth Call for Sites and others identified through development of the Neighbourhood Plan with local landowners. Some of the sites were identified in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and assessed in the GYBC Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal, whilst others are new to the process. A number of these were excluded from the appraisal at an early stage because they had already received planning permission. The purpose of AECOM’s site appraisal was to produce a clear assessment as to whether the identified sites are appropriate for allocation in RNP, in particular whether they comply with the National Planning Policy Framework and other strategic policies in the adopted development plan. The full report is available as part of the evidence base for this Neighbourhood Plan and seeks to ensure that the Basic Conditions are met, as well as any potential legal challenges by developers and other interested parties.

122. Further to this, each potential site was assessed against 22 Sustainability Objectives as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment and an assessment of alternatives. This assessment is reported in the Environmental Report which accompanies this Neighbourhood Plan. 

123. All of the sites are in reasonably close proximity to the Broads and associated nature conservation designations. The impact of the Neighbourhood Plan and its allocations on the Broads and other European Sites is considered in the accompanying Habitats Regulations Assessment. An important mitigating measure against increased recreational pressure on these sites is the inclusion of greenspace that is proportionate to the scale of the development. This will minimise predicted increases in recreational pressure by containing the majority of recreation within and around the developed site. Green infrastructure design should seek to achieve the Natural England Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards, detailed in Nature Nearby. 

124. The three phases comprise the following sites, as set out in Figure 13.

A detailed masterplan, informed by engagement with the community, will be prepared and submitted as part of any full or outline planning application. The masterplan will need to include all three phases of residential development, including the reserve site, as defined in Figure 12.  

The masterplan will need to include:

a. Evidence that the development allocations will not result in the loss of habitat that is functionally linked to the Broadland Special Protection Area (SPA) / Ramsar, to meet the requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (amended). This will require non-breeding bird surveys between October and march to determine if the allocation itself or adjacent land constitute a significant area of supporting habitat. If the site is found to be functionally linked to the SPA/Ramsar, mitigation and/or avoidance measures will be required, and the planning application will need to be supported by a bespoke Habitats Regulations Assessment to ensure that the development does not result in adverse effects on integrity. 

b. The retention of views into the wider countryside both sides of the A149 so as to ensure an on-going rural character;

c. The retention of accesses to farms;

d. Development at a density of no more than 25 dwellings per ha, unless a higher density would enable delivery of affordable housing;

e. Multiple vehicle access points from the A149;

f. Housing that is clearly visible from the road and part of the streetscene;

g. Open greenspace provision of 1.42ha including a 0.96ha extension to the recreation ground, and a connecting footpath for pedestrians through or alongside all the development north of the A149 to allow access to the recreation ground extension;

h. A comprehensive landscape strategy informed by appropriate evidence including, but not limited to ecological assessments, arboricultural assessment and landscape and visual appraisals as necessary will be required. The landscape strategy will demonstrate how natural features will be retained where reasonable and incorporated alongside new natural and landscaping features into the layout of the development to achieve the 10% net gain in biodiversity. New streets should be tree-lined unless there are clear, justifiable and compelling reasons why this would be inappropriate and opportunities taken to incorporate new trees elsewhere in the developments. Existing trees should be retained wherever possible. Appropriate measures must be put in place to secure the long-term maintenance of newly-planted trees. The landscape strategy will also need to consider the impact on the setting of the Broads informed by relevant assessment work;

i. An overall foul and surface water drainage strategy, incorporating sustainable drainage principles; 

j. An appropriate housing mix across the allocations as a whole, comprising of approximately fifty percent smaller one or two bedroomed homes, and fifty percent larger three or four bedroomed homes; 

k. Identification of the location of affordable housing;

l. A delivery strategy that will set out how the scheme will provide opportunities for small to medium sized local builders/developers; and

m. A statement detailing how it addresses the requirements of the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Core Strategy Policy CS16: Safeguarding (or any successor policy) regarding site investigation, assessment and potential for prior mineral extraction, to the satisfaction of the Mineral Planning Authority.

The masterplan will need to be developed in consultation with the local community and agreed by the Borough Council. 

125. The Habitats Regulations Assessment which accompanies this Neighbourhood Plan recommends that a more detailed ornithological evidence base is established for East Norfolk by undertaking bespoke bird surveys. To assess potential for visual and noise disturbance in functionally linked habitat, such surveys should be extended to cover land that lies adjacent to the allocated sites. It is noted that such bird surveys typically lie within the remit of the Local Planning Authority. However, in this instance bespoke surveys for the site allocations (and land beyond) in the Neighbourhood Plan area are recommended, because the allocations are additional to growth allocated within Great Yarmouth Local Plan Part 2. 

126. To minimise the effect of visual and noise disturbance on functionally linked habitat, the Habitats Regulations Assessment recommended that any construction work within 200m of the Broads Special Protection Area / Ramsar site supporting habitats is undertaken during late spring, summer and early autumn (April – September) when few qualifying birds will be present in the SPA/Ramsar. This particularly applies to construction processes associated with high noise levels (eg impact piling). If construction cannot be timed to avoid the winter and passage periods then an impact assessment will need to be undertaken to confirm that noise levels will remain below 70dB at the bird, and that there will be no visual disturbance. Mitigation may be required to achieve this, including the provision of screens, selection of less noisy equipment or techniques, damping and noise shielding of equipment or avoidance of lighting in sensitive locations. 

127. It is intended that the community greenspace identified in Figure 12 will be gifted to the Parish Council, the design of which should achieve the Natural England Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards, detailed in Nature Nearby. As a minimum this should include:

• High quality, informal, semi-natural areas;

• Circular dog walking routes of 2.7km2 within the site and/or links to surrounding Public Rights of Way;

• Dedicated ‘dogs-off-lead’ areas;

• Signage / information leaflets to householders to promote these areas for recreation; and 

• Dog waste bins.

These measures will need to be secured through a Section 106 Agreement. Agricultural access will need to be maintained across the greenspace. 

128. Requirement (h) in Policy SSA01 aligns with emerging national requirements on biodiversity net gain. In the absence of national legislation and guidance on measurement of biodiversity net gain, the calculation tool available from Defra should be used. This considers the on and off-site baseline and post development habitat, including habitat creation or enhancement. This enables losses and gains in biodiversity to be measured in an objective and repeatable manner. The 10% requirement set out in this Neighbourhood Plan will be in place unless a higher standard is required by the Environment Bill. 

129. In relation to requirement (m) of Policy SSA01, the site allocations are partially underlain by a safeguarded mineral resource (sand and gravel). Therefore, future development will need to address the requirements of the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy to ensure conformity with the Development Plan for Norfolk and the National Planning Policy Framework. 

Phase 1 of the residential development will comprise of sites RNP01a (0.28ha), RNP01b (0.46ha), RNP01c (0.58ha) and RNP01d (0.86ha), as defined in Figure 12. This phase of around 40 dwellings will aim to be started by the end of 2022. 

Phase 1 will be delivered in accordance with the masterplan and requirements set out in Policy SSA01. The following will also need to be incorporated into any planning permission:

a. Proposed improvements to the children’s play facilities on the recreation ground;

b. Detailed information on provision of community green space situated between RNP01a and RNP01b; 

c. A heritage assessment to ensure specific impacts on the Conservation Area are determined to inform development; and

d. A project level Habitats Regulations Assessment. 

Phase 1 will need to deliver the following transport management measures and infrastructure:

e. Measures to help reduce vehicle speeds through the village and delivery of village gateway improvements and school part-time 20mph signs;

f. A continuous footway along the frontage of the site on the southern side of A149, linking with existing provision and providing appropriate crossing facilities;

g. Improvements to the existing footway on the northern side of A149, between the site to key local services e.g the primary school;

h. Improvements where necessary to adjacent Public Rights of Way; and

i. Improved bus waiting facilities.

130. In relation to point (f) in in Policy SSA02 the Highway Authority has supported a reduction in the speed limit to 30mph throughout the village. Subject to appropriate process, including consultation, it is expected that this will be delivered.  

Phase 2 of the residential development will comprise of site RNP02 (1.32ha), as defined at Figure 12. This phase of at least 25 dwellings will not start until Phase 1 is at least substantially completed or alternatively the end of 2025, whichever is the later. 

Phase 2 will be delivered in accordance with the masterplan and requirements set out in Policy SSA01. The following will also need to be incorporated into any planning permission:

a. Detail of the extension to the recreation ground, 0.96ha; and

b. A project level Habitats Regulation Assessment. 

Phase 3 of the residential development will comprise of site RNP03 (1.29ha), as defined in Figure 12. This phase of 25 dwellings should be started by the end of 2032. 

Phase 3 will be delivered in accordance with the masterplan and requirements set out in Policy SSA01. The following will also need to be incorporated into any planning permission:

a. Detail of new a Public Right of Way that provides connectivity from the existing footpath alongside Park View, along the back of Phases 2 and 3 of development to the recreation ground;

b. Detail of additional community green space on land adjacent Phases 2 and 3 of development; and

c. A project level Habitats Regulations Assessment. 

A review of the Neighbourhood Plan, to be completed by 2029, will consider ongoing housing need in Rollesby and proposals for Phase 3 of delivery, as detailed in Policy PR1. 

131. The Neighbourhood Plan is very progressive in allocating land for housing development. The community consultations identified that although this is supported, it should go hand in hand with improvements to infrastructure and community facilities. A key social infrastructure deficit is a shop, and this was prioritised during the feedback.

A site of 0.75 hectares off the A149 to the east of the school site and adjacent to an existing retail business, as defined in Figure 14, is allocated for small-scale mixed-use development for retail (use class A1 and A2), offices (B1), and up to five dwellings. Residential development will be conditional on the delivery of non-residential uses.

Development of the site must:

a. Create a new access off the A149 that allows for vehicles to turn on-site;

b. Provide adequate parking on-site that is fitting with the nature of development to ensure that visitor parking is not displaced onto the A149 or surrounding residential streets;

c. Deliver at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity on-site;

d. A detailed landscape strategy which demonstrates how the development is integrated into the landscape through the design of the buildings and use of landscaping. This should include a new tree and hedgerow screening using native species on the field boundary to ensure that key views from Back Lane are protected (see Figure 6); 

e. A detailed foul and surface water drainage strategy incorporating sustainable drainage principles; and

f. A project level Habitats Regulations Assessment.

A review of the Neighbourhood Plan, to be completed by 2029, will consider the level of interest in this site for mixed use development, and may re-allocate accordingly. This requirement is detailed in Policy PR1. 

132. This small site is located off the A149 to the east of the primary school and adjacent to an existing business – currently the hairdressers. The land is owned by Norfolk County Council as part of their County Farms estate. It has previously been put forward as part of a larger site by the Council’s agent NPS Property Consultants for inclusion in the Great Yarmouth Local Plan as an allocation for housing development, and the Borough Council has suggested that at least part of this site could be allocated for residential development if the emerging Local Plan were to take on the role of allocating sites. The Borough Council has removed this allocation from the emerging Local Plan to support the Parish Council in preparing its own allocations. 

133. The current Great Yarmouth Borough Council Local Plan runs to 2030 whilst that for the Broads Area runs to 2036. Whilst the Neighbourhood Plan runs to 2035, a planned review will be undertaken by 2029 to evaluate any significant changes in Rollesby, including delivery of the Masterplan for growth and ongoing housing need within the community. 

A review of Rollesby Neighbourhood Plan will be undertaken by 2029. This will evaluate significant changes within the community and on-going housing need, including delivery of the Masterplan for growth and prevailing housing need requirements.