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Anglian Water Services                                                      Mr A M Cawdron Dipl Arch RIBA Growth and Planning Services                                                         Dinard, 8 The Boulevard Thorpe Wood House                                                                        Thorpe End GardenVillage, Thorpe Wood,                                                                                  Norwich, Norfolk, NR13  5BL Peterborough PE3 6WT                                        Telephone 01603435919        
23rd June 2016
Dear Sirs,
Severe Surface Water Flooding at Thorpe End Garden Village, Plumstead.

Several Residents have contacted the Parish about the sudden rise in actual flooding to properties and increased flooding risk taking place in the recent heavy rainfall periods. The Properties most affected in the Village are at the ‘bottom’ of Woodland Drive or Lawn Crescent.
We have contacted with and met NCC Highways Maintenance Department, as the source of the flooding appeared to be the Plumstead Road ‘dip’ running through the centre of the Village which collects huge amounts of water from North and South areas and then discharges it down through the older village section via The Boulevard road. The surface water collection provisions for the 600 metre section of the Plumstead Road appear inadequate. However, those provisions which exist are known and have been improved in capacity and maintenance last year. Equally. the older Village invested heavily in improved surface water drainage capacity to the private roads network.
Noticeably, significant quantities of water also appear to arrive at Plumstead Road via Broadland Drive from the ‘newer’ Bovis Estates. What is not known, is what provision was made for the collection of the surface water from these newer properties, driveways and garages. It may be that it is this volume of water, which is now overwhelming the older existing soakaway provisions and drainage systems.
We are therefore encouraging residents to report problems and also trying to establish the drainage provisions made for surface water drainage for the Thorpe End village, the more so as further housing and roads development is planned for the surrounding area. Thorpe End has a foul water pumping station provision which also simply gets overwhelmed in heavy rainfall conditions. It can certainly not receive any more foul water from additional dwellings.
The questions therefore are: are there detailed maps of the existing Village and what are the proposals intended for any additional new dwellings adjoining the village from the Salhouse Road and Brooke and Laurel Farm developments?
If the drainage records exist, may we have sight or copy of them, so that we can further understand what is going wrong in the Village and what may be done to improve the situation. We have lived here for 28 years and have not seen before either the problems, the frequency of events or existing provisions being overwhelmed in the manner they have been recently.
We should appreciate your assistance on this matter.
Yours faithfully,

................................................................................................................................



Mr  A. M. Cawdron. Parish Ward Councillor Plumstead
Cc Anglian Water Customer Services PO Box 10642 Harlow CM20 9HA

Zoom Meeting  Wednesday  8
th July 2020  @ 10.00 am Subject  ----  Foul Drainage discharges from New Developments and their Impact on    existing Drainage in Thorpe End in particular Salhouse Road to Plumstead    Road Planning  Applications 20190485, 20200447 and 20201062 ( Reserved matter  Foul Drainage) Participants Luke Crump           ----                Anglian Water  -----   Growth Liason Manager Hannah Wilson     ----                 Anglain Water  -----  Planning Liason Manager Richard Lyon          ----                Senior Engineer
Shaun Vincent       -----               Leader Broadland District Council Thorpe End Residents and members of TEGVRA Julian Shelley          -----               Chairman TEGVRA Unadopted Roads Committee Andrew Cawdron   -----              Also  Parish Councillor Gt and Lt Plumsteads Eliot Barker              -----               Resident adjacent to the Woodland Drive Pumping Station Kevin Piper               -----               Resident in Lawn Crescent
After Introductions Richard Lyon gave a slide presentation which is attached below and a brief history for the foul drainage strategy :- AW had produced in 2015 a detailed document of upgrade proposals for the area mainly as a guide to costs for developers rather than as a “final” proposal as may have been assumed. The North area of the Salhouse  Road/Plumstead Road development (20200447) now discharges to Salhouse Road and to the  Hammond Way PS (Pumping Station) AW still have capacity issues from the Hammond Way and South Hill Roads PS’s to address on the downstream side 251 of the Halsbury development (20190485) houses foul drainage will now go via a new pumping station and gravity line back to the Woodland Drive (PS),  later in the meeting it was confirmed that of the total Halsbury application for 365 houses the other 114 houses will be diverted north to discharge via Salhouse Road Richard  Lyon briefly outlined the capacity issues for the rising main which needs flows between 0.75 to 1. 8lts sec to operate most efficiently , currently it operates around 1.2lts a sec and therefore was considered to have enough capacity for the increased flow. Although AW normal pumping station retention storage capacity is for 4 hours in the Halsbury case AW are asking for 8 hours to allow for attenuation in the system. AW would check whether the Thorpe End PS’s met the normal  criteria  as they were doubtful and likewise the service records will be further checked. The current operation of both the Bovis and Woodland Drive PS’s will be studied by AW as it appears that they have overruns for longer than would be expected. AW have done some tests but these may not be correct given how the PS’s perform. AW have noted the resident’s concerns and that there is a clear risk for the Woodland Drive PS Richard Lyons then ran through the various proposals that could be used to upgrade the system, it was anticipated that their use  may be considered over the next five years dependent on the rate of house building currently planned at around 50 per year or as  needed. These were :-
Direct connection to Woodland Drive PS and the addition of control between this and the new Halsbury PS to allow cut out in the event of pump failure or flooding occurrences being imminent Connect a new  rising main from the New Halsbury PS direct to the existing rising main in Plumstead Road Take the existing rising main from Woodland Drive PS to the new Halsbury PS and then from this back to rejoin the existing rising main to South Hill Road PS Further to c) take the rising main from the Bovis PS direct to the new Halsbury PS bypassing Woodland Dive PS. (Note it may also be possible to connect the Bovis rising main to the new PS as per application 20200447)
Hannah Wilson then noted that what was happening at the Thorpe End PS’s was not normal and that Surface water ingress needs to be looked at. Eliot Barker then gave  a more detailed  report on the effect of flooding and how frequent it was from storm water and foul sewerage and that it had been going on for many years. He highlighted how storm water from Plumstead Road / Broadland Drive flowed down the Boulevard into Lawn Crescent and Woodland Drive and converged across the back of the houses to eventually exit onto the fields at the rear of their houses and often combined with problems at the pump station adding raw sewerage to the flooded areas. It was noted that NRV’s (Non Return Valves) have been fitted but are not always reliable. It was noted that in October 2019 Highways had installed a large number of surface water drain boxes at Thorpe End Green (Post Meeting Note -  500no = 100 cu m) A discussion then took place regarding surface water ingress and impact on the PS’s. Hannah  Wilson outlined the constraints that they worked to and the recent changes for Section 98 and that their powers to limit surface water discharges from properties were limited and the coordination issues they faced on pulling all information together. She  welcomed any information that TEGVRA could provide such as  Videos , records and photos. These are available and TEGVRA will forward.        Mr Cawdron expressed concern that AWA remained apparently unaware that real problems existed at Thorpe End, (it was perhaps apparent that expressions of concern via the Planners were not being translated to AWA), given the repeated visits of AW Engineers to incidents. (Attached is a letter written to AWA 23 06 2016 about flooding concerns from Parish Council). I also do not want to give overemphasis to the surface water flooding from the highways as the Parish Council have worked with Norfolk Highways and TEGVRA to place further improvements over the past four years. The problems of the pumping stations stem from surcharged piped systems, indicating that drainage water ( Foul  and Surface)from the housing areas to the North side of the Plumstead Road are overloading the network, either via groundwater or via the modifications made to existing driveways, add on extensions, conservatories, etc. The land drainage soakaway capacity is also very variable within the area and for example, despite extensive geological investigation, the NDR dual carriageway soakaways did not function as planned and remained permanent lagoons. This failure of SUDS systems had been repeatedly pointed out to the District Council with a plea that surcharge surface water design be incorporated into designs around the new housing proposals. A surcharge surface water system was required for the area. The Parish Council is supportive of the view that adding additional properties onto a failing system is a wrong approach with public health and environmental dangers. (Little Plumstead Lake pollution fines for example).
(one is also dismayed to learn that there appears to be no larger scale strategic investment in the Growth Triangle 33,000 dwelling and employment land expansion  and that in our local area AWA are just adding pumping stations piecemeal to developments. The absence of a major gravity flow sewer means that a loss of power incident places all residents into a public health and environmental damage situation. This is not precautionary principle plan)


Kevin Piper advised the meeting of his experiences and views from the 23 years he had lived in Lawn Crescent and suffered sewerage flooding which is restated as follows :-

“Kevin  Piper thanked all parties for taking the time to get together to discuss the background to this long standing 'chronic' problem i.e. regular flooding (for our part, in Lawn Crescent) along with unpleasant discharges of foul water (sewage) from drains and manholes seeping into our front and rear gardens. While not having any engineering expertise, experience suggested an evident problem with the pumping station in Woodland Drive; that's to say it's never appeared to be robust enough for the job, given our experiences during the 23 years we've lived here.
Some years ago Anglian Water installed a Non Return Value at our property  with  the aim of preventing further discharges of foul water. However, the NRV failed recently on the 22nd of June 2020, causing another outpouring of waste into our gardens. 
AW personnel attended in order to clean up (once again). While they were on site, the issue of future development was raised; I made the point there were plans to add further load to the pumping station in Woodland Drive. Being aware of the historic problems, the foreman expressed surprise this would be the case. I got the impression he agreed (with my/our view) that it already struggled to cope.
I draw attention to the fact Richard Lyon had repeatedly referred to the need to... 'understand what the problem is with the Woodland Drive pumping station....' I found this both alarming and frustrating, given our experiences of the past 23 years. Surely, someone, somewhere, within AW would have considered doing that very thing over the past two decades and more? Evidently not.
This, we learned, appeared to be because of a palpable lack of communication between departments at AW i.e. the 'Growth' and 'Operations' departments, respectively.   Hence, I suggested this might explain why remedial work on the site over the years has evidently been nothing more than an ongoing 'quick fix.'
If I understand the AW Slide  presentation correctly, there appear to be various options for dealing with increased drainage requirements arising from impending new developments in the area, including a solution which avoids Woodland Drive.
It's certainly my contention Woodland Drive should not come into the equation - even more so now, having heard what Richard Lyon and his colleagues had to say. “


Shaun Vincent confirmed that the Application 20201062 for the Reserved Matter – Foul Drainage had been called in for determination. Luke Crump advised that he expected it would take 4 months before the condition would be discharged
FOLLOWING ALL THE DISCUSSIONS KEVIN PIPER SUGGESTED THAT A SITE VISIT TO THORPE END BY AWA WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL TO SEE FIRST HAND HOW THE AREA IS AFFECTED

IT WAS AGREED A DATE TOWARDS THE END OF JULY 2020 WILL BE ARRANGED

Post Meeting Note – Site visit took place Thursday 20th August 2020

       Notes by Julian N Shelley

Great and Little Plumstead Parish Council
Thorpe End Garden Village Residents Association   



Comments to Broadland District re AAP Site GT7 – Land to South of Salhouse Road Planning Application No 20190485-(centre and south) reserved matters and 20190758 Salhouse Road South Phase 1 – (west) reserved matters.


These applications remain a continuation of the piecemeal development proposals for Growth Triangle Site GT7.
It remains the position of PARISH and TEGVRA that sites GT7 (South of Salhouse Road) and GT8 (North of Plumstead Road) should be planned as a single entity to ensure the overall Infrastructure is planned and coordinated.


Firstly, the proposed link road section shown in this planning application does not accord in design or in alignment with the previous planning outline consent application 20160498 recently determined. (7th March 2019).
PARISH and TEGVRA have little confidence, justified by historical precedent, that the proposals will deliver coherent key infrastructure provision. It is evident that (if approved), this development can continue for several years without the Orbital Link Road being constructed and the objectives of Policy GT3  being met. (GT8 providing the link to Plumstead Road has not yet come forward).


It should be of concern that the primary distribution road from Application 20190758 is not matched at its ‘masterplan’ connection with the Orbital link road. Halsbury from the adjoining developer have reduced this to a footpath. This means that 251 dwellings have no direct connection to the inner Orbital and will have to exit onto Salhouse Road to rejoin it.


We should point out that there is no coherent, safe, pedestrian, disabled cycleway proposed across the development(s) and particularly no information on origin and destination planning desire lines, e.g. a safe route to the City. It is all very well providing a footpath/cycleway by the orbital road, but this does not yet lead anywhere, e.g. Broadland Business Parks. We consider these desire lines should be established and temporary provision made as a minimum.


All community provision and the urban neighbourhood village promised within the documentation for GT7 20160498 has now disappeared from these proposals. There is no mention of a new local centre or the school site. External Sports and playing provision is also missing and Public open space could well be reduced to Green Infrastructure walks or paddling in the SUDS drainage areas.


The application proposals effectively coalesce Thorpe End into the development by proposing two storey housing to the perimeter of Thorpe End This coalescence is contrary to the Joint Core Strategy, Broadland Area Action Plan and Policy 1 of the adopted Plumstead Neighbourhood Plan.


The proposals do offer a perimeter walk but this is not shown integrated into the existing Woodland Walk to the perimeter of Thorpe End (Neighbourhood Plan Aspirational Policy 5). We would wish to see this initial link as part of the proposals.


The proposals should clarify how the future maintenance of the landscaped areas is to be funded and undertaken. Plumstead Parish and BDC have experienced the disadvantages of Development Bankruptcy and the impact upon the community. This should be specifically addressed as required under Policy 6 of the Plumstead Neighbourhood Plan.


There should also be clarity about the extent envisaged for road adoption and the maintenance needs of cul de sac or communal paved areas. Any residual pathway lighting should also be identified to avoid the maintenance costs of this becoming an issue.


PARISH and TEGVRA note that further investigations have meant that the Surface Water Attenuation Lagoons for 20190485 are no longer proposed and that drainage is to be contained to below ground cellular infiltration areas.
Application 20190758 to the West of the site however, has maintained SUDS infiltration lagoons. For the entire development of GT7 and GT8 we have recommended that there are surcharge overflow provisions made, (as for Brooke and Laurel Farm), as Surface Water drainage is problematic in the area. (Flooding remains an issue along the Plumstead Road at times of heavy rain despite large cellular holding areas recently being provided). The NDR infiltration lagoons in the Parish do not empty.


PARISH and TEGVRA also note the intent for Foul Water drainage to be connected to the Pumping station at Green Lanes, although it is suspected that the existing pumping station at that position is already at capacity.


The most important point in terms of infrastructure is that this routing is also capable of taking (or capable of being reinforced for) the foul water flows from the 800 dwellings and development of Outline Consent 2016 0498. The drainage from this development is still being mooted as discharging via the existing Thorpe End Village drainage systems which would need major reconstructive engineering works throughout the public and private roads of the village.


This suburb is three miles from the City Centre and will have links to a part inner orbital and the NNDR. Multiple Car ownership will remain a reality. Salhouse Road is not yet served by Public Transport. An incomplete inner Orbital will also not be served by Public Transport. One pathway potentially links to Thorpe End, but when? Car use will inevitably become ingrained and the suburban transport model will not shift unless a real effort is made by the Authorities to put Public Transport in place for this new development.


Policy 4 of the Plumstead Neighbourhood Plan requires quantification of the expected traffic movements generated and the potential impact assessed and mitigated. Although a transport plan is included in the proposals it does not quantify anticipated traffic generation or any mitigation. With the two schemes 617 dwellings will load up the existing road network, primarily Salhouse Road while waiting for the orbital to be built, loading an inferior arterial road with an  additional 2500 vehicle trips per day.


If approved, the current proposals lead to a single, traffic light controlled access point onto the Salhouse Road, (proposed as a Bus Rapid Transport Route, but presently without a service running along it). Rush hour tail backs will be almost inevitable, an issue particularly for the Salhouse Road site entry. This will now also be an issue for 20190758 with 251 dwellings trying to exit and enter onto the Salhouse Road (without traffic lights)


Policy 2 of the Plumstead Neighbourhood Plan should be studied. There is no indication of retirement or ‘sheltered’ housing proposed within the development and no indication of self build opportunities being encouraged.
There is a very small provision of wheelchair accessible housing at a level which does not accord with any demographic.


There still does not appear to be any setting of performance proposals for the dwellings themselves. Discussion of the energy performance, carbon standards. materials and water usage seem avoided, when these standards are such an important factor in sustainable design. There have to be commitments made to standards and quality as part of the Planning Process and Climate Change energy /carbon commitments made within the NPPF and Government commitments under the Paris Agreement.


Finally, the provision of the complete infrastructure for traffic management, schools access, medical facilities, policing, local facilities and power, water, telecoms and drainage becomes critical. Without masterplanned networks by the utility companies in place, the area will be subject to continuous piecemeal disruption over many years. Mitigation measures and Construction Environment Management Plans will be essential to reduce the impact upon the adjoining populations of Sprowston, Rackheath and Thorpe End.


We consider that these ‘stand alone’ residential applications (without any other communal facilities) should make some acknowledgement of GT7 policies and offer some discussion of how these needs might be catered for in an interim period that will last many, many years (600 dwellings at 50 a year is a twelve year programme). Safe access (even if temporary) to Thorpe St Andrew Academy and other Primary schools might be an example of what should be addressed.


08 06 2019
​.......................................................................................................


Thorpe End Garden Village Residents Association
Further Objections by TEGVRA to Application 2017: Land to South of Salhouse Road
FOA Mr Ben Burgess
At the meeting of TEGVRA on 17 January 2018 it was agreed that I write to you as Chair of the Unadopted Roads Committee of TEGVRA and on behalf of TEGVRA, to set out our objections to the proposals to route all foul drainage generated by the 1645 dwellings and 0.5ha of other uses to be constructed on the 56ha Salhouse Road Housing Allocation (GT7), through the existing foul sewerage network passing underneath the adopted and unadopted residential roads in Thorpe End, to the north and south of Plumstead Road. These proposals, contained in the addendum report to Anglian Water’s Pre-Planning Assessment Report, located deep within Appendix B of the applicant’s Flood Risk Assessment, are a wholly unacceptable drainage solution resulting from the inability of the GT7 landowners to agree a comprehensive drainage solution for their development proposal of the whole site.
TEGVRA request that our objections to the scheme’s foul drainage proposals are set out in full to the Planning Committee when reconsidering the deferred application and that a comprehensive solution to the drainage of the GT7 allocation, which requires the sewers to be laid beneath the Link Road with a direct connection to the sewers in Plumstead Road. In addition as TEGVRA have consistently stated, the residential roads within the whole of the GT7 allocation should all connect to The Link Road, which should be constructed to the boundary of the GT7 and GT8 allocations, before any permission is granted.
The unadopted roads of The Boulevard, Woodland Drive, Lawn Crescent and South Walk, within Thorpe End Garden Village are all privately owned and maintained by the 73 residents living on the unadopted roads. Residents own to the centre line of the section of road adjoining their property. The existing foul pumping station serving the village is located beneath the turning circle at the end of Woodland Drive. The land forming the turning circle is also owned by the adjoining individual residential properties.
The unadopted roads have no sub-base and are a tarmac/rolled gravel surface, they have been regularly maintained to a high standard by the Roads Committee on behalf of residents since first being surfaced in the 1950’s, with the foul sewers and pumping station constructed in the late 1960’s when properties were connected to mains drainage. The roads are not constructed to an adoptable standard. The unadopted roads committee recently organized the latest resurfacing of the roads and upgrading of the surface water drainage arrangements in April/May 2015 at a total cost of £45,666 to residents. The private roads are a key element of the character of the Garden Village and should not be dug up to provide the foul drainage for the GT7 allocation.
All the foul sewers from development to the north and south of Plumstead Road drain by gravity to the low point at the turning circle at the eastern end of Woodland Drive where the existing pumping station is located. This pumping Station is at capacity and in periods of heavy rainfall regularly causes sewage to back up into manholes in residents’ gardens and into toilets within the properties. Anglian Water has fitted many non-return valves to toilets in the adjacent dwellings to prevent foul sewage
entering into people’s dwellings. The result is that people are unable to use their bathrooms or put foul drainage into the system until AW has pumped out the pumping station. The pumps also regularly fail requiring regular attendance by AW engineers.
This situation is wholly unacceptable and as stated by AW there is no capacity for any more dwellings from the development to connect to the existing system.
Anglian Water has confirmed in the pre development report that the existing system is not able to cater for any additional development and that direct connection to the public foul sewer is likely to have a detrimental effect on the existing sewage network.
The proposals, set out by Create Consulting, are to connect the foul drainage from the whole of the GT7 56ha development to the existing Thorpe End Bovis Pumping Station which would be upgraded from the existing 4l/s to 28l/s, the Bovis ‘wet well’ adjacent to Padgate would be upsized from 11m3 to 183m3 capacity, an 8 –fold upgrading/upsizing of the existing sewers on Broadland Drive, The Boulevard and Woodland Drive and the more than 7-fold increase in the size/capacity of the Woodland Drive Pumping Station, are wholly unacceptable.
The scale of works proposed would cause significant and detrimental damage to the Conservation Area; the residential and privately owned and maintained roads in the village; the trees and grass verges. The Developers, their Agents or Anglian Water have made no contact regarding these proposals with the Residents Association or private owners of the roads in respect of their proposals, nor sought to obtain any permission from/serve notice on the residents as landowners.
Specifically the proposals would result in the unadopted roads being dug up and existing 150mm ( 6 inch ) sewers being replaced by up to 1200mm ( 4 foot ) diameter sewers and a more than 7-fold increase in the pumping station capacity from 13m3 to 94m3 as detailed below.
Extract from Create Consulting FRA Appendix B setting out the details of the Foul Drainage Works proposed
  • Upgrade the existing THORPE END-BOVIS SITE pumping station from 4l/s to
    28l/s. This may also require relocation of the pumping station within the proposed development site.

  • Upsize the existing wet well from a volume of 11m3 to 182m3.
  • Upsize 310m length of 100mm diameter rising main to 175mm to achieve a velocity of
    approximately 1.2m/s.
  • Upsize 530m length of 150mm diameter sewer to 225mm along Broadland
  • Drive and The Boulevard.
  • Upsize 100m length of 150mm diameter sewer to 600mm along The Boulevard.
  • Upsize 83m length of 150mm diameter sewer to 600mm along Woodland Drive.
  • Provide two parallel sewers of 1200mm diameter sewer for a length of 75m each (total
    length = 150m) replacing the single existing 150mm sewer along Woodland Drive.
  • Upsize 50m length of 150mm diameter sewer to 1200mm along Woodland
  • Drive.
  • Upsize the existing wet well at THORPE END-WOOD D DR pumping station from a volume of
    13m3 to 94m3.
    The GTAAP required that the GT7 allocation be masterplanned to allow for comprehensive solutions to the development of the allocation. This has not happened in respect of either of the 2 planning applications for the GT7 allocation.
    The proposals for the foul drainage to connect into the existing system will result in residents of Thorpe End bearing the unacceptable and detrimental consequences of the landowners’ inability to agree comprehensive development solutions for the whole site. This is in addition to the applicant’s proposals, which seek to avoid construction of the link road to the boundary of the GT7/GT8 allocation to allow for the construction of this entire section of the Link Road, the reduction in the landscape separation belt as set out in the Neighbourhood Plan, to avoid coalescence between the development allocations and Thorpe End and reductions in the amount of affordable housing to be provided.
    The Council and Planning Committee members are requested to refuse this application and not to agree to the development proposals on the site until such time as comprehensive highway and drainage solutions are negotiated between all GT7 landowners, which provide the Link Road and avoid the digging up of roads for the construction of sewers through Thorpe End village to serve this development.
    Kind regards,
    Julian Shelley
    Chair of Unadopted Roads Committee TEGVRA and Ray Walpole Chair of TEGVRA

    CC to
    Phil Courtier - Director of Planning and Development Mr J Mellor - Barton Willmore
    Cllr S Vincent
    Rob Morris – Senior Engineer Anglian Water
    Cllr I Mackie
    GP and LP PC 



Thorpe End Garden Village Residents Association (TEGVRA)

Mr. Philip Courtier and Mr. B Burgess, Director of Planning,
Broadland District Council,
Thorpe Lodge,

1 Yarmouth Road, Norwich,
NR7 0DU

Date: 12 April 2017
Dear Mr. Courtier and Mr. Burgess,
Planning Application Number 20170421 - To Vary Conditions of Permission 20090886: Brook and Laurel Farms : Green Lane : Thorpe St Andrew
TEGVRA wholeheartedly support the objections to this proposal, which have been made by the Great and Little Plumstead PC. We find ourselves yet again having to write to you to object to proposals, which avoid constructing the Link Road between Plumstead Road and The Broadland Business Park until even more development has been allowed.
It is yet another example of the exploitation of the planning system by Lothbury Property Trust and their desire to maximise the development on their land whilst delivering the minimum amount of infrastructure and community facilities to service the development and alleviate the resulting impacts on the local community.

This proposal pushes the construction of the Link Road into the very, very long grass, it will allow for the construction of virtually the entire residential and commercial development before the vital railway crossing bridge at Middle Road is constructed. The Variation of Conditions to remove the requirement to construct the Link Road/deliver community facilities before any occupation of any part of the development and allow for this to instead be phased, will further increase the profound impacts already experienced by residents of Thorpe End Garden Village from the ever-increasing volumes of traffic using Green Lane North and Plumstead Road and rat-running through the village’s private unadopted roads to avoid existing traffic jams. This application for the Variation of the Condition to allow for relaxation of the Planning Condition to allow for the phased construction of the Link Road is therefore strongly objected to by TEGVRA on behalf of residents of the village.
The construction of the ‘Link Road’ between Plumstead road and the Broadland Business Park was heralded as the vital piece of infrastructure and the justification for the allocation of the agricultural land for Commercial Development, avoiding traffic impacts on Thorpe End Garden Village when the Business Park was first promoted for development in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s.
Unbeknown to local residents at that time, Lothbury successfully argued that the construction of the entire Link Road between the Business Park and Plumstead Road placed an excessive burden on the Business Park and the District Council deleted this as a S106 requirement, with a limitation on the amount of floorspace which could be constructed instead becoming a Policy of the then adopted Local Plan.
Development of the Business Park proceeded to the floorspace maximum, traffic volumes massively increased along Green Land North and Plumstead Road.

The village now experiences regular traffic jams at morning and evening peak periods and high volumes at all time of the day from as early as 5am through to late evening.

Lothbury then again successfully argued that they needed additional development to pay for the construction of the Link Road, at first 400 dwellings were proposed, then this rose to 600 dwellings and additional commercial development. The floorspace limitation, which had been a Local Plan policy, was deleted from the Growth Triangle AAP. The requirement to construct the ‘Link Road’ becoming instead a condition of the Planning Permission that it should be constructed in its entirety, before occupation of any of the dwellings or commercial units. The ‘Link Road’ has also been deleted from the CIL 123 List of essential infrastructure and the planning conditions on permission 20090886 therefore represent the only mechanism left for the delivery of the Link Road in its entirety.

Lothbury is now again reneging on the commitment which was given to the local community almost 30 years ago to construct this vital piece of infrastructure in its entirety, by applying to Vary the Planning Conditions, and seeking to Phase the development by building 463 dwellings and most of the commercial floorspace before the completion of the ‘Link Road with the final part of the Link Road - the vital Railway Bridge crossing on Middle Road - not being constructed until final Phase of the development.
The application submissions seem to be wholly reliant upon the construction of the NDR alleviating traffic volumes on Green Lane North, if local experience is of any relevance traffic volumes are already increasing in the Parish as traffic seeks alternative routes to avoid the Postwick Hub due to traffic congestion.
​
  • How will the Postwick Hub junction perform when the NDR is actually open, traffic will undoubtedly increase on Plumstead Road and Green Lane North;
  • No traffic data has been submitted in the application to support the claims that traffic volumes will reduce – at the very least detailed traffic assessments should be submitted of traffic movements when the NDR is actually open;
  • Are the residents of Thorpe End expected to be grateful that this application proposes a TRO will be sought to close Green Lane North to its junction with Plumstead Road after the completion of 263 dwellings rather than before any development is occupied;
  • The existing Middle Road Railway Bridge will remain open as will the section of Green Lane passing underneath the existing Railway Bridge, this will be exceptionally dangerous;
  • Green Lane North and Middle Road will have to accommodate vastly increased volumes of traffic for many, many more years to come if this application is allowed.
  • Will a safe cycle and pedestrian route ever be delivered as proposed in the GTAAP?
  • Will rat-running ever cease?
    It is particularly worrying to local residents if the wording in the supporting application submissions are correct and that the agreement to this amended phasing arrangement for the construction of the Link Road has already been reached with Liz Poole of NCC highways.
    It would appear to be a ‘Fait Accompli’ that the Link Road will not be constructed for many more years and that Lothbury will be able to build out virtually the entire residential and commercial development before (if ever) constructing the entirety of the ‘Link Road’, delivering safe pedestrian and cycle route, community facilities. Will this application proposal be another example of the views of residents of Thorpe End Garden Village again being ignored?
    The Growth Triangle AAP policies, which seek to Master Plan the delivery of infrastructure to support the large-scale growth, which is to take place in the area, are being ridiculed.


If this proposal is allowed by the District Council it will set a clear, strong, precedent to other Developers that they will also be able to apply and obtain permission for relaxation of infrastructure and community facility elements of their planning permissions.
The Brook Farm/ Laurel Farm development, we believe was granted planning permission, before the Community Infrastructure Levy was introduced by the Council and the local community most affected by these proposals will therefore not receive any financial benefit to mitigate impacts from the development, most of the site is in any event is located within the Parish of Thorpe St Andrew yet the impacts most affect the Parish of Great and Little Plumstead and the village of Thorpe End.
The District Council has already spent large sums of Public money to acquire the GT8 allocation on the North side of Plumstead Road to ensure the delivery of the entirety of the ‘Link Road’. It would be a complete waste of Public Funds and an undermining of the objectives of the Core Strategy and Growth Triangle AAP policies if these proposals, by Lothbury Property Trust, to remove the planning requirement to construct the Link Road before the occupation of any dwelling or commercial unit are allowed.
TEGVRA would urge the District Council to stand firm, resist this proposal and refuse permission for the Variation of the existing planning conditions to Phase the delivery of the ‘Link Road, it should remain a requirement that after almost 30 years the Link Road is delivered in its entirety before any development on the Brook Farm/Laurel Farm development, or other allocations which are the subject of allocation in the GTAAP, is occupied. Not doing so would subject the local community to many, many more years of negative impacts from ever increasing volumes of traffic and raise the very real prospect that the Link Road will never be constructed as the most difficult and costly elements – the railway bridge at Middle Road, rail halt and community facilities – are the last elements proposed to be delivered.
Yours sincerely Paul Elsey Secretary TEGVRA
CC – Cllr S Vincent Cllr I Mackie
Gt and Little Plumstead PC 





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Thorpe End Village. NEWS.
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The parish council asked TEGVRA to decide where they would like a bench in Thorpe End, so we decided on Broadmead Green, and all agreed to dedicate this to the late Roger Brown for all is hard work as a parish councillor. Here are all his family enjoying the bench June 2015












Your Village is connected to a Pumping Station for your sewage, see advice below on use.
Advice on Do’s and Dont's for Pumping Stations
Generally speaking all common household cleaning fluids are acceptable, provided they are used in accordance with the makers instructions and stipulated concentrations. The following Do’s and Don’ts includes most common household chemicals, but it is not an exhaustive list so the golden rule is ‘If in doubt – leave it out! 

Washing Machine and dishwasher detergents, washing up liquids: These in general are all ok. Problems are only likely to occur where there is a high laundry usage. 

Floor cleaners, disinfectants and bleaches: These are safe to use in accordance with the makers recommendations and in the minimum necessary concentration. Do not poor neat disinfectant or bleach down sinks or outside gullies. If these are smelly it normally can be dealt with by using the above products in their recommended dilutions. 

Nappy disinfectants and bottle sterilising fluids: when disposing of used fluids, ensure that it is well diluted with water. The easiest way of doing this is to flush it away down the toilet.

The following must not be discharged into the drains:

Nappies, sanitary towels, wet wipes, rags, soft toys, tennis balls etc.

Cooking oil and fat

Motor oil, grease, anti-freeze, brake fluid

Weed-killer, insecticides, fungicides and other gardening chemicals

Paint, Thinners, white spirit, turpentine and creosote

Medicines 

It may seem obvious, but it is amazing what gets flushed down the toilet. I trust this helps you all.


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Seppings Way Trees and bushes.
There is an area of land owned by Bovis at this time, The parish council is in negotiations to take over the site and get the area tidied up, we will report on the progress as it happens 14/12/14.
​This Area has now been taken over by the Parish Council, with a lump sum from Bovis to carry on with the upkeep.

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See link below to planning application for Brook Farm and Laurel Farm. (Dec 14)
http://www.broadland.gov.uk/MVM/Online/dms/DocumentViewer.aspx?PK=679861&Search%20Application


Parish Council

Northern Distributor Road (NDR)

The planning inspectorate has appointed a panel of three experts- to include a traffic expert, with one planning member to attend open floor hearings. PINS  also looking to table additional Open floor hearings and possibly Issue Specific Hearings; Open floor hearings will now be held-Tuesday (1) 22nd July 10.00- 4.00pm Norwich Assembly House Theatre Street. (2) Tuesday 22nd July 6.30pm-9.00 pm Oakland’s Hotel 89 Yarmouth road Thorpe St Andrew. (3) Wednesday 23rd July 6.30 pm – 9.00 pm Bob Carter Center, School Road Drayton. Your Parish Council continues to oppose the NDR at the same time proposing the more modest inner orbital alternative.

JCS – Area Action Plan (AAP) – Growth Triangle (MOST IMPORTANT)

The Growth Triangle AAP Proposed Submission Draft has now been completed and will be coming out for consultation from 4 August to 19 September 2014. It outlines the delivery of c7, 000 dwellings to 2026.The draft AAP details the Policies and allocations for the Growth Triangle. The key Policies directly impacting our Parish are: -

Ø  GT1 – Form of Development, key element - mixed & walk able neighbourhoods

Ø  GT2 – Green Infrastructure, key element 7.13. Physical separation around Thorpe End Garden Village.

Ø  GT6    Brook Farm, 38HA, residential development, 600 dwellings.

Ø  GT7    Land South of Salhouse Road, 56HA of mixed use, including c1, 400 dwellings.

Ø  GT8    Land North of Plumstead Road, 2HA for residential development, c45 dwellings.

Ø  GT9    Broadland Business Park (North Site), 28HA expansion of Business Park.

Ø  GT10  Broadland Gate, 21.5HA expansion of Business Park

Ø  GT11  Land East of Broadland Business Park, 45HA of mixed use, including c850 dwellings.   

GT22   RESERVE SITE - Land East of Broadland Business Park (North Site), 20HA of mixed use. Please follow the link to download the PDF document. http://www.broadland.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/committees.aspx?id=22550

Your Parish Council considers this Draft submission to be an important document and would recommend we all make objective comments on its suitability. Your comments can shape the finale outcome.

Little Plumstead

Planning Application 20130906 - Land at Former Little Plumstead Hospital, Hospital Road, Great & Little Plumstead - Redevelopment Proposals

Subsequent to last month’s communication, the Traffic Survey on Water Lane has now commenced, data from this survey will be used to make the case for speed restriction along this stretch and support an additional road access to the proposed development.

Gt Plumstead Cllr Mills presented the new Gt Plumstead village sign to the Council for consideration. It was agreed subject to further quotes being obtained that we would go ahead with the purchase and installation at Gt Plumstead. Site to be agreed.

Thorpe End

The Following has been agreed with NCC Highways:-

1. Remarking of crossing and road signs. To be completed by end October.

2. Fill in ruts along Plumstead Road. To be completed by September.

3. Trim back over grown trees same area and along the trod. To be completed by September.

4. Raise sunken drains North side Plumstead road by the Green. To be completed by September.

5. Remove remaining ivy and shrub outside number 61.Agreed next Rangers schedule.

6. Investigate drainage improvements at the Broadland Drive Plumstead Road junction and opposite St David’s Church. Highways to evaluate and seek funding.

7. Action effective road and footway weed control across the North side Plumstead Road. Inspect and rectify loose brick weave and Granite kerbing. Date to be agreed.

8. To add inspection and cleaning of drainage interceptors Plumstead road maintenance program

9. Re establish pathway edging on Village Green South side Plumstead road and systemic spray weed and grass ingress on the path.

Thorpe End

Subject to funds being available your Parish Council will redecorate the vandalized ceiling in the Historic Jubilee Bus Shelter and undertake to repaint the Oak Structure.

Thorpe End. Bench Seat by the Bus Stop, South Side of Village Green.

Mr. Walpole reported the bench seat is now progressing and will be installed soon.

EcoCube

Broadland District Council’s training arm; the EcoCube, offers a wide range of courses for

for business and individuals at the new facility at Rackheath. For more information please call the EcoCube team on 01603 295021 or visit www.broadland.gov.uk/training

Health Advocacy in Norfolk

Are you unhappy about an NHS service you have received? If so you can contact us on 0300 4562370.this service is independent and confidential or visit www.pohwer.net

Lothbury Trust

Business Park, Brook farm, Laurel farm development.

Planning consent for the above has been granted for some time, your Parish council has written to Lothbury trust requesting information on the infrastructure and building timescales. (Reply waited)

Police report. PCSO 8487 Paul McAllister

No Police report this Month

 

Next Meeting Parish Council. Will be held 7 pm 8th September at St David’s Church Thorpe End.

Pease endeavour to attend your Parish Council meetings and get involved .Your participation will assist and shape the future of our Parish and the wider community.

Major issues include, Joint Core Strategy, (JCS) Norwich Area Transport System (Nats) Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) Please come along as these items could change the Plumstead’s forever. For details of all Parish Council news and Parish Councillor Details, please visit our web site.www. Greatandlittleplumsteadparishcouncil.co.uk/





17/07/14.  See below the BDC Area Action Plan proposed, this shows very interesting information for Thorpe End. follow link below
http://www.broadland.gov.uk/bdc_shared_content/bdc/committee_papers/140703_FULL_PSC(2).pdf



Coming soon for you to rest on, a simple bench at Thorpe End Bus stop on the green, paid for and organised by us.


Development on the edge and within our Parish.
We should all be aware of major developments that have Planning permission and those which are proposed on the edge and within our Parish. They include 3500 Beyond Green Sprowston.1200 White House Blue Boar lane.300 Pine banks Thorpe.1400 close to Heath Road Thorpe End through to Salhouse road.1400 adjacent Green lane South.600 at the top of Dussindale and the expansion of Broadland Business Park. Broadland Gate 47 Acre Development Peachman Way/Broadland Way. And of course the possible 4000 ECO Town at Rackheath. Within our Parish possible development at Rosebury road Gt Plumstead and 120 dwellings at little Plumstead hospital site.

Norwich Northern Distributor Road – how to take part in the examination

The Planning Inspectorate will hold an examination of the Norwich NDR application for up to six months this summer. An Examining Authority will be appointed to consider the proposal and examine the evidence. The Examining Authority will write a report to the Secretary of State for Transport, who will make the decision on the application in early 2015. The examination into this Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project will follow the rules of the Planning Act 2008; you can find out more about this process at http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/application-process/the-process/

Padgate Play equipment Vandalism. Its sad to have to report that the ropes to the Burmah Bridge swinging walkway have been cut with a knife, this is through the plastic coating to the steel rope center,  this is now starting to fray and will get worse as time goes on. The company that installed the equipment will replace the rope this time but will not in the future. Please keep a look out for any vandalism and report to the police.  Richard C. 03/11/13

Neighbourhood Plan.http://www.plumsteads.co.uk/
 Your Parish Council is leading on the production of your Neighbourhood Plan. We ask that as many people as possible get involved and share their thoughts about how you would like to see our Parish develop over the coming years. We are forming a Neighbourhood Planning Team to shape and develop the thoughts and views of our community. Do you want to be part of the team and have your say?  If you can spare at least an hour a month then please get in touch by emailing   mail@greatandlittleplumsteadparishcouncil.co.uk  Our Next Meeting is 10.am Saturday 14th December at Gt Plumstead Village Hall.. A great opportunity to find out more or just to see what is going on.



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