Description
The site is located on the eastern edge of the city centre and is 0.45 hectares in size. The northern part of the site is currently occupied by Bussey’s Garage and the southern part is currently used for staff parking by MoneyFacts Group.
The surrounding area is mixed use in character and is close to a range of facilities and the train station. The site itself is surrounded by a mix of uses. It borders Thorpe Road to the north, which includes a range of businesses, hotels and residential uses, and is part of the city’s cycle network. To the east and west are mainly residential uses and a former church, now converted to office use. An adjacent site on the south side of Lower Clarence Road, currently used for long stay surface car parking, is also proposed for future development under policy CC13.
Explanatory text
The redevelopment of this site presents an opportunity to improve this prominent site which is located on a major route into the city centre, and will contribute to meeting the housing target for Norwich set out in the JCS.
Development proposals must address the site’s constraints which include trees with preservation orders, the need for demolition of existing buildings, possible contamination, and potential noise generation.
The site is close to a number of conservation areas, including St Matthews and the Thorpe Ridge. It is important that the setting of the conservation areas and the characteristics of the other buildings in the vicinity are respected in the design of the development.
Development should create a new street frontage to Thorpe Road and Lower Clarence Road for this gateway site, and create a new pedestrian and cycle link between Thorpe Road and Lower Clarence Road. The scale of buildings on site should be in keeping with surrounding development at between 2 and 3 storeys.
Primary vehicular access should be from Lower Clarence Road rather than Thorpe Road. There is scope to reduce parking provision in recognition of the site’s particularly high accessibility and proximity to the rail station and the Thorpe Road public transport corridor.
Development needs to ensure that the water environment is protected throughout the development of the site. The site falls within Source Protection Zone 1, designated to protect water supplies, and therefore the water environment is particularly vulnerable in this location. Detailed discussions over this issue will be required with the Environment Agency to ensure that proposals are appropriate for the site and that the site is developed in a manner which protects the water environment.
Deliverability
The site is suitable for development, and is owned by two parties both of whom have indicated that the site will be available for development during the plan period.
POLICY CC14: Bussey’s Garage site, Thorpe Road and Lower Clarence Road – housing development
The site is allocated for housing development, for a minimum of 25 dwellings.
Design of the development should ensure that:
- the development is in keeping the scale of existing development in the area;
- frontages are created to Thorpe Road and Lower Clarence Road;
- the layout takes account of existing trees on site;
- vehicular access is taken from Lower Clarence Road; and
- a new pedestrian and cycle link is provided between Lower Clarence Road and Thorpe Road.
A noise assessment is required and the development must be designed to mitigate the impact of noise from the main road.
