Description
The site is located to the east of city centre and is 3.24 hectares in size. It straddles the city centre boundary with most of the western part of the site within the defined city centre area. The majority of the land is currently used as surface car parking.
Norwich City Football Club’s Carrow Road stadium is immediately to the west of the site, and the southern part of the site is adjacent to the River Wensum, with factory and food processing at Carrow Works opposite. To the north and east is ATB Laurence Scott’s buildings at both the Gothic Works site and the engine test bed building. Further north is a residential area with mainly two-storey Victorian terraced houses. The main point of access to the site is from the north-west corner at the junction of Carrow Road and Kerrison Road.
This part of the city has traditionally been a manufacturing area; however it is increasingly being developed for housing and a mix of uses. This site is close to other proposed major mixed use developments: Gothic Works site at Hardy road (the R11), the Utilities site (R10) and the Deal Ground (policy R9), and potentially future expansion of the stadium.
Explanatory text
The JCS identifies east Norwich (the city centre to the Deal Ground/ Utilities sites) for major physical regeneration providing opportunities for mixed use development and enhanced green linkages from the city centre to the Broads.
The development of this site for a mix of uses will deliver high density housing and contribute to the regeneration of the wider east Norwich area, making efficient use of its highly accessible location close to public transport routes, the railway station, and the strategic cycle route network. Its current use for surface car parking is an inefficient use of the site.
Development must address the site’s constraints which include flood risk, possible contamination, noise issues relating to industrial uses close to the site, access and location of a small part of the site being within Trowse railhead consultation area.
The majority of the site is in Flood Zone 2 whilst a small portion on the western side is in Flood Zone 3. Development therefore needs to take account of flood risk and provide appropriate mitigation measures.
Other constraints of the site also include its location adjacent to the River Wensum, possible contamination and access capacity. The south of the site along the river, and the south eastern corner is vulnerable to noise from the railway and especially its bridge, and the operations of the factory opposite (Carrow Works), therefore appropriate mitigation measures are required to mitigate the noise impact on the proposed development.
The site should be housing-led but could also include other ancillary uses including small-scale office and retail units to serve local needs only; any non-residential uses will be expected to provide minimal and operational parking needs only.
The future development of this site is critical to unlocking the regeneration of the wider area, specifically the Kerrison Road / Gothic Works site (R11), Utilities site (R10), and Deal Ground (R9), all of which are constrained in terms of access. Development of all these sites requires a comprehensive approach to be taken to access, particularly in terms of public transport links and pedestrian and cycle links.
The development must provide access for public transport and an associated interchange on site, and include a public transport strategy for the wider east Norwich area. This will enable the proposed development sites referred to above to link with the railway station / riverside area and the city centre. It will include an upgraded adopted route to the west of the site for public transport access. General vehicular access will be via Kerrison Road only, and access will be provided through to the adjacent Gothic Works site (R11).
Given the site’s highly accessible location and the intention to provide new public transport links it is considered suitable to include car-free housing. In any event car parking levels should be kept low.
The development must also provide for access to the river, and provision of riverside walk along its river frontage, as part of the proposed strategic cycle and pedestrian link from the city centre to Whitlingham Broad.
The development must be designed to minimise the impact of noise generation, light and odour pollution from adjacent industrial uses on new residential occupiers.
A small part of the site is within the Bracondale Conservation Area and there are also several listed factory buildings adjacent to the south of the river. The impact of development on the conservation area and river frontage must be carefully considered. The site is also adjacent to important Palaeolithic deposits which will require archaeological evaluation.
Consideration should also be given to the safe and successful continued functioning of the football club, creating a high quality design overall. The site’s development should only be proposed within the context of a wholesale comprehensive master planned approach, with landscape and function at the site being integral to the site’s operations.
Much of the site has a long planning history for its redevelopment, and some parts are covered by existing planning permissions. It is likely to be developed in phases. The northern portion of the site directly adjacent to the engine test bed on the Gothic Works site (part of proposed allocation R12) should ideally be developed comprehensively with the test bed site to achieve a properly integrated scheme.
This site lies adjacent to the River Wensum. A written consent from the Environment Agency is required for proposed works or structure, in, under, over or within 9 metres of the top of the bank of a designated ‘main river’. It is recommended that developers engage in early discussions with the Environment Agency.
Since the site is over 1 hectare, a flood risk assessment is required and appropriate mitigation measures should be provided as part of the development.
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 majority of the site has planning permission, providing for a total of 474 dwellings.
The site is in multiple ownerships and is actively being promoted for development. It is suitable and available for development within the plan period.
POLICY CC16: Land adjoining Norwich City Football Club, Kerrison Road
Land adjoining Norwich City Football Club is allocated for mixed use development to include residential, leisure, community, office and ancillary small retail uses.
Private vehicular access will be taken from the north of the site, off Kerrison Road, and the site’s development will provide for access to the adjoining development site at Gothic Works (R12) and will facilitate the provision of a new public transport route through the site and across to Wherry Road to the west with appropriate bus priority measures.
The development must:
- provide a public transport interchange on site and a public transport strategy for the wider east Norwich area;
- provide public access to the river and a riverside walk/cycle link, connecting to the riverside link from the Deal Ground development through to the city centre;
- enhance the river frontage as a gateway to Norwich city centre;
- facilitate a masterplan-led design approach for the whole site’s comprehensive redevelopment;
- be designed to mitigate the impact of noise generation, light and odour pollution from adjacent industrial uses and the railway; and
- landscaping should be integral, showing enhancements to the setting of the stadium and its operations and promoting the use and connections to the river.
The development should provide in the region of 400 dwellings.
