West Winch Growth Area – plans to deliver, places to make

Outline planning approval for the 1,110-home Hopkins Homes application at West Winch was granted last Friday (16 May). Combined with recent news that the Government has approved the Outline Business Case put forward to fund the Housing Access Road around the growth area, the foundations for progress have now been put in place.

Cllr Jim Moriarty, the Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, said:

“Plans for the West Winch Growth Area have been more than a decade in the making and getting these important milestones under our belts will allow us to make progress towards the next stage of delivering what it promises.

“As well as the new homes, this project includes major new road infrastructure and options for sustainable travel. It will incorporate community and health amenities, education and play facilities, and open space.

“It will also bring wider benefits by facilitating economic growth that will benefit future generations. Construction activities alone will create a range of jobs for at least 20 years.

“There is a national shortage of homes and whatever people’s views about the reasons for that, the need is there. Successive governments have been clear about requiring local authorities to deliver more housing and we are doing just that.

“By taking control and developing a considered Local Plan, with the West Winch Growth Area as the cornerstone of our housing and economic growth ambitions, we will be able to fulfil this requirement in a way that brings material benefits to the people of West Norfolk and beyond.

“Because this is about more than delivering houses and infrastructure. This is about place-making and social value. What we will create is not just new housing estates, we will create new neighbourhoods. We will create strong links with existing neighbourhoods in West Winch and North Runcton, and all will benefit from new amenities, facilities and jobs.

“Our corporate strategy promised to promote growth and prosperity to benefit this area and that is exactly what we are delivering.”

Cllr Graham Plant, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure at Norfolk County Council, said:

“A great deal of hard work and collaboration has gone into achieving these important milestones. It’s great to see the progress that’s been made in the last few weeks and there are now fewer hurdles left to clear before work can start on site.

“Our West Winch Housing Access Road and associated upgrades to the nearby A47 and Hardwick junction will not only ensure the local road network will be in good shape to handle the additional journeys that come with housing growth but, importantly, there are benefits to existing local residents too. These include reducing traffic through the village of West Winch and improved road safety and walking and cycling conditions.”

Next steps

There is still work to be done before construction gets underway.

The planning permission that has been granted is ‘outline’ permission for the first 1,110 homes, which is approval in principle for the overall plans submitted.

Further permission is required before work can actually begin, with the submission needed of either a ‘full’ or ‘detailed’ planning application, or the ‘reserved matters’ linked to this permission. Such a future permission will cover details such as how roads and paths in the development will be laid out, the style of the homes or what landscaping will be incorporated.

It is likely to be several months at least before any application for detailed permission is submitted and it is also likely to come forward in many phases with the provision of infrastructure linked to each phase.

Similarly, the government has agreed the ‘outline’ business case for the new Housing Access Road, which means that it will release some of the funds to support further detailed project development work. It still needs to agree the ‘full’ business case before construction can begin, which can only be done once planning approval and other statutory processes have been completed.