Description
The site is 4.49 hectares in size and is currently occupied by ATB Laurence Scott as a manufacturing operation on both the Gothic Works and Engine Test Bed sites.
This site is adjacent to the railway line to the east and borders the River Wensum on the south. It is in an accessible and sustainable location being close to public transport routes, the railway station, and the strategic cycle route network.
This part of the city has traditionally been a manufacturing area, but is increasingly being developed for housing and mixed uses. The site is surrounded by residential development with a mixture of terraced houses and more recent high density housing including conversions of former industrial buildings. It is close to other proposed major mixed use developments including the Deal Ground (policy R9), the Utilities site (R10) and the land adjoining the football ground at Kerrison Road (CC16).
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 current owner of the land and buildings has been operating on this site for over 100 years. As the premises are in an increasingly residential area to which access for heavy goods vehicles is becoming less manageable, current occupiers ATB Laurence Scott may wish to relocate to new or modern premises in the Norwich area. Redevelopment of the site will be subject to successful prior relocation of ATB Laurence Scott.
Whilst ATB Laurence Scott is still operating on this site, proposals for associated extensions and alterations to their premises will be acceptable in principle. However if the company relocates, proposals for the site must accord with this allocation policy.
Although this proposal will reduce the extent of currently-occupied employment land, opportunities remain for smaller-scale light industry to use existing infrastructure. The allocation of the site for housing-led mixed use development offers an opportunity to contribute to the regeneration of east Norwich through a high quality mixed use development scheme which will enhance this key gateway to the city. The surrounding area is increasingly being developed for residential and mixed uses and it is appropriate that the site should reflect this whilst ensuring continued provision for some light industrial uses. Its redevelopment will help resolve existing conflicts between its industrial operations and adjoining residential uses. Redevelopment also offers the potential to encourage an element of recreational and leisure use of the river.
Development must address the site’s constraints which include access, possible contamination, location in flood risk zones 2 and 3, its location adjacent to the river and railway including noise generation from the railway, the need to retain historical features, and the site’s river gateway location.
The current buildings on this site form part of Norwich’s historical industrial quarter and contain a rich industrial heritage. Most of the factory buildings are coming towards their end of life span and have low architectural and conservation value; however some of the buildings, whilst not listed, are of some architectural and local historic value. The site is also immediately adjacent to a group of grade II listed railway cottages to the north on Cozens Road and Hardy Road. The setting of these buildings will therefore need to be considered and enhanced in the design of any new scheme.
This site is critical, in access terms, to unlocking the regeneration of the wider area, specifically the Utilities site (R10), and Deal Ground (R9), 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 of this site is conditional on the delivery of key elements of the Kerrison Road site allocation (CC16) in particular the provision of a public transport interchange and access, production of a public transport strategy, and provision of vehicular access from the adjacent site (CC16).
The site at present has only one vehicular access via the junction of Carrow Road and Kerrison Road. The scale of future development is constrained by the limited capacity of this junction and significant access improvements will be required to enable future development of this site. This will require suitably upgraded vehicular access from the west of the site to be integrated with the accessing and servicing arrangements for the adjoining development site at Kerrison Road (CC16). The development will also require reservation of sufficient land within the scheme to enable access for vehicles in the event of an emergency and for servicing, to be achieved from Hardy Road under the railway line to serve the Utilities site (R10).
Noise from the factory operations opposite, south of the river (at Carrow Works), and from the railway to the east (and especially the bridge) should be accounted for by both a proposal’s layout and informed mitigation in the design specification.
This site lies adjacent to the River Wensum. A written consent from the Environment Agency is required for proposed works or structures, 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.
The majority of the site is located in Flood Zone 2 whilst small part of the site is in Flood Zone 3a. The site is over 1 hectare in size. A flood risk assessment will be required and development should not take place without appropriate mitigation measures.
Development needs to ensure that the water environment is protected. 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.
An archaeological evaluation through trial trenching will be required, due to the site’s proximity to the river and to the nationally important Palaeolithic deposits uncovered at Carrow Road.
The site has a potential to deliver in the region of 400 dwellings; some minor elements of non-residential uses might also be appropriate, such as small scale food and drink units, river related leisure, and small employment uses such as live-work units. A high standard of design will be particularly important given its gateway location. The site should be designed to provide access to the river and a new pedestrian and cycle route beside the River Wensum to facilitate extension of the pedestrian and cycle network along the river corridor to the east. It should also provide for enhancement of the river frontage and retain those parts of the site that are of heritage interest. Design of development should also respect the setting of the listed cottages to the north of the site.
There is a known shortage of open space and play provision in the east of the city and proposals should be made with demonstrable regard to an up-to-date open space and needs assessment for the area.
Deliverability
The site is within a single ownership. It is suitable for development and, subject to the successful relocation of the business, is available for development within the plan period.
POLICY R11: Kerrison Road/Hardy Road, Gothic Works – housing led mixed use development
The Kerrison Road/Hardy Road Gothic Works site is allocated for housing led mixed use development, potentially including provision of small-scale employment and river-related leisure uses.
The development of this site is conditional on the resolution of access issues, including access to public transport, on the adjacent football club / Kerrison Road site (CC16), and significant improvements to the Kerrison Road / Carrow Road junction.
Access will be taken from the west of the site, and will be integrated with the accessing and servicing arrangements for the adjoining development site at Kerrison Road (CC16). The development will also require reservation of sufficient land within the scheme to enable access for vehicles in the event of an emergency and for servicing, to be achieved from Hardy Road to the Utilities site (R10).
The development must:
- be designed to provide accessibility to public transport;
- be designed for limited car ownership;
- provide public access to the river and a riverside walk/cycle link, connecting to the riverside link from the Deal Ground development;
- enhance the river frontage as a gateway to Norwich city centre being designed within an integrated high quality landscaped strategy;
- retain and convert those buildings considered to be of heritage interest, or if this is demonstrated to be impractical or unviable, provide for their recording and inclusion on the Historic Environment Record;
- respect and enhance the setting of listed buildings, including proposing a scale of development at the north of the site appropriate to the residential character of the area; and
- provide on-site open space and play space facilities.
A noise assessment is required and the development must be designed to mitigate the impact of noise from the railway.
The development should provide in the region of 400 dwellings, with appropriate provision of family housing.
