Description
Most of this large 3.48 hectare site is backland, adjoining the rear gardens of housing. Part of the site fronts Aylsham Road, between retail units and a Bingo Hall.
It is currently occupied by a range of industrial units, a former motor showroom and vehicle repair uses, with parts of the site vacant.
Explanatory text
Redevelopment presents the opportunity to regenerate the Aylsham Road area. It will strengthen the Aylsham Road district centre by providing additional retailing to meet everyday needs at an appropriate scale for a district centre on the Aylsham Road frontage of the site, up to a maximum size of 2,500 square metres (gross). In order to ensure that the new retail facilities support the role of the city centre as the main location for comparison goods retailing, a maximum of 300 square metres net of retail floorspace will be used for comparison goods sales.
As a highly accessible location on a bus rapid transit corridor, housing development, subject to site constraints, should be of medium to high density.
A comprehensive development brief for the site as a whole, including public consultation, should be produced by the developer of this site to inform future development proposals.
The development should be designed to minimise noise for residents from the Aylsham Road and from a retail development within the site. Design of the development should also protect the setting of the listed buildings (St Catherine’s Church (grade II*) and Hall (grade II)) opposite on Aylsham Road and the Mile Cross conservation area. The design should also take account of trees with preservation orders at 295-297 Aylsham Road and other landscape features within the site worthy of retention.
Vehicular access could be from the west or north side of the site and in overall site layout and design should rationalise the number of access points onto Aylsham Road and assess capacity from Arminghall Close to reduce impacts on highway safety within these areas. Pedestrian and cycle routes through the site should also be reviewed and existing links enhanced. Site layout of development should also have regard to potential wider development opportunities.
Development should also take into account possible site contamination.
Since the site is over 1ha a flood risk assessment is required and appropriate mitigation measures shall be provided as part of the development. As the site also lies within a Critical Drainage Catchment as identified on the Policies map, a surface water management assessment should be included in the flood risk assessment. Development proposals involving new buildings, extensions and additional areas of hard surfacing should ensure that adequate and appropriate consideration has been given to mitigating surface water flooding in accordance with policy DM5.
Deliverability
Allocation of the site is supported by the owner and it is suitable and available for development within the plan period. The southern part of the site allocated through this plan, 297 Aylsham Road (1.29 hectares), has previously had benefit of outline planning permission for 88 dwellings and 744 square metres of offices and a more recent full permission for a food store of approx. 2000sqm net.
POLICY R21: Land at Aylsham Road – mixed use development
The site of 3.48 hectares is allocated for mixed use redevelopment.
Development will:
- include retail provision on the street frontage, up to a maximum of 2,500 square metres (gross), with a maximum of 300 square metres (net) for comparison goods sales and appropriate parking provision;
- include housing development (in the region of 100 dwellings) in the north of the site;
- minimise impacts on setting of heritage assets;
- protect trees within the site and provide landscaping and site linkages;
- be designed to mitigate noise impact from the main road. A noise assessment will be required.
A development brief, taking account of the need to ensure adequate access and servicing arrangements, will be required for the site.
A flood risk assessment including a surface water management assessment should be submitted with any application proposing development in accordance with this allocation. The assessment should show how the proposed development:
a) would not increase the vulnerability of the site, or the wider catchment, to flooding from surface water run-off from existing or predicted water flows; and
b) would, wherever practicable, have a positive impact on the risk of surface water flooding in the wider area.
