Description
The site is located in the north-west of the city. It is mainly a backland site of 0.58 hectares with a frontage to Drayton Road and a link to Junction Road. The majority of the site is in use as a second hand car dealership, with the north-east corner used as a workshop. The site also includes council owned garages off Junction Road. The site levels rise significantly to Drayton Road to the north.
The site is mainly surrounded by residential uses. There are three/four storey residential flats and houses to the rear of the site and two-storey terraced houses either side of it on Drayton Road and on Press Lane to the north. Opposite the site, there are vehicle sales premises and industrial and retail warehouse units.
Drayton Road is a busy radial road and bus rapid transit corridor with a mix of residential and commercial uses. The site is close to Wensum Park and the Wensum Valley and local services at Drayton Road district centre.
Explanatory text
This brownfield site is in a sustainable location in a mainly residential area with good access to public transport on the Drayton Road bus rapid transit route and is close to local services and employment opportunities.
The design of the development should reinstate the frontage to Drayton Road, whilst ensuring that noise for future residents is minimised. However, given the significant change in ground levels, building heights and massing should be designed to respect the amenity of neighbouring housing and to not create an overly dominant street frontage. Trees within and adjacent to the site should be taken account in the design of the scheme.
The preference for access to the site is from Junction Road. This would involve the removal of existing garages and the widening the existing access road. If this does not prove feasible, access could be gained directly from Drayton Road, though this would need to be carefully designed on this busy road with existing accesses opposite. In addition, a pedestrian crossing point will be required on Drayton Road. Pedestrian and cycle linkages through the site linking Drayton Road with Press Lane and Junction Road should be provided as part of the scheme.
Ground conditions and contamination assessments and appropriate mitigation measures will be required.
Deliverability
A slightly smaller site was allocated in the Replacement local plan for housing development of 25 dwellings. This larger site including council owned garages is promoted by its two landowners. The site is suitable and available for development.
POLICY R25: 81-93 Drayton Road (including the garage site off Junction Road) – housing development
The site is allocated for housing development, to provide in the region of 30 dwellings.
The development will:
- provide an additional pedestrian crossing point on Drayton Road and pedestrian and cycle linkages through the site linking Drayton Road with Press Lane and Junction Road;
- retain or replace trees on or near to the site;
- be designed to take account of the levels within and around the site and the consequent impact of development proposals on the character and appearance of the area and the living conditions of neighbouring residents; and
- be designed to minimise noise for future residents from traffic on Drayton Road. A noise assessment will be required.
