Description
This site of 2.6 hectares currently forms part of the Norwich Community Hospital. Some of the buildings on the site are in use for hospital purposes and some are redundant.
The site is on the north side of Bowthorpe Road, opposite the Julian Hospital and Earlham Cemetery. To the north, the site borders the Woodlands Park and housing. To the west, there is an estate which consists of flats, houses and garage courts. The remaining hospital uses are to the east of the site.
This site has an existing access road from Bowthorpe Road which is separate from the main hospital access. However, this is immediately adjacent to an existing bus stop and close to attractive mature trees in this part of the site.
Explanatory text
The northern and western parts of the hospital site were allocated for housing development in the Replacement local plan (adopted 2004), with the remainder of the site to continue in hospital use. Since then NHS Norfolk has revised its operational plan for Norwich Community Hospital, developing a stroke unit on the main hospital site so that a smaller area in the west of the site is now available for development. This redundant part of the site presents an opportunity for housing development and an enhancement of access to the Woodlands Park.
Development of the site should address its constraints which include on site telecommunications equipment, trees, demolition, and potential subsidence issues. The site is over 1 hectare in size and therefore a flood risk assessment will be required for this site and appropriate mitigation measures should be provided as part of the development. A contamination assessment and appropriate mitigation are also required.
The Woodlands Park and Earlham Cemetery are County Wildlife Sites. The development should therefore be designed to improve links between the habitats and also to provide new pedestrian and cycle access to the Woodlands Park, to link to Bowthorpe Road and Dereham Road and cycle routes in the Wensum valley. A cycle/pedestrian route to Godric Place will be required and an assessment of access arrangements and impacts on the bus stop should be undertaken to minimise impacts on Bowthorpe Road. On site play facilities and open space are required as part of any redevelopment.
Since this is a large strategic site, a masterplan should be prepared to inform pre applications discussions.
Deliverability
This site was previously allocated in the Replacement local plan with a different boundary. The new boundary was submitted by NHS in line with their current operational plan. The site is suitable and available for development within the plan period.
POLICY R37: Part of Norwich Community Hospital, Bowthorpe Road – housing development
The site of 2.6 hectares is allocated for housing development. In the region of 80 dwellings will be provided on this site.
Development will:
- provide pedestrian and cycle links between Bowthorpe Road and Dereham Road via the Woodlands Park to the north of the site and to Godric Place;
- be designed to promote biodiversity links between neighbouring green spaces;
- include on-site play and open space provision;
- provide safe access to Bowthorpe Road;
- assess and retain trees where possible;
- take account of existing on-site telecommunications equipment.
A masterplan should be prepared by the developer.
