Councillors Speak Out in Defence of Thorpe Woodlands

As mentioned in the previous post, both Councillors Nigel Shaw and Ian Mackie spoke out in defence of Thorpe Woodlands at the Broadland District Council meeting held on 22 March, prior to the Joint Core Strategy being voted in. Cllr Shaw voiced his strong support of the Friends of Thorpe Woodlands and was keen to draw attention to the fact that Thorpe Woodlands are identified as an area of Green Infrastructure on page 29 of the JCS documents. Cllr Mackie then made the following statement, ending in a question to Cllr Proctor (Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy & Conservation):

Chairman, the Growth Triangle obviously contains Thorpe St Andrew and my constituents are rightly interested to know what this may mean for them, in both the provision of community facilities, the impact it could have up to 2026 (15 years. […]

Para 65 – states that some quite large parts of the Joint Core Strategy are not developable because of existence of a range of constraints. Even in parts which have relatively few constraints it will be necessary to ensure that the issue of biodiversity enhancement is kept to the fore of the Area Action Plan. Map on page 205 – shows area of existing green infrastructure. Thorpe woods included as an orange area. Strategic open space and core biodiversity areas. Page 177 – policy for protecting environmental assets – to increase public access to the countryside Page 197 – re-establish the link to Mousehold heath – Policy 12.

With this in mind, I would like to know the answer to my question – what areas are considered not developable in Broadland?

I note that in para 3.6 the inspector notes with praise the cooperation between Anglian Water, env agency and Natural England, indeed the inspector states under 3.7 the growth triangle represents the soundest approach to accommodating the scale of growth in Broadland.

As you know the Racecourse, Belmore and Browns Plantation (Thorpe woods as they are collectively known) are within private hands, but are widely used and form a green lung and are home for an incredible depth of biodiversity. Therefore I welcome that under Infrastructure Framework Priority 1 – page 147/148 Appendix 2 of the report, which states the importance of surrounding countryside. As you may be aware a significant proportion of these woods formed a wedge which linked Mousehold to Thorpe End. Many will know of the name Dussindale that was one of Robert Kett’s battles, as his struggle moved to that area through the woods from Mousehold

Natural England were consulted on a scoping opinion for a proposal in this area in 2007, which was later refused by Broadland District Council, and its response to any future application would cover the same issues. They recognised that until the Joint Core Strategy is adopted all planning decisions should accord with the local sites policy in the Broadland District Local Plan, ENV7. Development which would significantly adversely affect the wildlife interests of areas of local nature conservation importance, including County Wildlife Sites and ancient woodlands identified by English Nature…will not be permitted.

The Joint Core Strategy also provides some protection for County Wildlife Sites in the wording of its Policy 1: Addressing climate change and protecting environmental assets:

In areas not protected through international or national designations, development will minimise fragmentation of habitats and seek to conserve and enhance existing environmental assets of acknowledged regional or local importance.

Just recently the Thorpe woods have come under review again by developers, therefore I am keen to secure the long term future of these woods even within the Growth triangle, whilst and during the gap between the BDLP, JCS and AAP, and beyond. We have seen how important the Country views areas of woodland, given the recent government actions regarding the Forestry Commission. I believe that the JCS provides some security for these woods, via the policy recommendations I have noted above, however I would like to place a minuted response to a question for Cllr Proctor:

Cllr Proctor rightly stated that as part of the JCS the Area Action Plan will also be required to allocate sites which will be retained as strategic green infrastructure, such as woodlands.

Question: Could he assure me that the existing Racecourse, Browns and Belmore Plantations will be included in the new Area Action Plan and retained as that strategic infrastructure?

Reply by Cllr Proctor: Area Action Plan will be considered by the new administration; however, if I form part of that administration I would need some convincing why they should not be included in the new Area Action Plan.

[NB. Following the meeting we were advised that taking into account the legal constraints on Councillor Proctor this statement should be seen as being strongly in favour of the preservation of Thorpe Woodlands.]

To view the minutes please click HERE

Thorpe Woods within the Joint Core Strategy

(Read on for article 'Thorpe woods within the Joint Core Strategy')

Many of you will have seen the announcement in the press last week that on the 22^nd March Broadland District Council voted to adopt the Joint Core Strategy, this will act as the basis for all housing development in the Broadland area for the next 15 years.

Thorpe Woodlands (which is a County Wildlife Site - CWS) fall within the JCS and are situated in a growth triangle that covers the area surrounding Thorpe St Andrews.
The Friends have been working hard to ensure that Thorpe Woodlands unique environmental and ecological benefits are recognised and protected under the JCS.
In the run up to the JCS vote we have been in contact with Natural England who are a statutory consultee in the planning process and are consulted on all Local Development Framework documents. In their latest letter, which was released on the day of the JCS vote, they drew attention to the fact that:
County Wildlife Sites form a vital element of green infrastructure provision for the city, and their value is specifically mentioned in the JCS, supporting Policy 1 - Climate change and protecting environmental assets: ‘Assets of local importance, such as County Wildlife Sites, are valuable in their own right and in combination provide a significant resource.’ (page 25). The policy itself contains a high level of protection for local sites, which requires all losses to be mitigated:

In areas not protected through international or national designations, development will:

· minimise fragmentation of habitats and seek to conserve and enhance

existing environmental assets of acknowledged regional or local importance.

Where harm is unavoidable, it will provide for appropriate mitigation or

replacement with the objective of achieving a long-term maintenance or

enhancement of the local biodiversity baseline.

It would appear from your website and petition that there is a strong case to be made for these County Wildlife Site woodlands to be recognised as of ‘local importance’, and therefore there is a duty enshrined in policy to ‘conserve and enhance’.
In addition to the above the Joint Core Strategy Document itself also sets out the area of green infrastructure for the Greater Norwich Area. Page 29 (see picture) maps all these areas, one of which is clearly Thorpe Woods.

Table 1 of the JCS sets out the priority one infrastructure requirements for the delivery of the JCS. The green infrastructure section of this table (see picture) has amongst its green priorities, the Retention and re-creation of Mousehold Heath to the surrounding countryside. This requirement is required to allow for the growth within the Old Catton, Sprowston, Rackheath and Thorpe St Andrew Growth Triangle. 

As can be seen from the aerial photograph Thorpe Woods forms part of what once was Mousehold Heath and therefore if this priority is to be implemented the woods should not only be conserved, they should be enhanced.

Finally, but most importantly at the Council Meeting held on the 22^nd our local councillors Ian Mackie and Nigel Shaw spoke out in support of the preservation of Thorpe Woodlands. Councillor Shaw drew the councils attention to the fact that Thorpe Woods are identified as an area of Green Infrastruture on page 29 of the JCS documents (see above) whilst Councillor Mackie pointed out that under the pre-existing Broadland District Local Plan, ENV7 it states: Development which would significantly adversely affect the wildlife interest of areas of local nature conservation importance, including County Wildlife Sites and ancient woodlands identified by English Nature …will not be permitted.Councillor Mackie also drew attention to the fact that on page 25 of the JCS under the heading of Policy 1: Addressing climate change and protecting environmental assets it sets out the level of protection that should be afforded to sites such as Thorpe Woods, he asked Councillor Proctor, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy & Conservation, that in light of this how would any development proposals for the woods be viewed, Councillor Proctor replied that he would "require a good deal of convincing" before he would consider any such proposal, following the meeting we were advised that taking into account the legal constraints on Councillor Proctor this statement should be seen as being strongly in favour of the preservation of Thorpe Woodlands.

Your support together with the support of our local councillors has been vital to the campaign to save and preserve these wonderful and unique woodlands.

In the coming months the council will be drawing up their Area Action Plan which will identify the specific locations for housing development and Green Infrastructure under the JCS. It is vital that all of us work together to ensure that Thorpe Woods are identified as an area of Green Infrastructure, as by doing this we will guarantee their protection for the next 15 years.

We will be in touch to explain how you can help to make sure that Thorpe Woods are protected well into the 21^st Century.

The Joint Core Strategy document can be accessed by clicking HERE