Sprowston

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Sprowston is an urban fringe town under policy 7.1.  Part of the settlement is within the (OSRT) Old Catton, Sprowston, Rackheath Thorpe St Andrew Growth Triangle Area Action Plan (AAP) boundary, and so it is set for continued development in coming years.  The suburban character of the area mainly comprises 20th century semi-detached and detached properties often set in large plots with mature planting.  The most significant historic building in Sprowston is the Grade I listed Church of St Mary and St Margaret.  In recent decades there has been more estate-scale development but prior to that Sprowston grew along the radial routes out from Norwich.  As to services and facilities, a focal point is the retail at Blue Boar, as well as smaller parades of shops, examples being along the Wroxham Road, and at Cannerby Lane.  As to landscape features, there are several plantation woodlands, such as Cottage Plantation, Harrison’s Plantation, Boar Plantation and the Breck. Sprowston Manor and its grounds, which are used as a hotel and golf course, also form a significant landscape feature.  Amongst existing development commitments, several schemes are under construction in the vicinity of White House Farm, to the east of Blue Boar Lane.  There is also the Beeston Park development of circa 3,500 homes that encompasses land from the A1151 Wroxham Road, crosses the B1150 North Walsham Road, and will join the Buxton Road (in the neighbouring parish of Old Catton).

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The Sprowston Neighbourhood Plan was ‘made’ in May 2014 and covers the period to 2026.  The vision for the Neighbourhood Plan is by 2026 the community of Sprowston will be strong, cohesive, creative and forward-looking.  The community will be safer, healthier, more prosperous, sustainable and inclusive.  High quality homes will meet people’s needs and aspirations in attractive and sustainable places. People will have access to good quality jobs, essential services and community facilities, with less need to use a car.

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There is one site allocation for housing in Sprowston providing for 1,200 additional new homes. There are 26 additional dwellings with planning permission on small sites.  This gives a total deliverable housing commitment for Sprowston of 1,246 homes between 2018 – 2038 in this plan.  High amounts of existing development commitment remain, as the allocations identified in the Growth Triangle Area Action Plan will not be superseded by the GNLP.

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All allocations are expected to address standard requirements associated with development. These vary from place to place, but are likely to include mitigations for flood risk (as well as SUDs), highways improvements, safeguarding of minerals resources, land remediation, measures to protect the environment, biodiversity, and landscape intrusion.

Settlement Map

Sprowston Settlement Map