B75 Chapter 11 - Community Services and Facilities

Introduction

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11.1

The Local Plan provides detailed guidance regarding the nature, scale and location of future development in North Norfolk. The guidance is provided in part to enable other authorities and bodies that are responsible for various community services to relate their respective programmes to the planned pattern of housing and employment development. In this way the limited financial resources available can be used to the maximum community benefit.

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Health

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11.2

The provision of health services in North Norfolk is arranged by the East Norfolk Health Authority. The providers of health care are the three health care trusts that were established on 1 April 1994. Each trust provides the following range of health care services for the community.

• The Norfolk and Norwich Healthcare NHS Trust is responsible for the provision of acute health services throughout North Norfolk.
• The Norfolk Mental Health Care NHS Trust provides mental health treatment for the community including residential homes in North Norfolk.
• The Norwich Community Health Partnership NHS Trust is responsible for the provision of all community health services.

Primary Care

11.3

Primary care is the first level of service with direct access for the public. The Norwich Community Health Partnership NHS Trust arranges the provision of general practitioner services, pharmacists, community nurses, health visitors, community midwives, school nurses and other community-based services.

Secondary Care

11.4

Secondary care is usually hospital based and reached by referral from general practitioners. It includes out-patient clinics, in-patient treatment on hospital wards and day care in hospitals. There are six hospitals in North Norfolk. All of them fall under the jurisdiction of the Norwich Community Health Partnership NHS Trust except for Cromer hospital, which is the responsibility of the Norfolk and Norwich Healthcare NHS Trust.

Cromer Hospital:
Cromer Hospital primarily provides out-patient and elective surgical services with supporting diagnostic facilities.

The Fletcher Hospital, Cromer:
This hospital is being redeveloped to provide a community based service (see paragraph 11.10).

Kelling Hospital:
This hospital will continue to provide a community hospital service.

North Walsham Hospital:
North Walsham Hospital will continue to provide a community hospital service. The Norfolk Mental Health Care NHS Trust constructed a 24-bed Nursing Home for the Elderly Mentally Ill in 1994.

Wells Hospital:
This hospital is to continue as a community hospital and a provider of local health care facilities.

Mundesley Hospital:
In 1992 Mundesley Hospital was closed to patients. The site has since been sold and it is now in use as a rehabilitation centre. Owing to the open, arable nature of the surrounding farm land, the hospital and its managed gardens and associated woodland are very prominent in the local landscape. Consequently, in 1993, so as to ensure that any redevelopment of the site would be sympathetic with the character of the surrounding area, the Council and the former Norwich Health Authority, prepared a development brief for the site. The Mundesley Hospital Development Brief is reproduced in Part E, Annex 4.

Policy 91: Mundesley Hospital - expired 27/09/2007
Development proposals for the Mundesley Hospital site will be considered in accordance with the Mundesley Hospital Development Brief.

11.5

The future use of all sites owned by the Healthcare NHS Trusts will depend on the changing demands for health care in North Norfolk over the Local Plan period. Advances in medical technology and treatment, as well as demographic changes in North Norfolk, may result in a change of roles for some of these sites and the possible need for additional facilities.

Tertiary Care

11.6

Tertiary care is given in specialist centres and is usually accessed by referral from one hospital consultant to another.

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Community Care

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11.7

Government policy emphasises the need for local authorities to arrange for the provision of services that enable people to live an independent and dignified life at home, or elsewhere in the community, for as long as they are able and wish to do so. All the authorities and agencies that contribute to the care of vulnerable people in their own community are involved in preparing and developing plans and services to meet these needs.

11.8

The National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 requires the County Council Social Services Department to produce a 'Community Care Plan'. In practice, however, the Community Care Plan for Norfolk is jointly produced by social services, health and housing authorities in the County. Its purpose is to inform the local community and local providers of health and social care about the local issues that health and social care purchasers are tackling and the changes to services that may be made.

Services for Elderly People

11.9

A key part of the Community Care Plan for Norfolk (1995-96) was a set of joint strategies for a range of client groups. Of particular importance for North Norfolk was the joint strategy for elderly people.

11.10

This included a two-year work programme agreed by the County Purchasers Strategy Group (CPSG) Sub-Group on Services for Elderly People. In particular, it made provision for new facilities on the Fletcher Hospital site in Cromer and the development of a Social Services residential home in Fakenham. The proposals for the Fletcher Hospital site are nearing completion and include the provision of around 36 places for the very frail elderly, 36 flats for the more independent elderly (available for letting by a housing association) and a day-care centre for elderly people. At Cranmer House, Fakenham, some 20 continuing-care and 20 residential-care places and a day centre have been provided through the conversion and upgrading of the existing Social Services residential care home.

Residential Institutions

11.11

The Government's community care reforms aim to allow vulnerable people to live as independently as possible in their own homes or in a homely setting within the community. As the emphasis for their care has moved from the state and local government to 'care in the community' the number of independent residential institutions has grown. As a consequence, in March 1998 there were 112 residential care homes and nursing homes in North Norfolk providing nearly 1800 places for people in need of personal care by reasons of old age disablement, past or present dependence on alcohol or drugs, or past or present mental illness or mental handicap.

11.12

All these types of accommodation fall within Class C2 (Residential Institutions) of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, as amended. In North Norfolk, private and voluntary homes have to be registered with either Norfolk County Council, as the Social Services Authority, or the East Norfolk Health Authority. It is the Government's view, therefore, that the Council should concern itself mainly with the impact of a proposed institution on amenity and the environment.

11.13

Residential institutions are generally suited to existing residential areas, although the Council is keen to avoid a concentration in any one area that would give rise to a significant loss of local character. Properties should have adequate amenity space and room for car parking according to the Council's car parking standards. Particular attention will be given to the visual effects of fire escapes, extensions and other external alterations on the surroundings, especially in Conservation Areas.

Non-Residential Institutions

11.14

This section concerns those community facilities which are considered to be Non-Residential Institutions under Class D1 of the Town and Country Planning [Use Classes] Order 1987, as amended. These include any use:

• as a crèche, day nursery or day centre;
• for the provision of education;
• for the display of works of art;
• as a museum;
• as a public library or public reading room;
• as a public hall or exhibition hall; and
• for, or in connection with, public worship or religious instruction.

New Community Facilities

11.15

The Council welcomes the provision of new community facilities and plays an important role in the funding of town and village community hall facilities by making grant aid available. It also provides facilities in partnership with other organisations. In the rural areas, the Council recognises that it will not always be possible to identify a suitable site for such a facility within an existing settlement. Consequently, where there is no suitable site available in terms of site area, vehicular access, residential amenity or any other planning consideration, a greenfield location may be acceptable.

Retention of Non-Residential Institutions

11.16

The loss of a community facility can have a major impact on a small community, especially in localities where no other dedicated community facility exists. Schools and village halls, in particular, are important as focal points for village life since they can offer opportunities for a variety of social and recreational activities. In order to prevent the loss of community facilities the Council will discourage their change to non-community uses. Instead, an alternative community use will be sought.

11.17

However, if the developer can show that there is insufficient local demand for such facilities, by way of a survey of local residents, an alternative use may be allowed.

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Water Supply and Sewage Disposal

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11.18

Anglian Water Services Limited is responsible for sewage disposal and the supply of water throughout North Norfolk.

Water Supply

11.19

Although public water supplies are provided by Anglian Water, the management of water resources is one of the responsibilities of the Environment Agency (EA). The EA will not grant Abstraction Licenses in areas where water resources are fully developed and where further abstraction would affect existing users or damage the environment.

11.20

The development of water resources to meet the increasing demand for water supply is becoming more difficult. Consequently, the groundwater reserves in North Norfolk are an invaluable source of water supply for the public, industry and agriculture, as well as being important for sustaining base flows in rivers. The clean-up of contaminated groundwater is difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible. It is therefore better to prevent or reduce the risk of groundwater contamination than to deal with its consequences.

Policy 95: Groundwater Protection - expired 27/09/2007
In areas around potable groundwater sources or over vulnerable areas of aquifers, development proposals will not be permitted where the Council, in consultation with the Environment Agency, considers that there would be a significant risk to the quality of the underlying groundwater.

Sewage Disposal

11.21

Occasionally improvements to existing sewage treatment works are needed to overcome problems with effluent quality or other nuisances. Unlike most of these improvements, the provision of a new sewage treatment works does have major land-use implications and therefore needs to be properly planned. In 1995 Anglian Water completed the construction of a major waste-water management scheme for the communities between, and including, Sheringham and Overstrand. The scheme involved the construction of a waste-water treatment centre at Sandy Lane, Cromer and pumping stations and amenity buildings at Sheringham, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer and Overstrand, together with new sewers and a long sea-outfall. The project replaced the unsatisfactory short outfalls that served these settlements and now provides environmental benefits including improved bathing-water quality.

11.22

Despite some improvements, the increasing population and level of water use in North Norfolk is overloading many sewerage systems and sewage treatment works and resulting in the pollution of watercourses and other problems. These problems can only be exacerbated by allowing further development without the necessary infrastructure improvements.

Policy 96: Sewage Disposal - expired 27/09/2007
Development proposals will only be permitted in locations where the Council, in consultation with the Environment Agency and Anglian Water, considers that sewage disposal facilities and surface water drainage of adequate capacity and design are available, or can be provided in time, to serve the development.

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Energy Supply

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Gas

11.23

Gas supplies are not universally available in North Norfolk. Any expansion of the network is dependent upon there being sufficient potential demand to justify capital investment.

Electricity

11.24

The supply of electricity is well established in North Norfolk. Eastern Electricity can supply all new developments subject to the provision of substations and the diversion of service lines.

Overhead Service Lines

11.25

The location of overhead service lines in rural areas can have a considerable impact on the natural and built environment and can be particularly intrusive in the open landscapes of North Norfolk. When consulted on, or deciding, proposals for the re-routeing of, or the provision of new, overhead lines the Council will encourage or require suppliers to site new transmission lines and substations in such a way as to minimise their impact on the landscape, and to place cables underground in particularly sensitive locations.

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Renewable Energy

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11.26

Renewable energy is the term used to cover those energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment - energy from the sun, the wind, the oceans and the fall of water. Geothermal energy, plant material and combustible or digestible, agricultural, domestic and industrial waste materials may also be regarded as renewable sources of energy. Owing to the advances being made in technology, the conversion of waste products, energy crops (e.g. fuel from coppiced woodland) and natural events to power and heat is becoming evermore economically feasible.

11.27

There are substantial environmental benefits in using renewable energy sources to limit emissions of greenhouse gases (the gases which cause global warming) and other pollutants, conserve fossil fuels and solve some problems of waste disposal. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, produced principally from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum.

11.28

Moreover, the United Kingdom has signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (another product of the 1992 Earth Summit - see Local Plan paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3) which commits all developed country parties to take measures aimed at returning emissions of each greenhouse gas to their 1990 levels by the year 2000.

11.29

A number of renewable energy sources, such as water for hydro power, landfill gas and wind, are being more widely exploited in this country. The Council welcomes the wider environmental benefits of renewable energy development in reducing pollution provided that proposals take full account of other national objectives to safeguard areas of environmental importance.

11.30

In considering proposals for renewable energy developments, the Council will need to be satisfied that there are overall environmental benefits to be obtained (i.e. the proposal will not result in a net increase of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases or the substitution of one form of pollution for another equally harmful form). It is considered that in most cases environmental assessments will be required in support of proposals in order to make clear the overall environmental benefits that would be achievable.

11.31

Another major factor in determining the acceptability of renewable energy developments will be their location. In planning terms, the most suitable locations are likely to be within General Employment Areas and within existing complexes such as sewage treatment works; but for technical reasons, it is often necessary that they should be sited close to the energy source and, in some instances, to the end-user. There will be instances where, for reasons of safety and the need to site plants close to the energy source, the only appropriate location is in a remote area of countryside. The size of proposals is likely to vary considerably: from very large developments, capable of serving the national grid, to small schemes serving local areas which could be unobtrusively accommodated within existing developments.

11.32

Proposals that involve overhead service lines will be expected to take full account of Policy 97: Overhead Service Lines.

Wind Energy

11.33

Despite having what is probably the windiest climate in Europe, the United Kingdom has been relatively slow in harnessing wind power as a source of electricity. However, the establishment of a legal, administrative standards and certification framework - that allows renewable energy promoters to compete equitably in the market with conventional sources of energy - has led to a marked increase in proposals for wind energy developments.

11.34

The principle of harnessing wind energy by windmills is well established, but modern wind turbines have particular environmental impacts that must be addressed when considering proposals. These impacts include:

• the need to site the machines in open exposed locations that may also be in attractive landscapes;
• the nature of noise emissions from the turbines;
• the movement of the blades; and
• safety and electromagnetic interference.

11.35

Pressure to exploit the wind will obviously be directed to areas that experience high annual mean wind speeds. In North Norfolk these areas often coincide with areas of high landscape quality which could be damaged by the intrusive nature of wind turbine developments. Consequently, wind turbines may not be acceptable within the most sensitive landscapes. However, outside these areas there are still places where wind speeds reach velocities that are considered suitable for exploitation.

11.36

There are two distinct types of noise source within a wind turbine: the mechanical noise produced by the gearbox and generator; and the aerodynamic noise created as the blades pass through the air. Well-designed wind turbines, however, are generally quiet.

11.37

Under certain combinations of geographical position and time of day, the sun may pass behind the rotor of a wind turbine and cast a shadow over neighbouring properties. When the blades rotate, the shadow flicks on and off; the effect is known as 'shadow flicker'. It only occurs inside buildings where the flicker appears through a narrow window opening.

11.38

Provided careful attention is paid to siting, wind turbines should not significantly interfere with electromagnetic communications systems such as television, radio or microwave links. Some scattering of signal may occur, although this tends to be very localised. Besides interference with airfield telecommunications systems, a wind turbine could interfere with aircraft flight paths.

11.39

In giving consideration to where wind turbine proposals may be acceptable, the Council has taken into account the issue of the future reuse of the former military airfields at Sculthorpe and West Raynham. Owing to their remote locations, the objectives and policies of the Local Plan will not countenance the development of these sites for general residential or employment purposes other than the possible reuse of their existing buildings (see Local Plan paragraphs 9.20 - 9.26). However, given the Government's policy to stimulate the exploitation and development of renewable energy sources, Policy 5: The Countryside does include the provision of renewable energy projects as a possible exception to the policy of general development restraint.

11.40

Bearing in mind the policy issues and that these airfields occupy substantial areas of land which are generally well removed from the statutory environmental designations that cover a large part of North Norfolk, the Council therefore wishes to encourage investigations into these airfields' suitability for wind turbine developments.

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Telecommunications

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11.41

New communications technology is spreading rapidly to meet the growing demand for better communications in business, the home and public services. Government policy aims to facilitate the growth of new and existing telecommunications systems.

11.42

The Council attaches great importance to minimising the number of larger telecommunications masts, and the sites for such installations. Consequently, the Council will expect applicants for such developments to show that they have explored the possibility of erecting antennas on existing buildings or sharing existing facilities. This is particularly important where operational requirements need a location in the AONB, Conservation Areas or in other sites that are particularly sensitive, such as open landscapes and hilltops. In all cases, however, the provision for telecommunications equipment will not outweigh the need to protect and enhance the environment.

11.43

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, as amended, grants planning permission for a wide range of developments associated with the installation, alteration or replacement of the various kinds of apparatus used in telecommunications and broadcasting. In certain cases, such as the installation of public call boxes, this planning permission cannot be exercised unless an application has been made to the Council for a determination as to whether its prior approval will be required for certain details.

11.44

This arrangement does not impose full planning controls over the developments to which they apply, as they have been granted planning permission by the Secretary of State by virtue of the Order. The principle of development will not be relevant, but control can be exercised over the siting and appearance.

11.45

In operating these controls the Council will consider the effect of the proposed development on the landscape in terms of visual amenity and the desirability of preserving Scheduled Ancient Monuments and their settings, known archaeological sites, Listed Buildings and their settings, Historic Parks and Gardens, Conservation Areas and their settings, and areas of nature conservation importance.

11.46

To ensure consistency of decision-making and to help applicants, the Council has identified the situations in which the submission of details will generally be required.

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