Fears over 'car reliance' at 4,000 home West Winch estate

The 4,000 properties have been earmarked for land near West Winch, between King's Lynn and Downham Market.

Their fate is now unclear after government officials assessing the suitability of the site said those living in the new community would be too reliant on road transport.

They say the homes would be better being constructed further south, at Downham and Watlington, which both have railway stations.

The proposed West Winch homes are in part of an area designated as a 'strategic growth corridor', stretching from King’s Lynn to Downham Market.

Thousands of new homes are planned to be built in King's Lynn and its surrounding villages. (Image: Mike Page)

They had been included in West Norfolk Council (WNC)'s local plan, the document which identifies areas where new housing should be built between now and 2036.

As part of the process, officials from the government's Planning Inspectorate scrutinise outline plans for new estates.

Government directives require new housing developments to promote walking, cycling and public transport, in order to help the UK to reduce its carbon emissions and cut congestion.

Karen Baker, from the inspectorate, raised concerns about the West Winch scheme in a letter to WNC.

She said: “The proposed allocations in the plan would direct around 40pc of housing growth to the West Winch growth area, which is likely to rely on car and road-based transport, with comparatively limited housing development at Downham Market and Watlington, which, with railway stations, appear to be more sustainable locations in transport terms."

The railway line between King's Lynn and Downham Market, and onwards to Cambridge and London, is a factor in favour of building more homes along its length (Image: Archant 2018)

She said WNC had failed to "provide a clear explanation" about why West Winch was getting so much development, questioning if the plans were sustainable.

At a WNC meeting this week, a barrister working for the council suggested that the authority could keep the West Winch homes in its plan simply by removing the phrase 'growth corridor' from the scheme and providing better evidence to support the project.

He said: “[The Planning Inspectorate was] not entirely satisfied that in certain respects your plan is sufficiently justified.

"They are not convinced it is positive, and as a result, they are not convinced it meets national planning guidance.

"The plan says there will be a growth corridor, it will start in King’s Lynn go through West Winch and end up in Downham Market.

"What they have noticed is that when you look at new growth it's mainly concentrated in West Winch and relatively little in Downham Market and Watlington. They think it’s odd.” 

However, Green councillor Michael de Whalley rejected the barrister's assessment.

Michael de Whalley (Image: Archant)

He said: "They are concerned development in West Winch is likely to rely on car and road-based transport. This is not the way forward with future planning legislation."

Labour's Christine Hudson also criticised the plan, arguing it was not sustainable because there are not enough jobs to support the number of people moving to the area.

“We are not building houses in the right places, we are being led by developers," she said.

"We’ve got no industry here and that’s the sustainability word we have to consider most. Who will buy them?”

Councillors at the meeting agreed to delete the 'growth corridor' phrase from the plan. 

WNC must respond to the inspectors by April 28.

Just 6pc of West Norfolk's local plan homes are allocated in Downham Market, compared to 62pc for King’s Lynn and the surrounding area.

And despite being designated a 'key rural service centre', just 32 homes are planned for Watlington between now and 2026, with none beyond that date.

A WNC spokeswoman said: “In respect of the Local Plan, it is right for the planning inspector to question what we have done and then for us to demonstrate with evidence why we are confident that this is the right approach, or to make necessary changes where that is appropriate. 

"We accept the points that the inspector has made about the growth corridor in the plan and are in the process of presenting changes to councillors before responding to the inspector’s letter.

"With regards to the West Winch Strategic Growth Area, this is a carefully-thought-through site, with an associated masterplan for delivery, and we will be providing additional evidence to support this allocation to the inspector in due course.”