Campaign for West Winch Bypass, Before Development on the A10

Is the worst planning decision, since the South Lynn Incinerator, about to happen right here in West Norfolk? Can you help stop it?

The Borough has scheduled Hopkins's 1100- home Application for decision by the Planning Committee, on Wed 28 August 10.30 am in Lynn Town Hall.

But with no Govt funding yet on the table for the £64 million Govt share of the £84 million West Winch Bypass ("Housing Access Road"), to take through traffic and HGV's off the already chonically congested A10. The Bypass Outline Business Case for the road, is still stuck with the Department for Transport and Govt has paused major road projects.
Highways Safety is a Material Planning Reason to defer the Application.
County's Outline Business Case for the bypass says development will increase accidents at junctions along the A10 in West Winch, increase dangerous detours through North Runcton, Setchey and Saddlebow, as cars seek to avoid the congested A10.

It is unwise and undemocratic for the Borough to decide Hopkins Application, before the Planning Inspectorate has the chance to review the public's comments on the West Winch Local Plan Modifications ( the consultation started on 7 August for 8 weeks) and make necessary changes.

This Local Plan is clearly damaging to the safe and efficient circulation of the highway network, not only for West Winch but for the whole of West Norfolk. Modifications 115 and 116 permit 300 houses in the A10 with no highway intervention, 800 more if Hopkins build a narrow access from the Winch Public House to the A47 ( not the bypass) so potentially all 1100, before the proper strategic highway infrastructure, the bypass, is built.

So I have written to the Secretaries of State for Transport and Business, and told them the Borough's Local Plan is not legally sound, effective, justified or positively prepared and is unfit for purpose, because the major development for West Norfolk has no funding for essential highway infrastructure. Without the bypass in place first, the development will be heavily car-dependent, environmentally unsustainable and against national policy. 1100 homes in a rat-run.

The Sustainable Transport Plan couldn't implement an Active Travel friendly environment, through West Winch on this high-accident, highly congested, worst-performing stretch of the A10, with its dangerous bends, poor sightlines and sub-standard width.

Something must be done. 

Please attend the Borough Planning Committee. Have your say today on the Local Plan: by filling in the consultation form below and email it to lpr@west-norfolk.gov.uk

The Local Plan examination web page (https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/info/20079/planning_policy_and_local_plan/951/local_plan_review_2016-2036_examination) includes both an email address and postal address for parties to submit their responses.

You can scan and email completed forms to lpr@west-norfolk.gov.uk or post them to:

Local Plan 2021-2040 Main Modifications Part 1 Consultation
Planning Policy Team
Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk
Kings Court
Chapel Street
King’s Lynn
PE30 1EX”

Cllr Alexandra Kemp

Local Plan Consultation Form

Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Local Plan 2021-2040
Representation Form Consultation on Schedule of Main Modifications Part 1, August 2024 Closing date for submitting representations: 11:59pm, Wednesday, 2nd October 2024

Part A

Section 1: Contact information

	Respondent details	Agent details (where applicable)
Title:
First Name:
Last Name
Organisation (where relevant):
Address:
Postcode
Telephone
Email

Part B

Please fill in a separate form for each site and/ or policy

Section 2: Representations

Which Main Modification are you responding on?

Main Modification (MM) ref	Local Plan Paragraph ref	Local Plan Policy ref (if applicable)	Policy title (as applicable)
MM115 And MM116	MM Schedule Pages 86,87,89	West Winch Policy E2.1	West Winch Growth Area

To which test of soundness does your representation relate?

The Local Plan 2021-2040 is currently under examination by Planning Inspectors, appointed by the Secretary of State). The Inspectors will assess the proposed Main Modifications against the soundness tests. Please indicate whether you consider the proposed Main Modification about which you are responding is:

[Please tick appropriate box]	YES	NO
Legally compliant?		x
Complies with the Duty to cooperate?
Positively prepared (i.e. seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs)?		x
Justified (an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence)?		x
Effective (i.e. deliverable over the plan period)?		x
Consistent with national policy (National Planning Policy Framework: National Planning Policy Framework (publishing.service.gov.uk))?		x

Summary of Comments: Please give details of why you consider the proposed Main Modification that you are commenting on is sound (“Yes”) or unsound (“No”), with reference to the tests above. Please be as precise as possible.

Objecting to Main Modification 115 Page 86 Policy E2.1 which permits 2,030 new homes in West Winch before 2040 and up to 4,000 in total in West Winch. This is environmentally unsustainable, without the bypass first in place to take traffic and HGV’s off the A10 to provide an Active Travel-friendly environment through West Winch on this currently high-accident, highly congested, worst-performing stretch of the A10 with its dangerous bends and poor sightlines, sub-standard width. County's Outline Business Case says the development will increase accidents at Junctions along the A10 in West Winch and increase dangerous detours through North Runcton, Setchey and Saddlebow, as cars seek to avoid the congested A10 Objecting to Main Modification 116 Pages 87 and 89 Policy E2.1 which allows 300 houses on the A10 without any highways intervention; then 300-1100 with a “link road ” ( not the bypass but a narrow road from the Winch Public House east to the A47) so potentially all 1100 homes with no bypass, and 600 new homes before a new Primary School is built ( up from 300 homes before a new Primary School) This means all the new residents would drive their children on the A10 to West Winch Primary every day. This extra traffic was not taken into account in Hopkins Highways Study in concluding no intervention is necessary before 300 homes. I object to these Main Modifications, as the Transport Study is not positively prepared and does not meet West Winch’s needs – its conclusion that the A10 can take 300 houses before highways intervention does not allow for the Holiday Traffic, the Sugar Beet Traffic, or the need for parents to drive children to school to West Winch Primary on the A10, the current congestion on this worst performing section of the A10 according to the Mayor of Cambridgeshire’s study, the likely increase in accidents on Junctions and dangerous detours through North Runcton, Setchey and Saddlebow to avoid the A10 congestion in future, or the Mott Macdonald Study of 2014 that predicted 1000 car tail-backs on the A10 with development but no bypass. Without the bypass there first to remove the traffic, the traffic-calming measures cannot be implemented, the A10 will not be pedestrian or cyclist friendly, residents will not be able to cross the road, buses will be inadequate until they are deemed “ commercially sustainable” so the development will be heavily car dependent. New developments that are heavily car dependent are against national policy. It does not meet West Winch’s objectively assessed needs to reduce chronic congestion through the village and the high accident rate, but will increase accidents. The Modifications should be amended to say “ West Winch Housing Access Road must be fully built out before Hopkins Development commences” (Continue on a separate sheet if necessary.)

Please note you should cover succinctly all the information, evidence and supporting information necessary to support/justify your comments.

Section 4: Data Protection

The Main Modifications consultations form the final stage(s) of the plan-making process for the Local Plan 2021-2040. Do you wish to be notified further about the Local Plan, at either of the following stages?

Publication of Inspector’s Report (anticipated January 2025)?	Yes	x	No
Adoption of Local Plan (anticipated February 2025)?	Yes	x	No

In complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council confirms that it will process personal data gathered from this form only for the purposes relating to the consultation. It is intended to publish responses to this consultation on the Borough Council’s website. However, it should be noted that all personal information (except for names and organisation name, where appropriate) will not be published.

When you give consent for us to process data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. If you wish to withdraw your consent, you must notify us at lpr@west-norfolk.gov.uk or 01553 616200.

Section 5: Signature and Date of Representation

Please sign and date below:
Signature: (electronic signatures are acceptable)
Date:

• To be considered, your representation will need to be received by 11:59pm on Wednesday, 2^nd October 2024