Page 12 - Town & Around - January 2019

12 Town & Around January 2019 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Pride in our Neighbourhood 47

Andrew Murray
he Draft Neighbourhood Development Plan for Hunstanton
(HNDP) was put out to public consultation in late November in
Taccordance with Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Plan Act
of 2012.
The consultation will end on 18 January 2019. Now is the
opportunity for members of the public, businesses, landowners,
developers and statutory bodies to comment on the contents. The plan
can be found on the websites of the Town Council and the Civic
Society or hard copies can be seen in the Tourist Information Centre
and Hunstanton Library.
The plan only applies to potential use of land for development within
the parish boundary of Hunstanton until 2026 but because the Local
Plan is being updated, its validity might be extended to 2036.
The HNDP describes a vision for the future of Hunstanton that has
been compiled from engagement with members of the community who
have made comments, observations or expressed their concerns about
the future. The plan brings these together with census information,
strategic and statistical information into one document that voices the be built in the town. The strategy has to consider the accommodation
town’s objectives together with the policies required for their required for a full time population, including elderly people wishing
realisation. to downsize, as well as for second homeowners and holiday lets. The
Hunstanton serves as a service hub for surrounding villages, a community expressed a strong view that new homes should be of a
dormitory for the sub-regional centre of King’s Lynn, a seaside resort modest size with 2 or 3 bedrooms and capable of being modified to
and tourist destination as well as a popular place for those seeking a suit people with different needs. 30% of the total number of second
quiet retirement. homes within the Borough is in Hunstanton and this inflates local
Although we think of Hunstanton as having the wide green open house prices. Policy K11 follows St Ives in restricting the sale of new
spaces that our founder Henry le Strange envisaged, it is much more open market housing to those who will occupy the buildings as their
developed than the considerably larger surrounding parishes. principle residence.
The 2011 census data showed that there is a very skewed age Local residents have expressed concerns about the difficulty of
distribution with some 41% of residents over the age of 65. When obtained appointments to see General Practitioners and about the
these figures are compared with those of 2001, it is apparent that young congestion on the A149. The first objective is therefore that amenities
adults move out of the area whilst elderly people move in. We do not and infrastructure should keep pace with housing development.
know whether those moving out do so in order to obtain higher Similarly, there is a strong feeling that our local identity, heritage and
education, employment or housing which they may be able to afford. quality of our environment should be preserved thus Policy J2 states
The reduction of that outflow of the young adults is a big challenge. that ‘All development will be expected to conserve or enhance the
It needs the promotion of better all year round employment natural environment, local landscape and biodiversity’.
opportunities, better transport and Internet connectivity and the The communities overwhelming desire is to preserve the quality of
provision of more starter homes. the environment and make Hunstanton an even better place to live and
The Hunstanton Town Council decided that the focus of the work, both now and for future generations.
Neighbourhood Plan would be on the size and style of houses that will

Have you looked at
HUNSTANTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN?
Have you commented on
HUNSTANTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN?

Now is our chance to comment on the Policies that could affect all
of us who live here.
You can find the full plan on the website of Hunstanton Town
Council or Hunstanton Civic Society.
The first 25 pages are factual, background information, all very
interesting but recommend jumping to page 25 to read the
policies. If you have any comments, suggestions or observations
please email np.hunstantoncouncil@gmail.com or write to
Hunstanton Town Council, Town Hall, The Green, Hunstanton,
PE36 6BQ
Or phone Town Clerk on 01485 532402
Closing date for this consultation is January 18th

Please read this in conjunction with
‘Pride in our Neighbourhood – 47’ (above)