Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/SE/17/072

Portfolio Holder: Alaric Pugh           Lead Officer: Chris Rand

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (19 December 2017)

That the masterplan for St Genevieve Lakes, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: CAB/SE/17/072, be adopted as informal planning guidance.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/17/072, which sought approval for the St Genevieve Lakes (formerly Park Farm, Ingham) Masterplan.

The adopted Rural Vision 2031 Local Plan document identified the area at Park Farm, Ingham for leisure, recreation and tourism development. The site was currently a sand and gravel quarry which had recently completed extraction activities and was being restored to arable farmland, species rich grassland and a series of open water lakes. The Rural Vision 2031 Local Plan document identified that the restoration had brought forward the opportunity for the creation of recreational, leisure and tourism facilities serving both the locality and the wider area.

Councillor Alaric Pugh, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet, including that the allocation would not only bring economic and community benefits to the area, but it would also help mitigate potential effects on the Breckland Special Protection Area (SPA) by providing an alternative visitor attraction that could absorb the pressure of visitors to the area.

The Concept Statement, which set out the planning issues and constraints and provided guidance as to what would need to be addressed in the subsequent masterplan, was adopted by Council in February 2016.  Following adoption of the Concept Statement, the site had been renamed St Genevieve Lakes to better reflect its location and current form.

The draft masterplan, which was attached as Appendix A to the report, had been prepared by consultants on behalf of the landowner building upon and developing the principles established by the Concept Statement. Consultation on the draft masterplan commenced on 16 August and ran until 14 September 2017. Details of the responses received and the subsequent replies were contained in Appendix B.

The Cabinet was extremely excited by the aspirations provided in the draft masterplan, which aimed to transform the area into an excellent leisure facility when brought to fruition.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

That the masterplan for St Genevieve Lakes, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: CAB/SE/17/072, be adopted as informal planning guidance.