Loddon

Policy POLOD1: Loddon Marina Residential Moorings

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  1. Proposals for residential moorings of up to a maximum of 10 will be supported in the area marked on the policies map, subject to the following criteria:
    1. It needs to be satisfactorily demonstrated that the proposals for residential moorings would not compromise existing business on the sites and that the proposals for residential moorings meet the criteria in the Broads Local Plan policies on general employment and boatyards.
    2. The residential boats moored here must not encroach further into the river than the existing boats.
    3. A satisfactory solution will be required to address the Highways Authority’s concerns regarding impact of the development on High Street and Church Plain.
    4. Detail regarding sewerage disposal would be needed as part of a planning application.
    5. It needs to be satisfactorily demonstrated that the proposal would meet the criteria in the Policy PODM45 (New Residential Moorings).
    6. Proposals must ensure no adverse effects on water quality and the conservation objectives and qualifying features of the nearby SSSI.
    7. Cabinets and storage of any kind for those living on the boats, if required, will be kept to a minimum and sensitively designed and appropriately located;
    8. The scheme must take particular care relating to lighting in line with PODM27 (Light Pollution and Dark Skies); and
    9. An assessment of the foul sewerage network to demonstrate that capacity is available or can be made available in time to serve the development.
  2. Conditions will be used to restrict the number, scale and size of boats using the residential moorings in order to protect navigation and control the visual appearance.
  3. Project Level Habitats Regulation Assessments will be needed to assess implications on Habitat Sites. Measures to mitigate for the recreation effects of new growth will be required (through the GI RAMS tariff or equivalent mitigation).
  4. A management plan for the site and a register of those who live on boats will be required and will be covered by a planning condition imposed on any planning permission granted.

Constraints and features

  • Near Hardley Flood SSSI part of the Broadland SPA
  • Flood Zone 3 (EA Mapping) and indicative 3b (SFRA 2017)
  • Within the Loddon and Chedgrave Conservation Area
  • Generally, the approach to the boatyards in this area is quite busy with occupied moorings.
  • Electricity, water, toilet and shower pump out facilities available on site.
  • Many services and facilities at walking distance from site.
  • Potential issues relating to impact of residential moorings on traffic flow of High Street and Church Plain.
  • Area of good dark skies
  • The site is in the Norfolk RAMs area.
  • The site is NOT in scope in relation to Nutrient Enrichment.

Reasoned Justification

The Broads Authority would support up to ten of the moorings at Loddon Marina being converted to residential moorings in line with policy PODM45. The benefits of a regular income, as well as passive security that residential moorings can bring, are acknowledged. However, in accordance with other Local Plan policies, the conversion of an entire business to residential moorings would not be supported. While the entire length of moorings at Loddon Marina is allocated, the Authority supports a maximum of ten of these moorings to be residential moorings.

To ensure the residential boats moored here do not impact navigation and as the moorings are stern on, there could be a length restriction applied to boats here through a planning condition as part of any application. It is not a requirement of this policy that the basin is extended; rather, that private moorings are converted to residential moorings. It should be noted that the use of the dyke adjacent to the Marina for residential moorings will not be supported.

Loddon Marina has good access by foot to everyday services and facilities provided in Loddon and Chedgrave (such as a supermarket, pharmacy, school, and post office). Bus stops to wider destinations are also within walking distance from these areas.

Proposals must also take into consideration the SSSI near to this Marina and the Marina’s location within a conservation area.

The provision of residential moorings here could increase pressure for an increase in lighting; however, the impact of artificial light on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes, and nature conservation should be minimised as the Loddon area is an area of good dark skies – see policy PODM27.

The scheme will need to mitigate recreation impacts, and this is most easily done through paying the GI RAMS tariff.

In terms of Nutrient Neutrality, the Broads Authority consider that the sites itself is outside of the Broads SAC catchment and this scheme’s foul water would drain to a Water Recycling Centre that is not within the Broads SAC catchment and so does not need to mitigate for Phosphate or Nitrates.

The quay heading used to moor and access boats may need improvements and any application should address this.

The Highways Authority has raised some concerns regarding the impact of the development on High Street and Church Plain, which already experience traffic related issues. Any proposals will need to address these concerns satisfactorily.

Anglian Water Services will need further information relating to foul water disposal to assess if there is capacity in the network.

The policy requires a management plan for the site as well as a register of those boats being lived on within the marina. These will be required through conditions on planning application(s). The management plan will help ensure the site as a whole is appropriately managed. This would normally cover things like noise, waste, delivery times etc. and would have contact details of who to contact if the management requirements of the site are not adhered to. A breach of this management plan would then be a breach of condition and could be enforced. The register of who lives on which boat will be maintained at all times.

In terms of the provision of storage and cabinets, these should be located and designed to fit in with the character of the boatyard. It may be the case that being next to the waterway for example, is not the appropriate location, but they may be better located nearer to the boatyard buildings. Any such provision will be kept to the minimum needed.

The Broads Authority has adopted a residential moorings guide which will be of relevance to this scheme.

HSE Safety in docks ACOP (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l148.htm) is applicable to marinas and will set out the minimum standards expected in relation to the safety provision.

It is anticipated that the moorings will be place within a few years of adoption of the Local Plan perhaps by the end of 2030.

Reasonable alternative options

An alternative option would be to keep the original policy (other than amending text to add reference to GI RAMS) and not mention light pollution or storage cabinets within the policy itself. Another option would be to not have a policy and not allocate the site, but this site was allocated in the 2019 Local Plan for the Broads and is deemed favourable in the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment and so not to allocated is not seen as a reasonable alternative.

Sustainability appraisal summary

The following is a summary of the assessment of the policy and alternative(s).

A: keep the original policy (other than amending text to add reference to GI RAMS): 4 positives. 0 negatives. 0 ? Overall positive

B: Preferred Option - amend policy to improve reference to light pollution and storage cabinets (and add reference to GI RAMS): 6 positives. 0 negatives. 0 ? Overall positive

How has the existing policy been used since adoption in May 2019?

According to recent Annual Monitoring Reports, the policy has not been used.

Why has the alternative option been discounted?

The stronger wording relating to light pollution is favoured when compared to the original to ensure the dark skies of the Broads are protected in this edge of settlement location. Also, given the impact on the character of a boatyard that storage can have, reference to that in the policy is useful. The other changes relating to GI RAMS and PODM45 is factual. The amendments relating to residential mooring are consistent with other residential moorings policies.

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