Northern Distributor Road

[Soundings]

So it has got past planning. What do you think it will do for Norfolk and in particular the Broads? I note in the press that this approval has been welcomed by business but I do not see many locals applauding the development. More cars. more houses, more people, less space, more pollution and desecration of quiet countryside are the downsides I see. Now what are the upsides - easier access (apparently), more housing, offices and jobs. But who will live in the houses and where are these jobs.

 

Personally I think see have seen the best of it and must now watch Norfolk subside into a replica of the home counties. Sad but that is progress I guess. The Tory's are going building mad with this "presumption that planning will be agreed" (but then all governments use construction as a key ingredient when combating recession). It is strange there was not too much said about it by the electorate it in the run up to the election.

[BuffaloBill]

Ok, I'm not local as such, but I spend a great deal of time in

Norfolk so this to us, is a great asset. It will save us around

15 minutes on this new piece of road but, if/when, they join

up at Easton, it would save us around 1/2 an hour on our

journey down each time and also causing less pollution.

If the road is finished in much the same way as the southern

bypass, it should not impact much on the surrounding land as

I think they have done a good job on that part.

What the planners allow building wise afterwards, is anyone's

guess but to us the road is good news.

[Labrador]

The road to no where. Massive housing developments to the north of the city. Huge areas of land already owned by developers, it's only being farmed until they get full planning permission.

1.3bn to the norfolk economy!! Rowlocks.

[andy]

Can you imagine what norwich would be like if the southern bypass was not built . I know that the N D R is not going all the way but it will help people to the north . And with better roads it will lead to more jobs .

[Soundings]

It is the job thing that really worries me. What will these jobs be? And why is all planning driven by business needs rather that quality of life needs. Clearly the local authority believes Norfolk does not earn enough cash as a holiday area so they intend to change it to a London/home counties lookalike. The building around the Broads is significant already - 1200 houses in Stalham, a load in Martham and Caister. Not to mention the huge development in Hoveton and then Wroxham through to Blueboar - amongst many others. The Stalham bypass will get busier and busier and then they will want to dual it through to Yarmouth!

[RayandCarole]

It will make it easier getting from Holt to The boat at Brundall

So the sooner the better for us

Ray & Carole

[Soundings]

It will make it easier getting from Holt to The boat at Brundall

So the sooner the better for us

Ray & Carole

But is it really worth that price? Is that what our lives have come to - getting everywhere as fast as we can and to hell with the consequences. Perhaps that explains why there are some boaters who only know one speed - flat out (I use boaters as an example for no other reason than boating is supposed to be a leisurely activity.

[smellyloo]

As a Norwich resident I welcome the by-pass. It should provide better access to Norwich Airport which in turn will hopefully extend the services they run. Then maybe I won't have to endure the drive to Stansted airport for a weekend break.

 

Of course if I still have to go to stansted airport the improved road around Norwich should help cut the travelling time (20 - 30 minutes to cross the city at busy times ..... any time during the day actually).

 

So as an East anglian born person I can assure you I do not want our counties treated as some quaint old theme park .....

 

I will not wear a smock and have a straw sticking out of my mouth just to please the holiday makers!!! I happen to find that sort of attire very comfortable .... especially in hot weather ..... which we get a lot of here.

 

Oh yes ...... I also like crunching carrots

[RayandCarole]

Soundings

I hear what you are saying but I did say easier, saving the drag round Norwich

I dont drive fast either in my car (BMW Z4 3.0 so I could if I wanted) or boat,

never in a hurry to get anywhere

Ray & Carole

[MauriceMynah]

I live near Stansted Airport (make a note of that Lou, in case you want some sensible parking)

I have no idea what these plans are of which you speak so cannot comment on them, I do ask however if the increasing housing in Stalham, Martham etc. has had any impact on the broads good or bad, and if so, what that impact has been?

Any chance of enlightening me as to what the plans are?

[BuffaloBill]

Here you are John. (Sorry the quality isn't very good)

[MauriceMynah]

Thanks BB, looks like a good road to me, Especially if it eventually joins the southern bypass to the west of Norwich.

I'm not sure I understand the negative comments I've read here!

[BroadScot]

Purely as a driving point of view, after many hours at the wheel, this looks like it would shorten my trip from the North. So for me, I say good news indeed!

 

 

Iain.

[Labrador]

See all those white areas to the north and east? Once that road is built they will all be covered in thousands, and I mean thousands of houses. This is not a road like the southern bypass, it's a mostly a poxy little 2 way carriageway. When it gets to the east it goes nowhere, a huge waste of £150 million odd quid

[ChrisB]

Not an integrated approach is it? It boxes in the airport so there can be no expansion. I believe KLM will be reviewing their facility there.

I can't really see what it will achieve other than as someone has said fill in the green space around Norwich and have a detrimental effect on the Wensum Valley.

[MauriceMynah]

The plans BB shows tells of a duel carriageway not a "poxy 2 way carriageway" and when it gets to the east, it joins the southern bypass. What's not to like about it? (unless ones house is actually on the route)

[JawsOrca]

I don't really drive that way although coming back from Wroxham the other day via Norwich I was so confused how (By following the ring road signs for ipswich) it led me pretty much into the center of Norwich.. Over a tiny little old bridge over the river (sorry I don't norwich at all ). I expected it to lead me on a dual carriageway and over the postwick viaduct etc.. I guess basically I thought this road already existed?!

 

Personally I find it really shocking that Norfolk/suffolk have suffered with the lack of a decent road network and it's probably about time that some money was spent in updating the roads. I 100% agree that this rural affect is part of the attraction to visit and I wouldn't want to see 5 lane motorways all over the place (and it would be dreadful if the villages are overly populated) but I think the main roads certainly could do with the odd improvement here or there. I dread to think what weekday rush hour is like for you locals. There should be at least more than one dual carriageway linking the area up to the rest of the world! 

[Jonathan]

There seem to be quite detailed plans at www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/NCC165119 which show it is all dual except for the 10 roundabouts and a few of the feeding roads.

[ChrisB]

I don't wish to hijack this thread but I had to join the A47 at Brundall last week.

I thought that the corner of the A47 and Cucumber Lane was the site for the new Brooms factory but it is being covered in houses.

[RumPunch]

Within 30 years Wroxham will be suburb of Norwich

[ExMemberBobdog]

Norfolk County Council has signed up to spend £60-80 million on building this road, the day after it announced cuts of £169 million in other parts of its budget.  I for one would rather see the roadbuilding money spent on the services for children, the elderly and the disabled that are going to bear the brunt of these cuts.

[ChrisB]

I don't think it will take 30 years, as has already been stated the northern parts of Norwich will infill and then spill over to the north of the new road. It will be like what happened with the M25 but on a smaller scale.

I don't understand why we can't fix the atrocious state of our infastructure before building the new.

[jillR]

 fir covert rd, taverham

fakenham rd, taverham

 

[TheQ]

According to the TV last night tarmac. Is now being laid on at least one bit of the ndr

[Jim]

I know they were looking to make as early a start as possible. The scheduled completion date is looking hard to achieve