Leisure and community building at Land South Of The Mere, Park Road, Diss

“Applicant’s Name: South Norfolk Council Site Address Land south of The Mere, Park Road, Diss Proposal Erection of a two-storey building for leisure and community activities (Class E (d) and F2 (b)) with access, parking, landscaping, and drainage…”

“The site is within both the Diss conservation area and the town centre that has been defined for Diss by the development plan. The town centre extends to the north along Mere Street, Market Hill and St. Nicholas Street and to the south to include the Morrisons and Tesco supermarkets. In more immediate terms, neighbouring properties and land uses include:”

“The car park will provide 58 car parking spaces of which 5 will be provided for drivers with disabilities and 7 for electric vehicle charging. Space is also being provided for 4 motorcycles and a covered cycle parking area is to be provided in the northwest corner of the site.”

“The site was previously occupied by the John Grose Ford dealership and associated workshop. However, the buildings and hardstanding that accommodated those uses were demolished and removed in January 2025 and the site is currently bare ground and fenced off. Access is provided directly from Park Road to the south, just off the centre point of this boundary.”

“2024/1990 Demolition of existing car showroom and garages the formed the John Grose buildings Approved…”

“The building does not respond to the unique position of the site overlooking the Mere. • Building is drab and does not enhance the local character. • Building needs to be much more sympathetic to the Mere and surrounding park. • Building needs to be of architectural merit and take into account the site and its surroundings. • Building looks like a warehouse. • The external materials proposed for use do not sit happily with local heritage.”

“Object to the proposal in its current form. Consider that with more design input, a better building can be provided on this very sensitive site. Concerns expressed over the materials proposed for use, the building form, that an attractive frontage is…”

“Members voted 7-0 to authorise the Assistant Director of Planning to approve subject to highway and drainage matters being satisfactorily resolved, correction/notification of land ownership certificates where necessary, any updates needed following publication of the new NPPF and subject to conditions:”

“Noise attenuation; Cooking fume extraction system. Consideration and remediation of potential contamination; Unknown contamination during development; In accordance with arboricultural report 14. Ecological mitigation 15. Ecological enhancements 16. Submission of HMMP 17. Implementation of HMMP 18. Submission of BNG monitoring reports 19.”

“PLUS statutory condition requiring the submission of a Biodiversity Gain Plan to be included as an informative.”