About Michael Hill

Wreningham Parish Council Chair

Wymondham Road – vehicle speed data

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Thankfully the recent rat-run created by the diversion of traffic away from the B1135 near to Hethel Engineering is now over. The works which might have continued for four weeks had been completed in two. The NCC engineer arranged for closure of Hethel Road within a couple of days following sustained requests from parishioners and the Parish Council. That helped but soon the diverted traffic re-routed via Wymondham Road.

We had the SAM2 device positioned on Wymondham Road near the old railway bridge to monitor vehicle speeds. It can not differentiate between types of vehicle; it just counts them. So we cannot comment on the “quality” (size, type, etc.) of the vehicles passing by. Nevertheless, I thought it might be interesting to share the data it collected between 15th and 25th October 2025. The downloaded data was analysed using the  manufacturer’s software. The analysis is presented below and is quite comprehensive. (Remember this is all one way – heading towards the bridge.) Page 1 provides a summary for the period. Page 39 contains a histogram showing the distribution of speeds over the period i.e from total vehicles (2511) 312 (12.43%) are recorded as speeding over 30mph:

  • 31-35mph: 281
  • 36-40mph: 14
  • 41-45mph: 12
  • 45-50mph: 4
  • 50-55mph: 1
251015 to 251025 Wymondham Road speed analysisDownload

Lotus Hethel Roundabout – an update

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22 October 2025: NCC Highways have written regarding the proposed 30mph limit on Potash Lane. See email extract below:

251022 email re Potash laneDownload

8 September 2025: A proposed 30mph speed limit on a realigned section of Potash Lane along with a Prohibition of motor vehicles restriction on the existing section of Potash Lane. These changes are part of the new roundabout off Wymondham Road and a new link road to tie in with Potash Lane to the north.

These proposals are being formally advertised from Friday 5 September 2025 and the advertisement period will last until Tuesday 30 September 2025.
A copy of the draft Orders, a plan, the Statement of Reasons for making the Orders and a
copy of the Order being consolidated can be viewed online here.
Copies are also available for inspection at Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Norwich, NR1 2DH and at the offices of South Norfolk District Council, Horizon Business Centre, Peachman Way, Norwich NR7 0WF during normal office hours.
Any objections and representations relating to the Order must be made in writing and must specify the grounds on which they are made. All correspondence for these proposals must be received at the office of nplaw, Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH, marked for the attention of the nplaw Traffic Regulation Order Team by the 30 September 2025. They may also be emailed to trafficorders@norfolk.gov.uk

Three of the document are presented here:

PR2225 Bracon Ash -Hethel- – Notice of ProposalsDownload
PR2225 Bracon Ash -Hethel- – TRO Consultation Plan -1Download
PR2225 Bracon Ash -Hethel- – Statement of Reasons -2Download

Bonfire Advice

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Bonfires (and your neighbours!)

It is perfectly legal to have a bonfire and there are no restrictions as to when you can have it. However, you must comply with the Environmental Protection Act.
Following a complaint to the Parish Council and in the interest of good neighbourliness, the following might be useful:

  • Timing – Choose a good time for you and your neighbours. Avoid weekends and bank holidays!
  • Frequency – Try to have as few bonfires as possible.
  • Management – Never leave a bonfire unattended.
  • Materials – Avoid wet or green materials as they will produce excess smoke. Do not burn anything likely to produce excessive, pungent and toxic smoke, e.g. rubber and plastic.
  • Weather – Wind can blow smoke towards the neighbours; stronger winds could impact neighbours further away.
  • Brown Bins – For low levels of garden waste you may wish to consider the brown bin service from South Norfolk Council.

Further Roadworks Closure on Hethel Road

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Dates : 19th to 31st October 2025 (previously 14th to 18th October 2025)

We have received a notice of additional roadworks on Hethel road from Harry Troise, Legal Officer, Planning Team (nplaw) [Tel: +44 1603 223856, Email: harry.troise@norfolk.gov.uk]

We are checking what they mean as it seems to seal off parts of Hethel Road.

Wreningham STRO13591 Continuation HMDownload

Are you an “Interested Party”?

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We have received the following email dated 13 October, from National Grid Electricity Transmission plc

Dear Sir/Madam

National Grid (Norwich to Tilbury) Development Consent Order (Application Reference: EN020027)

Notice of Acceptance of an Application for a Development Consent Order by the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero) under Section 56 of The Planning Act 2008(the ‘2008 Act’)

Regulation 8 of The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 (as amended) (the ‘2009 Regulations’)

Regulation 16 of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017(the ‘2017 Regulations’)

You will have previously received correspondence from National Grid about its proposals known as Norwich to Tilbury.  Having undertaken extensive public consultation on our proposals, we submitted our application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate on 29 August 2025. 

I write to notify you, in accordance with section 56 of the Planning Act 2008, that on 26 September 2025 the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero) accepted for examination an application made by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (company number 02366977) of National Grid House, Warwick Technology Park, Gallows Hill, Warwick, CV34 6DA (‘the Applicant’) for a Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008.

The application is for Norwich to Tilbury (‘the project’) (Application Reference EN020027), a new 400 kilovolt electricity transmission connection of approximately 180 km in overall length from Norwich Main Substation to Tilbury Substation via Bramford Substation, a new EACN Substation and a new Tilbury North Substation.

The application now progresses to the next phase in the Development Consent Order planning process, which is known as the ‘Pre-Examination’ phase. During this phase, you have a set period of time to register with the Planning Inspectorate, should you wish to become an Interested Party by making a Relevant Representation.

As an Interested Party you will be allowed to make representations about the application. This will also ensure that you are informed about the progress of the Examination, (the phase following the Pre-Examination phase, which lasts for up to six months). A Relevant Representation is a person’s or organisation’s detailed comments about the application. The relevant representation should include full details of the issues that the person or organisation want to be considered, including evidence where necessary.

The enclosed notice explains how to make a relevant representation.

We are contacting you because you are either a prescribed consultee under section 42(1)(a) of the 2008 Act or a relevant local authority for the purposes of section 42(1)(b) and (c) of the 2008 Act.  

If you would like to register as an Interested Party, you must do so by making a relevant representation in writing directly to the Planning Inspectorate before the registration period closes at 23:59 on 27 November 2025.

Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the formal section 56 notice published in accordance with sections 56(7) of the 2008 Act and regulation 8 of the 2009 Regulations, details of where on the National Infrastructure Planning website the accepted application (including the Environmental Statement) can be viewed, and a map showing where the project could be sited/ routed. Together, these enclosures constitute notice of the accepted application which we are required to give you in line with section 56(2) of the 2008 Act, regulation 8 of the 2009 Regulations, and regulation 16 of the 2017 Regulations.  

If you have any enquiries in relation to the application and its accompanying documents, plans and maps, please contact National Grid by:

Email: contact@n-t.nationalgrid.com

Post: FREEPOST N TO T (no stamp or further address details are required)

Telephone: 0800 915 2497 (lines are open Monday to Friday 9am – 5:30pm)

Yours faithfully

Simon Pepper

Project Director

For and on behalf of National Grid Electricity Transmission plc

Enc.

  • Section 56 Notice; and
  •  An overall route map showing where the proposed development is sited.
Norwich to Tilbury – S56 MapDownload
Norwich to Tilbury – S56 NoticeDownload

Closure of Hethel Road, Wreningham

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Update 8 October 17:00

We have received a message relating to Hethel Road.

“Hethel Road will close from tomorrow morning after the school bus has gone through.

“The closure is as a result of the high number of vehicle using Hethel Road as a shortcut around the roadworks on Wymondham Road instead of using the official diversion route. This has triggered a number of concerns from Parishioners who are concerned over the safety of pedestrian, school children and other road users due to the increased traffic over the past few days. Access for residents will be from the southern end only with no access through to Wymondham Road. Traffic will not be allowed into Hethel Road from the Wymondham Road end.

“The only exception will be for emergency vehicles and also the school bus which will be let through by a gateman and therefore school children can be picked up by the bus at the usual location.”

Update 8 October 12:00

As foreseen, a rat-run was established through the village as soon as the roadworks commenced on the B1135/C186. Residents have been vocal in contacting the authorities to report the dangers presented by the volume and waywardness of drivers through the village.

The Parish Council has recently been advised by the NCC Highways project manager that a road closure will be put in place at the point where Hethel Road meets the B1135 near Hethel Engineering.

It is expected that this will be in effect from either this afternoon or tomorrow morning. This will be manned and school buses will be permitted access to and from Hethel Road. We do not know the full details of this, but will let you know when they are available

Posting of Roadworks

The works announced will be to the East of Corporation Farm on the Wymondham Road. The road is anticipated to be closed from 6th to 31st October 2025, although it potentially could continue to January 2026. Please see the documents below:

Bracon Ash and Hethel STRO13413 PTDownload
250918 Hanlon noteDownload

Rat Run in Wreningham?

Note the diversion is quite long and it is possible to anticipate a rat run occurring through the village, along Hethel Road and Church Road. Given our narrow roads, and especially along Hethel Road, this could be a difficult time for residents. The Parish Council is in contact with NCC, the project manager and the Police to establish what steps could be taken to avoid a rat run becoming established through the village.

40 mph limit on C186 Wymondham Road

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Construction of a new roundabout on the Wymondham Road will necessitate setting a new speed limit of 40mph for the duration of the construction work. This will be from 6 October 2025 to 5 January 2026.

Wreningham STRO13467 PT (SRO)Download

For more information or to comment – Fabian Goldsborough-Myers (ACILEx), Legal Officer, Planning Team (Traffic Orders):

  • Tel: +44 – 01603 679187
  • Email: fabian.myers@norfolk.gov.uk  
  • post – nplaw, Chief Executive’s Office, South Wing, Ground Floor, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2DH

Planning Application – The Old Butchery, Church Road

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Reference: 2025/2115
Applicant: Kieron & Louise Bradley
Location: The Old Butchery Church Road Wreningham NR16 1BA
Proposal: Installation of 12 panel above ground solar pv array (non ground penetrating weighted ground mount system)
Application Type: Full Planning Permission

You can submit your comments using the reference 2025/2115 by 14 October 2025 via:

  • email – planning@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk
  • online – www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk
  • telephone – 01508 533813 / 01603 430509
  • post – The Horizon Centre, Broadland Business Park, Peachman Way, Norwich NR7 0WF

Please note: any comments you make will be available to view on-line.