Open Space Developer Requirements

The provision of public open space and facilities for sport and recreation underpins people’s quality of life. Where new development occurs, it is important that sufficient open space, sport and recreation provision is made to meet the needs arising from the new development.

The 2020 Open Space Assessment provides a detailed audit of the quality and quantity of open space and sport provision within the District.

The study provides the most up-to-date evidence of need, updated standards regarding the future provision of open space through developer contributions, and associated costs in line with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It provides the justified evidence to support the requirement for open space contributions in Policy CT2 of the adopted North Norfolk Core Strategy and emerging Local Plan Policy HC2.

Considering the planned growth levels across the area, the study identified a minimum requirement for an additional 72.39 hectares of new open space to meet residents' needs. This equates to 4.36ha per 1,000 population and is further broken down into the following typologies of open space:

• Play Space (children): 0.10ha per 1,000 population
• Play Space (youth): 0.06ha
• Parks and Recreation: 1.10ha
• Natural Greenspace: 1.5ha
• Amenity Greenspace: 1ha
• Allotments: 0.6ha

The following table sets out the type of open space and whether the provision of this will be required on or off-site, based on the number of dwellings in the proposal:

A ‘cost calculator’ that is updated annually in line with inflation sits behind this, along with up-to-date evidence on surplus or deficiencies of open space in each parish area (to be updated through the Council’s Annual Monitoring Report once the new Local Plan is adopted). Officers will use this to determine the open space requirements on individual planning proposals. Developers can use this to calculate the required policy compliant amounts of open space and breakdown of open space type to inform proposals before more detailed assessments and discussions with planning officers. Where the calculator is used, this should be submitted as part of an application for the planning case officer to review.

Further guidance is available in the submitted North Norfolk Local Plan (Appendix 2). Information should be obtained through the Councils pre-application advice service where specific advice will be given around the exact costs, type and location of provision.

The Council adopted this evidence in August 2020, to be utilised through Policy CT2 and to inform future Plan-making. Development proposals and decision making involving the provision of open space should now be based upon the requirements set out in this document. Applications that do not meet the minimum requirements will be deemed in conflict with the Development Plan.

The Open Space Assessment Study and Open Space Calculator are available in the Evidence Base - Environment section of the Document Library.