Local Plan Further Consultation now open

Date published: 7th November 2024

A further round of public consultation relating to the emerging new Local Plan for North Norfolk has begun today, Thursday, November 7, and will run until midday on Thursday, December 19.

As part of the ongoing examination of the Local Plan, the appointed Planning Inspector, Mr David Reed, issued a letter to the Council in July 2024 setting out his initial findings, having conducted public hearing sessions earlier in the year.

In his letter, the Inspector positively concluded that ‘there is a clear way forward for the Plan’, subject to addressing three main areas of concern:

· Housing need and supply – considering options to provide additional dwellings over an adjusted Plan period of 2024-2040 in order to address an identified shortfall of housing, and to allow for flexibility and contingency across the Local Plan period.

· Spatial strategy – considering a range of options to broaden the ‘Small Growth Villages’ element of the settlement hierarchy to allow for additional growth and opportunity for villages to grow and thrive.

· Evidence update – an updated Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment to assess the latest need in line with best practice.

Consequently, the council has prepared a new consultation document and is inviting comments on the proposed changes set out within it.

The Council is also publishing a number of background evidence documents which support the proposed changes, and these will also be available for comment.

Cllr Andrew Brown, Portfolio Holder for Planning & Enforcement added:

“The Inspector’s examination has helpfully raised a limited number of areas where the Council needs to adjust its proposals. This consultation document positively responds to the Inspectors interim findings and will allow the examination to proceed.”

“The new Local Plan will be critical to ensuring that communities across North Norfolk have certainty over the location, scale and type of development that can be expected, and that our unique natural and built environment continues to be protected from inappropriate development into the future.”

“The Council is committed to adopting the new Plan as soon as possible and we would welcome your views on the proposals.”

For details of how to respond, and to view the consultation documents, please visit www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/localplanconsultation