Local Development Orders in Broadland

Local Development Orders (LDOs) streamline planning arrangements by allowing specific types of development (subject to conditions) in specific areas without the need for planning applications for to be submitted.  This means that it is not necessary for investors or occupiers to submit planning applications for their proposals.

Food Enterprise Zone LDO

We have now adopted the Local Development Order (LDO) to help facilitate the Greater Norwich Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ). Food Enterprise Zones (FEZ) are a government initiative introduced by the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The LDO acts as a planning permission and will allow greater flexibility for new business-related development to locate within the site by:

• enhancing rural development through the growth of food businesses in a particular location, be it producers, processors, retailers and/or manufacturers
• encouraging greater collaboration between food and farming businesses, and even encourage links to research and education institutions, in order to develop the domestic food and farming sector
• allowing local decision making, particularly for planning a development
• attracting inward investment

Located to the west of Easton village and south of the A47, the aim of the FEZ is the development of a flagship, centralised, commercial facility comprising food production, food research, education and ancillary businesses.

The FEZ will also help bring about greater levels of collaborative working between the Norfolk education, science and industry sectors.

South Norfolk Council is looking to build on the success of the existing Food Enterprise Zone and as a result is in the process of drafting an LDO for the land immediately to the east of the (FEZ) and south of the A47.

A stakeholder meeting has been held with representatives of local parish councils, South Norfolk Council and Broadland District Council in August 2023.  Further events will take place as the LDO progresses.