South Norfolk residents to have their say on new home

South Norfolk Council’s consultation on South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (VCHAP) launches on 23 January. This is an opportunity for local people to comment on future sites that will help deliver a minimum of 1,200 additional new homes across the villages of South Norfolk.  

This follows the initial consultation on the draft VCHAP in summer 2021, in which almost 800 individuals and organisations submitted in excess of 2,000 comments.  

The current consultation will last for a period of six weeks and will close on 6 March, 2023. 

VCHAP allocates about 45 new sites for homes to be built by 2038, with further sites being identified through Neighbourhood Plans produced by the communities of Roydon, Burston, Scole and Dickleburgh.  

South Norfolk Council initially assessed more than 500 sites in developing its VHAP document, looking at factors such as environmental constraints, access, local services and infrastructure, flood risk, landscape character, historic environment, site availability and achievability. During the consultation on the draft plan in 2021, individuals and organisation who took part submitted 63 new or revised sites as part of their responses, which the Council has considered and assessed. 

Cllr Lisa Neal, Cabinet Member for Stronger Economy, said:

“We want to look after the people who live in South Norfolk today while planning for the people who want to come and live here in the future. This plan will deliver growth that will support the vitality of our villages and the housing developments will help support local builders and tradespeople, which strengthens our local economies. I would like to thank everyone who has helped us move the VCHAP forward during our consultation process and enabled us to get to this point.” 

From 23 January, residents can view the VCHAP document on the council website. Alternatively, hard copies of the document will be made available to read in libraries across South Norfolk and in the Millennium Library, Norwich, and at South Norfolk Council’s offices, which are located at Thorpe Lodge, 1 Yarmouth Rd, Norwich, NR7 0DU and at The Octagon, Mere Street, Diss, IP22 4AH. 

Anyone wishing to provide feedback on the VCHAP should do so before 6 March. Ideally, please use a copy of the template Representation Form, which you can complete and submit online via the Council’s website or in hard copy format at the locations previously mentioned.  

Find further information and background relating to the proposed VCHAP, including links to the plan itself and supporting information. You can also contact the Place Shaping Team on (01508) 533805 or via email with queries.  

Following the consultation and any revisions to the VCHAP, it will be examined by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate before a final version becomes part of the Local Plan for South Norfolk. The Local Plan sets out the Council’s policies for new development in the district, including identifying specific areas of land for certain uses or types of development, such as housing.