The Greater Norwich Local Plan has been adopted

The GNLP, that has been seven years in the making, sets out a vision for growth for the area and identifies sites for new homes, jobs and infrastructure while protecting the area’s unique environment and habitats.

Chair of the Greater Norwich Development Partnership, Councillor, The Lord Fuller OBE, said:
 

“Having an up-to-date local plan has never been more important now that it provides protection against unwanted and unexpected speculative planning applications in the wrong places. This decision protects communities from unplanned applications and gives confidence that the building of new homes is delivered alongside infrastructure and community facilities.

“The plan allows for the protection of separations between settlements, country parks and landscape protections. It unlocks the building of new schools and surgeries. And sustains village life with measured development in our villages whilst concentrating the bulk of new homes closer to the City with it's job opportunities and facilities.

“It's the culmination of eight years of work which allowed the Councils to winnow-out 90pc of housing applications asked-for by landowners to focus on 10,000 which are close to transport and education facilities, town centres and transport hubs, whilst avoiding flood zones and county wildlife sites. It's a plan that we can be proud of and one which maintains this area as one of the best places to live in the country.”

The agreed plan provides opportunities for around 45,000 new homes to meet the needs for housing in both our urban and rural areas between 2018 and 2038. Around 9,000 of those homes have already been built. The plan also provides for around 33,000 new jobs, as well as for green spaces and additional local infrastructure.

Adoption means that Greater Norwich has an up-to-date local plan with a clear and sustainable strategy and site allocations that will promote investment into our economy and provide much-needed homes, jobs and local infrastructure projects, helped by the continued use of pooled Community Infrastructure Levy funding.

By confirming the ongoing commitment to plan-led joint working, the local plan will support Greater Norwich in accessing national funding streams, especially for major infrastructure and regeneration programmes.

Importantly, proposed revisions to national policy, if enacted as recently stated by government, should mean that for five years after adoption of the plan, there would be no need to annually demonstrate a five-year land supply for Greater Norwich.
This would significantly reduce the pressure to grant permissions for non-allocated housing sites and further increase the benefits of having an adopted plan.

The Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) has been produced by Broadland District Council, Norwich City Council and South Norfolk Council working together with Norfolk County Council through the Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP). The Broads Authority is also part of the GNDP but produces a separate local plan.