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South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan Examination latest updates and further information

Latest updates

2 October 2025 - GNLP Topic paper Policy 7.4 Village Clusters added to Document Library under section B - Evidence Library (Reference B.11.2).

1 October 2025 - South Norfolk Council's response to the Inspector's initial letter published on the Document Library under section E - Council Response (Reference CR1).

17 September 2025 - South Norfolk Council received the initial letter from the Inspector. This has been added to the Document Library under section D - Inspectors Correspondence (Reference IN1).

8 August 2025 - Allocations and Settlement Limits Extensions Site Assessments added to Evidence Library (Reference B.1A). Topic Paper (Reference B.11.1) updated due to formatting errors.

4 August 2025 - the South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (VCHAP) and its supporting documents were submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

What is a Local Plan Examination?

Before a local plan can be formally adopted and brought into use, it must be subject to an ‘independent examination’ by an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.

The purpose of the examination is to assess whether the plan is ‘sound’. This includes deciding whether it meets the four tests of ‘soundness’ set out in national planning policy. In summary, these are that the plan is positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy. There are also some specific legal requirements which each plan must meet, for example in relation to consultation.

Key stages of a Local Plan Examination

The South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan examination is currently at Stage 1.

  1. Initial assessment – The inspector will review the Local Plan, supporting evidence and consultation responses to establish the key issues.
  2. Hearings – The main issues will be discussed at public hearings, led by the inspector.
  3. Changes to the plan – The inspector will inform the Council if any changes are to be made to the plan (known as Main Modifications) and the Council will consult on these.
  4. Final report – The inspector considers everything they have gathered, including responses to Main Modifications, and writes their final report. The Council will publish this on the Council website. This marks the end of the examination.
  5. Adoption of the Plan by the Council.

Further information

Further information on the Local Plan examination process can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s Procedure Guide for Local Plan Examinations and the short guide aimed at those participating in a local plan examination for the first time.