Hingham Neighbourhood Plan

Hingham Town Council submitted a Neighbourhood Area application to South Norfolk Council in September 2021. The area proposed was the whole civil parish and, in accordance with Regulation 5A of the 'Town and Country Planning, England - Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012', South Norfolk Council confirmed the designation. The Town Council is the relevant body for preparing the Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Since that time, a steering group of volunteers, working on behalf of the Town Council has developed a proposed Neighbourhood Plan for the parish, which has involved extensive research and consultation with the community and other stakeholder bodies. This was submitted to South Norfolk Council in February 2024. Please read below for the latest news on the Neighbourhood Plan.

Latest news

The proposed Hingham Neighbourhood Plan underwent an independent examination by Mr Andrew Ashcroft (Andrew Ashcroft Planning Ltd), which concluded on 23 September 2024. The examiner’s report concluded that, subject to making certain recommended modifications, the Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic conditions for neighbourhood planning and should proceed to a Neighbourhood Planning referendum within the adopted neighbourhood area.

Having considered each of the recommendations in the examiner’s report and the reasons for them, South Norfolk Council proposed to approve each of the modifications apart from that relating to Policy HING9 – Allocation of land for community uses, where the examiner proposed to delete the policy. The Council proposed an alternative modification on the basis of new evidence having been presented by Hingham Town Council following receipt of the examiner’s report.

In accordance with paragraph 13(1) of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Council consulted on its proposal in relation to HING9 during May and June 2025.

The proposal is set out in the ‘South Norfolk Council Proposed Decision Statement – Hingham Neighbourhood Plan’ which can be found within the Neighbourhood Plan documents section (link below) alongside the feasibility study and supporting documents.

The consultation has now finished and the representations received, including a summary, can be found in the ‘documents’ section, below. South Norfolk Council has now re-appointed Mr Ashcroft to consider the evidence and the Council’s proposed modification before setting out his recommendations in a focused report. This will assist South Norfolk Council in making a decision as regards this proposal. For details of the current examination (including correspondence) please visit the documents link below.

Planning Practice Guidance also provides advice on the weight to be attached to a post-examination plan.

View the Neighbourhood Plan documents.