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Local Plan Further Consultation (to address the planning inspector’s interim findings)

by | Nov 7, 2024 | North Walsham General Information

Local Plan Further Consultation (to address the planning inspector’s interim findings)

There is a further Local Plan public consultation which begins midday on Thursday 7 November and closes at midday on Thursday 19 December. Please note that this consultation contains proposals which are relevant to your parish.

Background
The Draft North Norfolk Local Plan is currently being examined by an independent Planning Inspector, Mr David Reed, who was appointed by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) to determine if the Plan is sound, legally compliant, and suitable to be adopted.

On 22nd July the Council received a letter setting out the Inspectors interim findings into the examination. In his letter, the Inspector highlighted three main areas of concern relating to the soundness of the Plan where he considered that changes would be required, and specifically requested that further consultation is undertaken.

The Inspector identified the following main soundness concerns:

  1. A shortfall in housing provision
  2. The approach toSmall Growth Villages as set out in Policy SS1 of the emerging Plan.
  3. Updating theGypsy and Traveller evidence base to reflect the change in definition brought in in December 2023 and to bring forward any necessary changes to the Plan that might arise from this updated evidence.

In summary, these concerns are centred around the need to provide more flexibility in the delivery of new housing and to ensure that the Plan meets the revised level of housing need (as determined by the governments ‘Standard Methodology’) across the revised Plan period of 2024-40, and, broadening our development strategy in smaller settlements to support additional growth, including that which allows rural areas to grow and thrive.

At the Planning Policy & Built Heritage Working Party meeting in October, members agreed an Action Plan[1] to address these issues. The Action Plan was subsequently agreed at Cabinet on Monday 4 November. Further detail around the issues and the proposals to address them are detailed within the consultation document.

Proposed Changes
In order to address the Inspectors concerns, a number of ‘Proposed Changes’ to the submitted Local Plan are identified within the consultation document and which cover the following settlements:

 

Proposed Change

Related Settlement

New or Extended Site Allocations:

Large Growth Towns: Cromer, North Walsham.
Small Growth Towns: Hoveton, Stalham.
Large Growth Villages: Blakeney, Briston, Ludham, Mundesley.

New Small Growth Villages
(amend Policy SS1 Spatial Strategy to increase the number of Small Growth Villages).

Beeston Regis, Erpingham, Felmingham, Great Ryburgh, Itteringham, Langham, Northrepps, Stibbard, Tunstead, Worstead.

All Small Growth Villages – 23 as per the submitted Plan, plus the proposed additional 10 new villages.
(amend Policy SS1 Spatial Strategy to increase the level of proposed housing growth from 6% to 9% in all Small Growth Villages[2])

Aldborough, Bacton, Badersfield, Binham, Catfield, Corpusty & Saxthorpe, East Runton,​Happisburgh, High Kelling, Horning, Little Snoring, Little Walsingham, Overstrand, Potter Heigham, Roughton, Sculthorpe, Sea Palling, Southrepps, Sutton, Trunch, Walcott, West Runton, Weybourne.

Plus, the above 10 proposed new Small Growth Villages.

Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Needs
(update Section 7.5 of the Plan to align with the latest evidence in Appendix 4 of the consultation document).

N/A

 

The Proposed Changes are part of the agreed Action Plan and timeline for addressing the remaining issues in order to support bringing the Local Plan forward to adoption as soon as possible. Without these changes it is considered probable that the Government would require the Council to start its Local Plan preparation process again.

Without an up-to-date Local Plan in place, communities would be at risk of speculative and unplanned development proposals across the district in order to meet housing needs. Such a situation would also present a lost opportunity to influence development in the district in line with up-to-date planning policies (including those which support the Council’s climate change ambitions). Any new Local Plan would need to conform to the latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework and the expected significantly higher annual housing requirement.[3]

Consultation
Communities now have the opportunity to comment on the additional proposals through this consultation and it is expected that further public hearing session(s) will be held in the New Year.

Full details of the consultation and how to respond are included within the consultation document. All relevant information will be available at www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/localplanconsultation by midday on Thursday 7 November.

Responses must be received by midday Thursday 19 December 2024. All responses will firstly be considered by the Council, and subsequently by the appointed Planning Inspector who will consider them as part of the ongoing examination, and to inform any future public hearings which may be required.

It is important to note that this consultation is not inviting comments on other aspects of the draft North Norfolk Local Plan.