Broads Local Plan
The Broads Local Plan (word document - text only) [658kb] provides statutory planning policies to control and guide new development and the use of land. It covers all the land within the Broads Authority boundaries. Together with the 'Broads Plan', (the Authority's strategy and management plan), it is part of an overall strategy to shape the future of the area.
The Broads Local Plan has recently been amended following a direction from the Secretary of State. These changes have resulted in certain policies being deleted from the Local Plan Text following expiry of the three year transitional arrangements set out by the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. The deleted policies are shown as struck through red text in the Broads Local Plan and both deleted policies (word document) [56kb] and saved policies (word document) [134 kb] have been listed for easy reference.
The Broads Local Plan is also guided by the Norfolk Structure Plan and the Suffolk Structure Plan, which provide stratetic planning policies giving special protection to the Broads. Structure plan policies have also been subjected to a direction by the Secretary of State and as a result some policies have been saved and all others are now deleted. A schedule of saved Structure Plans Policies (word document) [72kb] is available. The Local Plan includes a series of maps, showing where different policies apply. It is available to view on the Planning Portal website. Printed copies are available from the Authority's head office at Dragonfly House, 2 Gilders Way, Norwich NR3 1UB.
The Local Plan includes two types of policy:
- policies applying throughout the Broads; and
- policies applying to specific villages or sites.
These policies are based on some important key principles. For example:
- to give priority to conserving and enhancing the Broads and to prevent development which damages wildlife, the landscape or the waterways;
- to encourage appropriate small scale tourism schemes but to discourage large scale holiday or other developments;
- to be sympathetic to the needs of those who live or work in the Broads;
- to encourage upgrading, enhancement and appropriate redevelopment within the existing built environment of the Broads.
Key policies in the Broads Local Plan
Some of the key policies in the Broads Plan concern conservation, tourism and recreation, housing and employment.
Conservation
The policies aim to:
- protect the Broads landscape and wildlife habitats, including marshland, fen, carr woodland and the coast from damaging development;
- control development likely to generate further motor craft as part of a strategy to reduce bank erosion;
- provide guidance for the siting and design of essential buildings for agriculture or land drainage.
Tourism and recreation
The policies aim to:
- avoid large scale new holiday accommodation and facilities. Small scale schemes may be permitted - for example, in villages or within a boatyard;
- carefully control some types of leisure development, e.g. 'mooring plots' and stables;
- protect public rights of way when development occurs;
- assess proposals for new water areas for their effect on wildlife, landscape and waterways;
- carefully consider the design of any new bridges to ensure that they take account of Broads requirements, including navigation;
- protect the waterways from encroaching development;
- support the development of small scale visitor facilities including those which will help people understand the special value of the Broads.
Housing and employment
The policies aim to:
- allow small scale housing or employment development within the 'development boundaries' defined in the Local Plan if not damaging to village character;
- permit housing or employment development outside 'development boundaries' only for specified reasons, e.g. a replacement building, affordable housing for local needs or allowing an existing business to expand;
- allow development for operational needs of boatyards and encourage appropriate farm diversification schemes. The Local Plan also has detailed policies to protect and enhance the buildings and villages in the Broads and on other topics such as flood risk, community facilities, road schemes and cycling. It also has policies for specific villages and sites.
