The Local Plan for the Broads: Issues and Options Consultation

Welcome to the online version of the Broads Authority's consultation into the Issues and Options version of The Local Plan for the Broads.

This digital version aims to make it easier for you to read and understand this version of the Local Plan. It is broken up into different sections and pages on common themes.

You can use the menu on the left-hand side of the page to navigate the plan, or follow the links at the top and bottom of each page.

If you would prefer to access a PDF version of the local plan you can view/download it here: Issues and Options Local Plan (PDF version)

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. About this consultation
3. About Local Plans
4. Timeline and stages for the production of the Local Plan for the Broads
5. Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment
6. Policy context
7. About the Broads
8. Duty to Cooperate
9. The Broads: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
10. Vision and Objectives
11. The rest of this Issues and Options document
12. Your part of the Broads
13. Climate Change
14. Trees, woodlands, hedges and shrubs
15. Peat
16. Energy efficiency of the existing housing stock
17. Flood resilience of existing dwellings
18. Wind energy
19. Local Green Space
20. Quay heading in front of quay heading
21. Water efficiency of new dwellings
22. Tranquillity
23. Farm diversification
24. Agriculture development
25. Marketing
26. Sites allocated for change
27. Changes/standards that may be introduced by the Government
28. Design
29. Development boundaries
30. Meeting the development needs of the Broads
31. Our existing policies
32. Next steps
33. Appendix 1: Privacy notice
34. Appendix 2: List of Parishes (and Towns and City) in the Broads

1. Introduction

The Broads Authority has started the review of the Local Plan for the Broads. This first round of public consultation is the Issues and Options consultation.

There are several reasons why we are reviewing the Local Plan:

• We commit in the current Local Plan for the Broads to start the review around 18 months after adoption; 18 months after the May 2019 adoption is November 2020. Background work started in-house in November 2020, including project planning.
• The Local Plan 2019 was produced in line with, and examined against, the 2012 National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF). At around the time the final draft of the Local Plan was being consulted on, submitted and examined, a new version of the NPPF was released. This included transition arrangements for advanced Local Plans, such as that for the Broads, which permitted examination against the ‘old’ 2012 NPPF. It is prudent to now review the Local Plan, noting that the NPPF was updated in 2021.
• Given that the final drafting of the current Local Plan was at the end of 2017 (submitted early 2018, examined from mid-2018 and adopted May 2019), some of the issues that are addressed in the Local Plan, such as climate change, have moved on. Again, it is prudent to start to review the Local Plan to ensure it is as up to date as possible.

We do not include policies in this document; that will be for the next version of the Local Plan. This stage is about identifying issues and discussing options.

At this ‘first steps’ stage we want to know what you think about the Broads - what you value about it, what needs improvement, and what you feel are the key issues. We would also like your views on our current planning policies and how they are working.

2. About this consultation

The questions in this document are here to prompt and guide responses on the issues we think are most relevant to the new Local Plan. You don’t have to answer them all, but please comment on any of relevance to you. Alternatively, if you want to respond more generally or cover other issues, then please email us at PlanningPolicy@broads-authority.gov.uk. The important thing is to tell us what you think – we want to hear from as many and as wide a range of people as possible.

This draft document and consultation process have been developed to adhere to the Broads Authority’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)_[1], which has been updated. The main changes to how we intend to consult on this document are as follows:

• If you wish to discuss the document, call 01603 610734 and ask to speak to Natalie Beal (Planning Policy Officer). You can also contact Natalie to request a video conference appointment.
• We will place hard copies of the consultation documents in libraries and Council offices as follows. We recommend that you check with the venues about any access restrictions they may still have.
• Libraries: Acle, Beccles, Brundall, Bungay, Cromer, Great Yarmouth, Loddon, Lowestoft, Oulton Broad, Norwich Millennium, Stalham and Wroxham.
• Council Offices: Broadland, Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk, South Norfolk, East Suffolk, Norfolk County and Suffolk County.
• Hard copies will be available at Yare House.
• We can send you hard copies of the documents on request – please contact Natalie on the above number. This service will initially be free, but if we get many requests we may have to consider charging for postage and printing.

Consultation on this document is for 10 weeks from 3 October to 4pm 9 December 2022.. We will then read and respond to all comments received.

Please email your comments to: PlanningPolicy@broads-authority.gov.uk.

We are holding three drop-in events, where you can come and talk to Broads Authority staff. Please note that we will ask you to wear masks or face shields when attending these events. They are on:

• 10 October 2022, from 4pm - 8pm at Brundall Memorial Hall (Lounge), NR13 5LL
• 2 November 2022, from 4pm - 8pm at Oulton Community Centre (Small hall), NR32 3AZ
• 12 November 2022, from 10am - 1pm at Potter Heigham Village Hall, NR29 5LE