The Local Plan for the Broads: Issues and Options Consultation

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30. Meeting the development needs of the Broads

30.1 The Broads and development | 30.2 Housing need | 30.3 Residential moorings | 30.4 Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople | 30.5 Residential Caravans | 30.6 Call for Sites

30.1 The Broads and development

As set out in Section 5 of the Local Plan, there are many constraints to development. For example, flood risk, rural nature of the area as well as landscape and biodiversity considerations. Indeed, the NPPF at paragraph 176 says ‘great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks, the Broads and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which have the highest status of protection in relation to these issues. The conservation and enhancement of wildlife and cultural heritage are also important considerations in these areas, and should be given great weight in National Parks and the Broads. The scale and extent of development within all these designated areas should be limited, while development within their setting should be sensitively located and designed to avoid or minimise adverse impacts on the designated areas’.

30.2 Housing need

As we start to review and produce a new, updated Local Plan, it is necessary to assess the housing need figure again.

The NPPF says at paragraph 8 ‘that a sufficient number and range of homes can be provided to meet the needs of present and future generations.’

The NPPF goes on to say, at paragraphs 60 and 61 ‘to support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, it is important that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed, that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements are addressed and that land with permission is developed without unnecessary delay’ and ‘to determine the minimum number of homes needed, strategic policies should be informed by a local housing need assessment, conducted using the standard method in national planning guidance – unless exceptional circumstances justify an alternative approach which also reflects current and future demographic trends and market signal’.

30.2.1 Current housing need

The 2019 Local Plan was the first Local Plan for the Broads to include a housing need figure. The need figure was 286 dwellings or 11.43 dwellings a year.

According to annual monitoring, we have permitted the following number of net new dwellings:

• 2019/20: 21 dwellings
• 2020/21: 7 dwellings
• 2021/22: 21 dwellings

30.2.2 Calculating housing need for the new Local Plan

Most Local Planning Authorities now have their housing need calculated using the Standard Methodology. The NPPG says that the ‘standard method uses a formula to identify the minimum number of homes expected to be planned for, in a way which addresses projected household growth and historic under-supply’.

However, the standard method does not apply to the Broads. The NPPG says ‘where strategic policy-making authorities do not align with local authority boundaries (either individually or in combination), or the data required for the model are not available such as in National Parks and the Broads Authority, where local authority boundaries have changed due to reorganisation within the last 5 years or local authority areas where the samples are too small, an alternative approach will have to be used. Such authorities may continue to identify a housing need figure using a method determined locally, but in doing so will need to consider the best available information on anticipated changes in households as well as local affordability levels.’

Working with Great Yarmouth Borough Council, who were commissioning work on their housing need at the same time as us, we commissioned ORS Consultants to calculate the housing need for the entire Broads area. The study was completed in May 2022 and identifies a housing need for the Broads from 2021 to 2041 as follows:

Table 8
Projected Dwellings needed for the Broads by Local Authority

Overall housing need for 2021-41 of 358 dwellings, or 17.9 dwellings per annum.

It is important to note that the need for the Broads is part of the need of the districts and is not additional to the need of the districts.

30.2.3 Meeting the need

a) Permissions and completions

We will assess the permissions and completions since April 2021 as we produce the Local Plan for the Broads. At the time of writing, 21 net new dwellings had been permitted and 7 net new dwellings had been completed between April 2021 and end of March 2022. This leaves a need for 330 dwellings. As time goes by in producing the Local Plan, the number permitted or completed will change.

b) Sites currently allocated in the Local Plan

We also have some sites allocated in the current local plan for housing. Here are the sites and also the progress.

Table 9
Sites allocated in the current Local Plan and their progress

It is likely that all the allocations will continue in the new Local Plan as the three permitted schemes are not completed yet and HOV3 and NOR1 have not been permitted. We will ensure to not double count permitted schemes and allocated schemes.

c) Duty to Cooperate

If a Local Planning Authority cannot meet their housing need, they can work with neighbouring Local Planning Authorities through the Duty to Cooperate. We used this approach to meet some of our need in the current Local Plan. Working with Great Yarmouth Borough Council, it was agreed that they would provide 40 dwellings. We may work with our districts in order to meet the need for housing in the Broads.

30.4 Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople

30.4.1 Gypsy and Travellers

The Planning policy for traveller sites says ‘local planning authorities should set pitch targets for gypsies and travellers as defined in Annex 1 and plot targets for travelling showpeople as defined in Annex 1 which address the likely permanent and transit site accommodation needs of travellers in their area, working collaboratively with neighbouring local planning authorities’.

We worked with other Norfolk LPAs in 2017 to assess the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople need. This calculated the need as zero for the Broads.

30.4.2 Gypsy and Traveller Need in Great Yarmouth

Over the past two or three years, it has become apparent that there are and have been some unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller encampments/development in the Broads part of Great Yarmouth Borough, which would result in a need for pitches.

Recently, we worked with Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) to investigate the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites Borough-wide. RRR Consultants were commissioned to undertake the Gypsy and Traveller Need Study. They concluded the need as follows:

Table 12
Gypsy and Traveller need to 2041

It should be noted that we intend to undertake an addendum to this study in the next year or two to update it to reflect any other unauthorised pitches in the Cobholm Island area of Great Yarmouth.

30.4.3 The Gypsy and Traveller need in other parts of the Broads

We know there is a need in GYBC area and that is partly because of some unauthorised encampments/developments in the Broads part of the Borough.

We are not aware of any unauthorised encampments/developments and there are no permitted Gypsy and Traveller sites or pitches elsewhere in the Broads.

We are aware that GNLP Commissioned an addendum to the 2017 needs study. This sought to update the figures as the Greater Norwich Local Plan was submitted for examination. This addendum did not identify any need for the Broads.

We will work with the other 5 district councils over the coming years regarding any updated work on the need for Gypsy and Travellers. But as things currently stand, there is a need in the GYBC area of the Broads and nowhere else in the Broads.

30.5 Residential Caravans

30.5.1 Residential caravans

The Housing and Planning Action 2016 requires the need of those residing in caravans to be considered. These are caravans that are used for residential – they are not holiday caravans or gypsy, traveller and travelling show people caravans.

We worked with other Norfolk LPAs in 2017 to assess the residential caravan need. This calculated the need for the Broads as zero.

30.5.2 Residential Caravan Need in Great Yarmouth

Recently, we worked with Great Yarmouth Borough Council to investigate the need for residential caravans Borough-wide. RRR Consultants were commissioned to undertake the Gypsy and Traveller Need Study which can be found here. They concluded the need as follows.

Table 13
Residential caravan need to 2041

It should be noted that we intend to undertake an addendum to this study in the next year or two to update it to reflect any other unauthorised pitches in the Cobholm Island area of Great Yarmouth.

30.5.3 The residential caravan needs in other parts of the Broads

We know there is a need in GYBC area and that is partly because of some unauthorised encampments/developments in the Broads part of the Borough.

We will work with the other 5 district councils over the coming years regarding any updated work on the need for residential caravans. But as things currently stand, there is a need in the GYBC area of the Broads and nowhere else in the Broads.

30.6 Call for Sites

We are undertaking a call for sites for residential dwellings, residential moorings (both Broads-wide) and gypsy and traveller sites and residential caravans (both in Great Yarmouth Borough only).

This will require the provision of information and a form is available. This needs to be completed in full and submitted to the Broads Authority for assessment by 4pm on 9 December (the date the consultation on the Issues and Options ends).

We will work with stakeholders to assess any sites brought forward. We cannot guarantee that your site will be allocated as we may not deem it suitable for allocation in the Local Plan. We will set out our reasons for any decision we make. As set out in section 5, there are many constraints to development in the Broads.

We will work with stakeholders to assess any sites brought forward. We cannot guarantee that your site will be allocated as we may not deem it suitable for allocation in the Local Plan. We will set out our reasons for any decision we make. As set out in section 5, there are many constraints to development in the Broads.

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