2. Greater Norwich Profile

36. This spatial profile outlines the main social, economic, and environmental issues in Greater Norwich which provide context for the local plan’s vision and objectives and policies. It identifies key trends and issues locally which the plan, where possible, aims to take account of and address.

37. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated total population of the three districts in 2018 was 409,000. The 2021 population was 418,000 in the Census. In 2018, 55% of the population lived in the Norwich urban area (see the glossary for the definition), around 10% lived in the market towns of Aylsham, Diss, Long Stratton, Harleston, and Wymondham, and around 35% lived in smaller towns and villages.

38. Parishes close to the city have a strong relationship with Norwich, while parts of the area look to the network of towns and larger villages to meet every day needs and provide employment.

(ONS census 2021 using data which most closely relates to built-up areas, rounded to the nearest 100 people).

39. Long-term trends underpin the need for the GNLP to plan for continued population growth. Census data shows that the numbers of people living in Greater Norwich rose steadily from 351,000 in 2001 to 381,000 in 2011 and 418,000 in 2021. This was due to both natural increase, such as people living longer, and people moving into the area, largely from elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

40. Estimates shown in the graph below are based on the ONS 2014 and 2018-based population projections. These suggest that increases will continue in the years up to 2038, with the population rising to between 463,000 and 470,000 by 2038. ; Our housing need calculation is derived from the standard methodology and its requirement to base it on 2014 based projections, and our targets reflect this, but we recognise the 2018-based projections are different and we have a plan with the flexibility to provide for this additional growth.

41. The population of Greater Norwich has relatively high proportions of older people compared to national figures and this pattern is projected to increase to 2038 as shown in the charts below (source: ONS). Broadland and South Norfolk have proportions of older people significantly above the national average. Further growth of the older population will add to already significant pressure on residential and home care services, so it is important that the GNLP plans for changing housing needs.

Percentage of population by age group

42. Birth rates have declined in recent years, both locally and nationally. The birth rate in Greater Norwich fell from 11.3 in 2011 to 9.6 in 2018 reflecting the national pattern. The birth rate in England and Wales in 2018 was the lowest ever recorded.

43. However, there are higher than average proportions of young adults in Norwich and the pie charts above show that this trend is set to continue. This is largely due to the high and growing student population. Graduate retention in our area is good. But demographic changes mean more and more older people will be supported by fewer people of working age, therefore it is important that the plan helps to keep young people in our area by assisting in providing suitable jobs and housing.

44. While the overall proportion of minority ethnic residents is relatively low, census data shows there was a significant increase from 1.8% in the Greater Norwich area in 2001 to 7.3% in 2021. The number and proportion of minority ethnic residents are highest in Norwich, which saw an increase from 3.2% in 2001 to 12.9% in 2021.

45. The health of people in Broadland and South Norfolk is generally better than the national average, but in Norwich it is markedly worse (source: ONS). The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) shows that there is also marked variation within the city itself with life expectancy at birth being 10.9 years lower for men in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived.

46. The Greater Norwich authorities work with providers to help ensure required additional health care facilities are planned for. Service provision will need to be planned to take account of demographic changes, including the ageing population, and the integration of health services. The design of development should support technological changes as such changes are leading to different ways of providing health care such as on-line consultations.

47. Development will also need to be designed to include high-quality green infrastructure and community facilities to encourage healthy and active lifestyles, including healthy ageing and active retirement. Good quality housing and local access to facilities for all will be needed to reduce inequalities. This will assist in reducing health inequalities.

48. There are higher crime levels in inner urban wards, particularly in areas with a concentration of late-night drinking establishments. Overall, according to ONS data for 2019 crime rates in the Norfolk police force area remain relatively low (10th out of 43 for crime rate). Statistics relating to knife crime show Norfolk to be amongst the lowest in the country (9th lowest out of 43). However, Norwich experienced an increase in knife crime between 2016-18 to a rate of 10 per 10,000 people, compared to 1.1 per 10,000 in both Broadland and South Norfolk.

49. ONS statistics relating to drug related crime show Norfolk to be 25th out of 43 police areas in England and Wales in 2019. 2019 research from the Mayor of London found that Norfolk is the top county affected by London individuals linked (or suspected to be linked) to County Lines, with Norwich listed as the most prominent city.

50. It is important that the local plan ensures that new development is designed to minimise crime.

51. This GNLP needs to plan for additional housing needs above and beyond existing commitments based on evidence. It also needs to plan for changes in the types of homes we need. Several factors are driving this increase in the need for more and different types of housing including rising population levels, an increase in the number of older people, more younger people sharing homes and a limited supply of housing over much of the last decade.

52. Between adoption of the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) in 2011 and 2022, 89% of the housing target was delivered. Whilst housing completions were well below target in the early years of the JCS plan period, there was a generally a steady annual increase in completions, and except for 2020/21, delivery was around and above the JCS annual target in the most recent years (see the housing completions graph below).

53. From January 2019 to March 2022, the Greater Norwich authorities were able to demonstrate a five-year housing supply in accordance with the requirements of the NPPF. From March 2022, large parts of the Greater Norwich area were identified as being constrained by the requirement for Nutrient Neutrality. These constraints created uncertainty about the delivery of sites whilst the necessary nutrient neutrality mitigation schemes were developed. Consequently, for the purposes of decision making the Greater Norwich authorities did not seek to demonstrate a five-year housing supply from March 2022. Taking account of the progress that is being made in respect of the individual mitigation schemes and the development of the Norfolk Environmental Credits nutrient neutrality mitigation scheme, there is clear evidence that there will be a demonstrable five-year housing land supply, including the 10% buffer required by the NPPF, at adoption of the plan for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028.

54. Part of the reason for the increase in housing delivery in 2018/19 is that changes in Government policy allowed new purpose-built student accommodation delivery to be included in the housing figures at a rate of 1 home per 2.5 student bedrooms. Between 2018 and 2022, annual monitoring reports show 1,340 new student bedrooms were delivered, the equivalent of 435 new homes. This reflects a growing trend in recent years for new student accommodation development, particularly at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and in the city centre. If, as currently planned, the UEA and the Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) expand further and some students continue to seek better quality accommodation, this trend could continue to 2038. Care Home bed spaces can also now be counted against housing need at a suitable discounted rate.

55. The contribution from housing delivered through change of use has also increased in recent years. A significant proportion of this has been delivered through permitted development, particularly through the conversion of offices in central Norwich. There is likely to be a continuing supply of dwellings from office conversions through the plan period. However, with the uncertainty around the impact of both Covid-19 and Brexit on the wider economy and on the demand for office space, and with a diminishing stock of buildings suitable for conversion, it is unclear whether the rate of supply will increase or decrease over time. Given the uncertainty, it is reasonable to assume that supply will continue at the same rate. Broadland and South Norfolk have had very low numbers of homes delivered through change of use.

56. Broadland and South Norfolk are dominated by owner occupied housing, whilst Norwich has a much higher percentage of social rented and private rented properties (see table 2 below). The figures for owner occupation compare to a national figure of 63%. The area’s tenure mix has changed since 2001, with falls in home ownership and social renting and corresponding rises in the percentage of private rented properties across all three districts, mirroring the national picture. This trend seems likely to continue.

(source ONS)

57. At the start of the plan period in 2018, ONS data showed the property price to earnings ratio was 9.2 in Broadland, 7 in Norwich and 8.8 in South Norfolk, compared to a national average of 7.8. Affordability is a major barrier to home ownership locally.

58. Local evidence identifies that 28% of the housing required from 2015 to 2038 should be affordable housing. It also shows that the mix of housing tenures required differs by the type of home as illustrated in the graph below. The highest requirement for general market housing is for three bed homes. Affordable housing needs can be different. The most up-to- date breakdown of affordable housing need across the three districts will be used by the individual local authorities when planning applications are being considered.

59. This plan seeks to address this by developing the required number, tenures and types of homes to meet this demand. The mix of requirements will change through the plan period as different needs are met by development.

60. Owing to the projected increase in the numbers of older people, local evidence in the Strategic Housing Market Assessment suggests that around 3,900 additional communal establishment places for over 75s will be required to 2038. The plan will need to have policies which specifically support the delivery of housing suitable for older people and support active retirement.

61. The provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers consisted of 129 permanent pitches in 2022. These are on large sites at Swanton Road (Norwich), Roundwell (Costessey) and Harford Bridge (Keswick), and on several small sites around the area. There are 55 plots for Travelling Show People mainly at Hooper Lane in Norwich. There will be a need for some additional accommodation during the plan period.

62. The IMD shows there are some wards and more localised areas with high levels of deprivation in Norwich. Although the surburban and rural parts of Greater Norwich are relatively affluent, there are pockets of deprivation elsewhere too. It is important that inclusive growth and regeneration is supported through the GNLP to help to reduce deprivation.

63. Greater Norwich is key to the region’s economy with considerable potential for growth in world class knowledge intensive jobs. As a major part of the country’s largest agri-food sector, and as a world leader in plant, microbial and climate change research, the growing economy of Greater Norwich is well-placed to make a major contribution to living with environmental change and ensuring food security. Advanced intelligent information technology businesses in Greater Norwich, along with the wider area’s position as the world’s leading provider of offshore wind energy, mean that the area can also play a key role in promoting energy security through sustainable sources. Taken together, this means that Greater Norwich is well equipped to make a significant contribution to the major environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century, developing a post-carbon economy locally which will contribute greatly to sustainable economic change nationally and internationally.

64. Strategic employment sites and competitive land and business lets, mainly those in and around the Norwich and Wymondham area, support the globally significant growth axis within the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor (as shown in map 1 below).

65. The vibrant, attractive city centre of Norwich is a nationally significant retail centre and a catalyst for economic growth across Greater Norwich, encouraging investment into the area. Market towns at Diss, Harleston and Aylsham and other local employment sites provide accessible employment for rural areas.

66. Between 2011-18 modelling shows a 14.6% rise in total employment (29,100 jobs). This included notable increases in jobs in the accommodation and food sectors, IT and communications, professional, scientific and technical professions, education and health, contributing to the 50% regional growth in Science and Research and Development employment since 2007 compared with 19% UK average. However, employment in agriculture, manufacturing and insurance fell.

67. Greater Norwich also strongly features most of the sectors identified by New Anglia LEP as having high growth potential regionally. These include: advanced manufacturing and engineering at Hethel; agri-tech, health and life sciences at the Norwich Research Park (NRP) and the Food Enterprise Park; and IT and communications and digital creative industries in the city centre. Greater Norwich’s other strengths include financial services, tourism, retail, media and the arts. The area also benefits from a strong and growing tertiary education sector provided by UEA, NUA, City College Norwich and Easton College which contribute research expertise and a skilled workforce.

1. The life-science sector has a skilled workforce of 15,000 in the Norwich cluster and the Norwich Research Park is the UK’s largest site for research in food, health and life sciences.
2. Agri-tech is a sector worth £3.6 billion and Easton College provides 5,000 students with training in the area which feed into the sector.
3. IT and communications and digital creative industries account for a sector worth £1.4 billion with over 100 companies in Norwich and a workforce of 7,500, including large numbers of graduates from the local universities.
4. The financial sector employs more than 11,500 people and contributes £1 billion to the local economy.
5. Greater Norwich boasts an extensive and varied leisure and culture offer. The tourism sector is worth £3 billion and the visitor economy supports 54,000 skilled workers thanks to the growing number of day visitors, currently estimated at 40 million per year, and 12 million overnight visitors. Visitor attractions include a wide variety of historic buildings, parks and museums, cultural festivals and other regular events, along with access to the Broads and the coast. Sports and leisure facilities include numerous attractive open spaces and routes for walking and cycling, a dry ski slope, the only Olympic sized swimming pool in the region, leisure centres, Norwich City Football Club, theatres, cinemas, music venues and restaurants and bars.
6. Retail remains the largest provider of employment in the area. Norwich is rated as the 13th best performing retail centre nationally and our market towns also have a strong local retail offer.

68. In December 2013, the Greater Norwich City Deal was signed, which is building on the area’s leading status in science, technology and advanced manufacturing and focusses on enterprise, skills and infrastructure.

69. Employment rates in Greater Norwich compare favourably to national trends, with rates of claimants for Jobs Seekers Allowance and Universal Credit below regional and national levels.

70. Rural enterprises are important to the local economy and home working is increasing in significance. The proportion of micro-businesses employing up to nine people is above the national average in Broadland and South Norfolk. ONS data shows the signs are that new and small businesses can flourish and the survival rate of newly established enterprises is good.

71. The GNLP should support the growth of a wide ranging and changing economy, ranging from high tech businesses with the capacity for major growth through to smaller rural enterprises.

72. Education and Social Mobility Whilst tertiary education plays an important role in supporting a growing economy, in more deprived parts of the area educational attainment is low. Norwich has slightly lower than the national average percentage of people educated to NVQ4 level (first year of degree level). It also has above the national average level of 16-to 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEETs) at 9.2%. Norwich performs particularly poorly for social mobility with an overall ranking of 294th out of 324 local authority areas in 2017.

73. The picture for education and social mobility in Broadland and South Norfolk is generally better. Broadland has the lowest levels of 16- to 18-year-olds who are NEET in the country at 3.3%, above the national average of residents educated to NVQ4 level, and higher levels of social mobility ranked at 93rd. South Norfolk has 3.9% of 16- to 18-year-olds who are NEET, is ranked 152nd in the social mobility index, but has lower than national average figures for percentage of the population educated to NVQ4 level.

74. The GNLP will need to plan for inclusive growth to help to address social mobility and educational attainment issues.

75. As of May 2019, there are 24 secondary and 149 primary schools in Greater Norwich. The GNLP will need to make provision for additional schools and school places to serve growth.

76. Historically relatively poor strategic infrastructure links limited growth in the area. But recent and planned infrastructure improvements are set to assist growth (see map 2 below and the Key Diagram).

77. The A11 corridor is a major focus of growth, with the route providing key strategic access to London, Cambridge and much of the rest of the UK via the M11 and A14. Dualling was completed in 2014 and the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor initiative takes advantage of this to boost economic development.

78. The main east-west road link is the A47. It connects the area to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft to the east. Both are coastal resorts and industrial towns with significant regeneration needs. The development of Eastport at Great Yarmouth provides access for offshore industries. To the west the A47 provides access to the Midlands, the North and to growth areas locally at Dereham and King’s Lynn.

79. Full dualling of the A47 route is promoted through the A47 Alliance, which brings together the business community, local authorities, MPs and stakeholders along the whole of the trunk road route between Peterborough and Lowestoft. The Government’s Roads Investment Strategy is committed to A47 improvements within the Greater Norwich area with Blofield to North Burlingham dualling, Thickthorn A11/A47 junction improvements, and Easton to North Tuddenham dualling. Legal challenge to these schemes is ongoing.

80. Greater Norwich also includes two routes which form part of the Government’s Major Road Network (MRN) - local non-trunk roads of national importance. Within the Greater Norwich area, this includes the A140 both north and south of Norwich (including the A1270 Broadland Northway, also known as the Norwich Northern Distributor Road) and the A146 connecting Norwich to Lowestoft. Working with Transport East, the sub-national transport body, the Long Stratton bypass has been identified as a regional MRN priority and given conditional approval for Government funding.

81. To the south, the A140 provides access to Ipswich and London and to Bury St. Edmunds and Cambridge from the south of the area. It also provides local links to Diss and Harleston and is almost entirely single carriageway. To ease congestion through Long Stratton and improve journey time reliability between Norwich and Ipswich, a bypass is planned to be delivered alongside 1,800 new homes and 9.5 ha of employment. Working with Transport East, the sub-national transport body, the Long Stratton bypass has been identified as a regional Major Road Network priority and given conditional approval for Government funding. Construction of the Long Stratton bypass could commence in spring 2024.

82. The A1270 Broadland Northway was opened in 2018. It has reduced congestion through the north of Norwich and improved access to the airport, coast and Broads. Related improvements to public transport in Norwich are an integral part of the scheme.

83. A preferred route for a dual carriageway “Norwich Western Link” between the A1270 and the A47 was confirmed in July 2019. The Department for Transport (DfT) approved the Strategic Outline Business Case in May 2020 giving the project conditional entry into its ‘Large Local Majors’ funding programme and awarding more than £1 million of development funding for the project in the 2020/21 financial year. An Outline Business Case (OBC) was submitted to the DfT in July 2021 and following development of the scheme, including refinement of the alignment, an addendum to the OBC was submitted to DfT in September 2022. Work is currently ongoing to develop a planning application for the scheme and a decision from DfT on the OBC is anticipated.

84. The main rail services to and from Norwich provide direct access to Wymondham, Ely, Cambridge, the Midlands and the North and to Diss, Ipswich and London. Improvements including faster services to London and direct services to Stansted have been delivered. The east-west rail route linking directly to major growth areas around Milton Keynes and Oxford is a long-term aspiration, as well as Ely Junction capacity improvements to allow half hourly frequencies.

85. The Bittern and Wherry Lines provide local rail links and options for commuting from areas such as Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Brundall, Acle, North Walsham, Cromer and Sheringham. New rolling stock has been delivered and this has helped deliver consistently high levels of performance, with punctuality regularly averaging more than 95% across the network. Norfolk County Council and Greater Anglia work together on identifying and delivering improvements at rail stations.

86. Norwich Airport is a catalyst for economic growth and saw an increase in passenger numbers in recent years up to 2020 when travel was severely restricted. 1.5 million people live within the catchment of Norwich Airport (a 90-minute drive). As well as the key scheduled daily service to Schiphol (Amsterdam) which provides a hub for links to over 1,000 international destinations, there is significant business from offshore industries, a wide range of holiday destinations and domestic flights. Other principal international connections are via Stansted Airport and ports at Felixstowe and Harwich. These ports are the gateway to exports of goods worth £2.9 billion every year.

87. Norwich is served by a variety of bus companies and a Park and Ride service. Norfolk County Council has developed a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) for the whole county. It was just one of 31 local authorities to be awarded funding for the BSIP of £49.55 million over 3 years to deliver bus priority, new and enhanced bus services, travel hubs and interchanges and discounted fares. The plan will rebuild and improve passenger confidence in bus services, provide a green and sustainable transport offer, create a public transport network that customers choose first for most journeys over other modes of transport and will offer simple and affordable fares and ticketing. An enhanced partnership made up of Norfolk County Council and local bus operators will deliver the plan.

88. The Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme has also been introduced which will see 70 new zero emission buses come to Norwich in 2024 in partnership with First Bus.

89. Norwich has the highest level of walking and cycling in Norfolk. There is a good network of cycle routes linking settlements within Greater Norwich, including the Marriott’s Way, which links the city to Reepham and Aylsham and the Norwich Pedalways providing cycle links across the city. The recently adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for the Greater Norwich area identifies further improvements that can be made to develop the cycle network and guides investment.

90. Norfolk has secured funding from Government’s Active Travel Fund and Capability Fund to develop a countywide Local Walking and Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) to deliver a variety of walking and cycling infrastructure schemes and behavioural change initiatives to enable more people to walk, wheel and cycle.

91. The Norwich, Hethersett and Wymondham area is host to the bike, e-bike and e-scooter scheme run by Beryl Bikes which increases access to active forms of transport and encourages modal shift and multi-modal journeys. The scheme has been hugely successful with 52% of riders using a Beryl vehicle to replace a car, van or taxi journey. 42% of riders used Beryl vehicles to connect to a train journey and 24% connecting with a bus journey in 2022.

Transport for Norwich and the Transforming Cities programme

92. Norwich has also been successful in securing a place in the Government‘s Transforming Cities programme which has brought significant investment to the transport networks in the city and surrounding areas. £6.1 million was secured from the fund in early 2019 and a further £32 million has been secured subsequently. The programme seeks to promote modal shift away from use of the private car in a time of rapidly changing vehicle technologies. Delivery has been good, with a number of key schemes fully delivered and further schemes progressing well in terms of consultation, design and securing the necessary approvals.

93. The Transport for Norwich Strategy guides development of future transport interventions and investment in and around the city. The network will continue to be developed to promote public transport use in growth areas such as Wymondham, the airport and Broadland Business Park. This will include the Park and Ride network around Norwich which continues to provide a high-quality public transport link to the city centre and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

94. Norwich has also been successful in being one of the three cities shortlisted through the Zero Emission Transport City Fund to work with government on identifying ways in which a city can transition to having zero emissions.

95. Transport improvements outside of the Transport for Norwich area are dealt with on a local basis. For example, Norfolk County Council has developed a number of Market Town Network Improvement Strategies (NIS). The Connecting Norfolk initiative also promotes increasing use of demand responsive transport services and car sharing in rural areas. The Travel Norfolk brand has also been developed to unify projects and campaigns for sustainable transport across the county, encouraging and enabling uptake of these modes.

96. Norfolk County Council’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy was commissioned in 2020 to help identify areas of need within the county for EV charging infrastructure. Several projects linked to this are merging in Greater Norwich, including those benefitting from the Community Renewal Fund. In Norwich, a pilot project is underway to install on-street EV charging points within the city. This partnership involves Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council and UK Power Networks, the regional electricity operator. Norfolk County Council has successfully bid into the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure programme to help the rollout of EV charging infrastructure into rural communities.

97. There is variable access to high-speed broadband and mobile phone connectivity can be poor, particularly in rural areas. To help address this, the Better Broadband for Norfolk programme is a partnership funded through Norfolk County Council. To date it has helped improve superfast broadband coverage from 42% in 2012 to over 96%. Better Broadband for Norfolk is now focusing on gigabit capable broadband, which along with the Government funded Project Gigabit programme, aims to now install gigabit capable broadband across rural Norfolk. Norfolk is in one of the first waves of Project Gigabit, with the contract awarded in June 2023. Its overall aim is to install gigabit capable broadband to 85% of the UK by 2025 and up to 100% by 2030.

98. The latest generation of mobile phone networks is 5G, with the rollout commenced from 2020. Norfolk County Council actively promotes Norfolk to the four network operators in order to accelerate improvements to the mobile network.

99. Mitigating the effects of climate change within the Greater Norwich area is a cornerstone of the GNLP. This section looks at current activity around measuring air quality as well as future trends in emissions, rainfall and flooding levels.

100. There is an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) which covers the whole of the city centre. Figures from 2019 show nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter pollution levels are on a downward trend. Improvements in air quality are being achieved by promoting public transport use and other initiatives, including encouraging active travel (walking and cycling). However, this remains an important issue with more work to be done. Monitoring is also in place in Long Stratton, supporting the need to bypass the settlement.

101. Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, at 5.3 tonnes CO2 equivalent per year, are below the national average 5.6 tonnes CO2 equivalent (source: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). In recent years, they have declined in line with regional trends and slightly slower than national trends. However, they are above the national average in rural parts of the area, partly due to a greater reliance on car journeys.

102. Research by the world leading UEA quoting Met. Office projections provides estimates of how our climate is likely to change in the East of England up to 2040 in comparison with the 1981 to 2000 baseline. It projects higher temperatures, less rain in summer and wetter winters, indicating:

• An increase in mean summer temperature of 1.2°C to 1.6°C.
• An increase in mean winter temperature of 1.0°C to 1.3°C.
• A decrease in mean summer precipitation of 1% to 13%.
• An increase in mean winter precipitation of 5% to 8%.

103. Policies in the GNLP will need to contribute to national targets to reduce emissions, plan for transition to a post-carbon economy and ensure new development is adapted to a changed climate.

104. The main inhabited area at risk of fluvial (river) flooding in Greater Norwich is in the Wensum valley covering parts of central Norwich (see map 3 below).

105. There are small-scale flood defences across Greater Norwich with more extensive defences by the River Wensum within The Close area of central Norwich and on the River Bure at Buxton. There are also flood defences within the neighbouring Broads Authority planning area, with an extensive programme of improvements being implemented within the Broads.

106. Whilst the great majority of development in recent years has been away from areas of flood risk from rivers, recent development on brownfield sites to provide urban regeneration adjacent to the River Wensum in Norwich has been designed to withstand flood.

107. Measures to address surface water flood risk in areas at the greatest risk, including parts of Norwich and Drayton, have included maintenance of drainage systems, the introduction of detailed development management policies covering such areas and funding bids for mitigation works.

108. This plan will need to provide strategic level policies to address flood risk in new development, locating the great majority of development away from areas at risk of flood and promoting development which supports more natural functioning of the water environment.

109. Recent years have seen an increase in renewable energy generation locally, chiefly from solar power (both small and large-scale), with some wind and biomass developments. Our plan should support further development of decentralised, renewable and low carbon sources of energy in appropriate locations.

110. Greater Norwich has a rich concentration of heritage assets. At its core is the City of Norwich, formerly England’s second city, with its two cathedrals and many other historic buildings, including the greatest number of medieval churches in northern Europe, monastic halls, former merchants’ houses, the city wall and industrial heritage. The city centre’s current street pattern still broadly reflects these historic influences.

111. The city is linked to a hinterland of settlements which also have a rich heritage reflecting the area’s relative prosperity and high density of settlement through history, particularly prior to the industrial revolution.

112. Market towns, villages and hamlets show a pattern of development that has built up over the centuries, with a wealth of medieval churches, including a number of round tower churches, farmsteads and historic halls. A number of areas of formal parkland, such as those at Raveningham and Blickling Halls, are designated by Historic England.

113. In total, there are around 5,800 listed buildings and 90 conservation areas. Scheduled monuments and significant archaeological potential and historic landscape character, as defined in assessments, add a further layer to this historic character. It is important that the plan has policies to protect and enhance heritage, including heritage at risk.

114. Greater Norwich has and neighbours a wealth of natural environmental assets designated for both habitat and species protection. Many of these are marshland, rivers or broads of international and national status classified as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Ramsar sites for wetland importance. The internationally protected European sites subject to the Habitats Regulations in the Broads and elsewhere in Norfolk, including on the coast, could potentially be affected by growth in Greater Norwich (see map 4 below).

115. Water quality is a major issue for the sensitive wetland habitats and dealing with pollution brings particular challenges. Increased pressure from housing growth within Greater Norwich combined with an increase in already high visitor numbers may also have potentially negative impacts on some sites. The GNLP must ensure that development does not have a negative impact on internationally designated sites, including minimising visitor impact and protecting water quality. It is also important that locally designated habitats are protected and enhanced.

116. SACs in Greater Norwich itself include the Wensum chalk river valley and valleys and fens at Booton Common and Buxton Heath. There are also 45 nationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) designated for their biodiversity and geodiversity value. Pinebanks Pits in Thorpe St Andrew and Catton Chalk Pits are examples of sites designated for their geodiversity value.

117. In addition, Greater Norwich has large numbers of locally protected sites. There were 447 County Wildlife Sites covering around 4,700 hectares of land in 2018. Sites include valleys, meadows and wetlands, such as parts of the Bure, Waveney and Yare valleys, heaths such as Mousehold, grasslands including commons such as those at Hapton, Mulbarton and Salle, and an extensive network of hedgerows and woodlands spread across the area.

118. Long-term work is ongoing to improve and expand the green infrastructure network throughout Greater Norwich and beyond. Green infrastructure is vital to supporting biodiversity, enhancing natural capital and assisting the natural functioning of ecosystems, combating climate change, reducing pollution, helping to create attractive homes and workplaces, enhancing landscapes, reducing flood risk and aiding active lifestyles and wellbeing.

119. As our area is located adjacent to the Broads and other areas of national and international importance, the aim is to provide sufficient high-quality green spaces to provide biodiversity buffer zones, promote active leisure and travel and provide alternative destinations to help manage visitor pressure on biodiversity.

120. Parks and other types of open space also play an important role in providing a network of locally accessible green and urban spaces.

121. Overall, the plan should promote the protection, enhancement and delivery of a network of habitats and a strategic green infrastructure network which addresses the scale of development proposed in the plan. It must be capable of protecting species, supporting habitats and delivering a wider range of environmental services to meet development needs.

122. The varied landscape character areas identified by Natural England in and adjacent to Greater Norwich area consist of: the fens and marshes of the Broads to the east of Greater Norwich (area 80 on map 5 below); a more intimate landscape of small fields and hedgerows adjacent to the Broads, also in the east (area 79); rolling landscapes of varied geology including woodland, heath and former parkland estates in the west and north (areas 84 and 78) and an extensive open clay plateau in the south (area 83).

123. These nationally identified landscape character areas inform local landscape character studies. Locally significant landscapes include strategic gaps between settlements, river valleys (including the Wensum, Waveney, Bure, Tiffey, Tas and Chet), undeveloped approaches to Norwich and the setting of the Broads.

124. Greater Norwich does not have a nationally designated Green Belt. National policy is clear that new Green Belts should very rarely be established. Therefore this plan will need to carry forward policies for protecting our valued landscapes.

125. Large tracts of rural Greater Norwich are valuable for their agricultural land. As map 6 below shows, a high proportion of Greater Norwich’s agricultural land is of high quality (grades 1-3), with the majority of the most valuable land being located between Norwich and Acle. Protecting high-quality soils is an important consideration both for supporting agriculture and shaping our rural landscape character. This will need to be balanced with development needs through the plan.

126. Water is supplied in Greater Norwich from groundwater sources and from the River Wensum.

127. Relatively low rainfall totals and extensive agricultural water use demand mean that the whole area is defined by the Environment Agency as suffering from serious water stress. Local planning policy and Anglian Water strategy place a focus on promoting water efficiency.

128. Overall, plan policies for the natural environment should aim to promote biodiversity net gain through development, reduce habitat fragmentation and address climate change and pollution issues.