5. The Strategy (including policies)

137. This document meets the NPPF’s primary purpose for a local plan by providing the planning strategy for the pattern, scale, and nature of sustainable development to meet growth needs in Greater Norwich from 2018 to 2038.

138. Achieving sustainable development is at the heart of the planning system. This means striving to meet social, economic, and environmental needs to provide a good quality of life for existing and future generations. As required by the NPPF, the strategy aligns growth and infrastructure needs with its main focus on the strategic growth area. It makes the best use of brownfield sites in the city, provides sustainable urban extensions and supports vibrant towns and villages. It will also improve the environment, including mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. The aim is to retain and enhance the distinctive qualities of Greater Norwich and create environmentally sustainable, resilient, and socially inclusive communities. Therefore, as required by the NPPF, policy 1 promotes sustainable development.

139. It identifies growth and renewal areas on greenfield and brownfield sites and limits growth in areas for long-term protection.

140. Policy 1 sets out the broad strategic approach which is illustrated on the key diagram. It also provides the context for subsequent more detailed strategic locational, thematic and sites policies in the plan.

141. The strategy takes a flexible approach in what will be a time of rapid change in how we work, travel and live owing to expected technological, economic, and environmental changes. It aims to make the most of Greater Norwich’s substantial economic growth potential to develop its leading role in the national economy and to meet housing need, whilst also protecting and enhancing the special environment of our area and promoting low carbon development.

142. The strategy meets national planning policy requirements, is informed by consultation feedback, and is based on an extensive evidence base covering a wide variety of issues including infrastructure needs, Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) considerations and Sustainability Appraisal (SA).

143. Policy 1 establishes that five-year housing land supply will be calculated across the whole of the three districts and commits the councils to reviewing the plan to comply with government requirements.

144. The NPPF requires local plans to set out an economic strategy.

145. Building on recent success in terms of the delivery of new jobs, the overall target for jobs growth is for an increase of 33,000 jobs from 2018 to 2038. This figure has been established through local trend-based evidence from the East of England Forecast Model.

146. Providing the right sites in the right places for sectors with the greatest economic potential will support continued growth and a vibrant economy. Economic evidence shows that:

1. A range of sectors will drive economic and employment growth, many of which are within high value knowledge-intensive sectors that are increasingly important to the wider UK economy. Greater Norwich is home to several internationally recognised businesses and boasts a diverse property portfolio. Its increasingly entrepreneurial economy is underpinned by a strong foundation of academic and commercial research, making it well positioned nationally and internationally to compete for future business investment as part of the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor as well as continuing to grow its own business base.
2. Growth potential is greatest in five high impact sectors identified in the Norfolk and Suffolk Economic Strategy: advanced manufacturing and engineering; agri-tech; energy; ICT/digital culture and life sciences. Growth of these sectors will help Greater Norwich to play a key role nationally and internationally in assisting the transformation to a post-carbon economy.
3. The total amount of allocated and permitted employment land in 2018 is more than enough to provide for expected and promoted growth, so the policy does not make significant additional allocations of employment land beyond those already identified in existing local plan documents.

147. This plan therefore allocates employment sites totalling around 360 hectares including key strategic employment land in Norwich City Centre, the Norwich Airport area, Rackheath, Broadland Business Park, Broadland Gate, Norwich Research Park (NRP), Wymondham/Hethel, Longwater and the Food Enterprise Park. These are set out in the Key Diagram and in policy 1. The strategic employment locations provide for growth of all the key sectors and are supported by good quality infrastructure and nearby housing, either existing or planned.

148. Parts of the NRP have Enterprise Zone status with simplified planning rules, business rate discounts and superfast broadband designed to promote research-based business growth. The Food Enterprise Park has Food Enterprise Zone status and a Local Development Order on parts of the site to encourage and support food production, processing and agriculture through the co-location of commercial enterprises.

149. The key strategic sites contribute to the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor, supporting a globally significant axis between Cambridge University, UEA/NRP and their associated businesses. The Tech Corridor links to other significant growth corridors: London-Stansted-Cambridge and the Cambridge - Milton Keynes-Oxford Arc (CaMkOx).

150. Supporting and demonstrating a link to nationally significant growth corridors will assist in attracting inward investment and accessing funding opportunities as Government funding will be linked to the delivery of the Norfolk and Suffolk Economic Strategy and the emerging Local Industrial Strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk.

151. The GNLP also allocates land and allows for additional windfall delivery of smaller scale sites to provide for jobs growth elsewhere in the urban area, towns and villages, providing local job opportunities and supporting small-scale businesses and a vibrant rural economy.

152. Evidence shows that there is an underlying demand for good quality office growth and employment space in Norwich City Centre. The policies for the economy (policy 6) and for Norwich urban area (policy 7.1) address the need to ensure that high density employment uses are concentrated in highly accessible locations, particularly in the city centre, whilst at the same time recognising that there will be an increase in home and remote working during the plan period.

153. The existing housing commitment, sites which are allocated or have permission for housing development, is large and shapes the GNLP strategy. The existing allocations, including Site Allocation plans, Area Action Plans and Neighbourhood Plans, derive from the Joint Core Strategy (JCS). These allocations have been demonstrated to be sustainable and, except for later phases of some larger sites where delivery is unlikely before 2038, they are included in this strategy. This deliverable commitment, including uplift on existing allocations and homes delivered from the start of the plan period in April 2018 to April 2022, provides 68% of the total housing growth identified in this plan to 2038.

154. The Government produced a standard methodology for identifying local housing need in December 2020 which requires forecasts to be based on the 2014 household projections unless there are exceptional local circumstances. Consequently, this plan follows the required approach and local housing need derived from the 2014-based household projections is set out in row A of Table 6 below. This local housing need is the plan requirement against which land supply will be measured (see appendix 4).

155. To ensure the identified need can be met, it is normal practice to identify additional potential supply to buffer against under delivery, typically around 10%. Table 6 below sets out how the resulting total housing figure from 2018 to 2038 for the GNLP has been established using the standard methodology and including an 11% buffer to ensure delivery. This higher supply assists with the growth ambitions of the Norwich area and recognises higher rates in the 2018 based household projections.

156. In line with the above figures, policy 1 provides for around 45,000 new homes. This is the total provision in the plan and is not the need or requirement against which land supply will be measured (see appendix 4).

157. In addition to the allocations in this plan, a minimum of 1,200 of these homes will be allocated in the South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Site Allocations document and more than 250 homes are provided through allocations in the Diss and District Neighbourhood Plan. These 1,450 homes are included in the allocations in Row D.

158. Policy 7.5 also allows for limited further development on sites of up to three homes to provide further opportunities for self and custom build during the plan period.

159. Windfall developments provide additional potential for housing delivery. Policy 1 supports appropriate windfall development, including sites in and adjacent to villages and small brownfield sites.

160. Based on previous local trends, the likely scale of windfall housing development is in the region of 3,400 dwellings in the remainder of the plan period to 2038. Windfall in the first five years of the plan following adoption is counted as part of the five-year land supply calculation. The table above shows that 30% of the estimated windfall delivery is counted as a windfall allowance for the remainder of the plan period from 2028/29 - 2038. Demand will determine whether windfall development is instead of, or in addition to, allocated growth.

161. The Government encourages authorities to consider higher levels of growth than that required to meet local housing need, particularly where there is the potential for significant economic growth. Our overall approach, including to windfalls and having a buffer, builds in flexibility to support higher than trend economic growth incorporating the Greater Norwich City Deal.

162. It also sets us on the path to the higher housing numbers which recent projections indicate will be required locally to address affordability issues. This provides continuity between the current and future direction of travel in Government policy to provide more housing to address needs.

163. National policy requires reviews of local plans to be completed no later than five years from their adoption, meaning that a rolling programme of plan making takes place. It currently seems likely that there will be a need to plan for further growth through the next local plan.

164. This plan identifies enough sustainable sites within and on the edge of settlements to meet currently assessed need for the plan period. A review of the local plan will need to assess options for longer term growth, including the potential for a sustainable new settlement or settlements.

165. A new settlement approach was considered in preparing this local plan but was rejected by the Partnership as being premature. The detailed exploratory work to consider options for a new settlement or settlements is intended to begin on adoption of this plan and will involve discussions with Government, agencies and partners along with public participation to inform the preparation of the next local plan.

166. To ensure sustainable development, minimise carbon emissions, promote strong, resilient, inclusive and vibrant communities and meet other Government requirements set out in the NPPF, the strategy for the location of growth:

1. Maximises brownfield development and regeneration opportunities, which are mainly in Norwich. The brownfield/greenfield split for new homes in the plan is around 22%/78%.
2. Broadly follows the settlement hierarchy set out in policy 1 (the Norwich urban area; main towns; key service centres and village clusters) in terms of scales of growth as this reflects access to services and jobs.
3. Focusses most of the growth in locations with the best access to jobs, services and existing and planned infrastructure in and around the Norwich urban area and the Cambridge Norwich Tech corridor.
4. Focusses reasonable levels of growth in the main towns, key service centres and village clusters to support a vibrant rural economy. The approach to village clusters is innovative. It reflects the way people access services in rural areas and enhances social sustainability by promoting appropriate growth in smaller villages. It will support local services, whilst at the same time protecting the character of the villages.
5. Allocates strategic scale housing sites (750 dwellings +) in accessible locations.
6. Allocates a significant number of medium scale and smaller scale sites in the urban area, towns and villages, providing a balanced range of site types to allow for choice, assist delivery and allow smaller scale developers and builders into the market. Overall, 12% of the homes allocated through the plan are on sites of no larger than 1 hectare, meeting NPPF requirements. More small-scale housing developments will be provided by policy 7.5 and through windfall development.
7. Sets a minimum allocation size of 12-15 dwellings to ensure that a readily deliverable amount of affordable housing is provided on all allocated sites.

167. The strategy for the distribution of growth set in policy 1 takes account of the above principles, the scale of existing and deliverability of commitment and assessments of sites submitted to the GNLP.

168. The authorities will continue to work together through the Greater Norwich Growth Board to ensure necessary infrastructure to support growth is delivered. The programme for delivery of key infrastructure will be set out in the Greater Norwich Infrastructure Plan.

169. Housing growth is distributed in line with the following settlement hierarchy:

1. The Norwich urban area which consists of Norwich and the built-up parts of the fringe parishes of Colney, Costessey, Cringleford, Drayton, Easton, Hellesdon, Old Catton, Sprowston, Taverham, Thorpe St. Andrew, Trowse and the remainder of the Growth Triangle.
2. The main towns which are Aylsham, Diss (including part of Roydon), Long Stratton, Harleston and Wymondham.
3. The key service centres which are Acle, Blofield, Brundall, Hethersett, Hingham, Loddon/Chedgrave, Poringland/Framingham Earl, Reepham and Wroxham.
4. Village clusters which cover the remainder of the Greater Norwich Local Plan area.

170. Table 7 below sets out the amount and proportion of growth in the different settlement hierarchy areas established by the strategy and provides estimates for homes there will be in each area in 2038.

171. The strategy distributes around 70% of the growth in the “Strategic Growth Area”. This area is broadly defined on the Key Diagram and shown in map 7 to include:

• The main Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor area, including Norwich, the North-East Growth Triangle, the remainder of the Norwich Fringe, Hethersett and Wymondham.
• All the key strategic employment areas in the plan.
• All but one of the strategic scale housing growth locations (the exception is Long Stratton).
• High-quality public transport, road and cycling infrastructure (both existing and planned) and
• The great majority of brownfield sites in the area.

172. Identifying this area promotes the strategic economic strengths and sectors of Greater Norwich. By linking to other regional growth corridors, it places Greater Norwich firmly on the national stage for growth and accessing external funding.

173. With Norwich playing an anchoring role in the strategic growth area, it also recognises the role the city plays as a driver of the regional economy, supporting the vitality and regeneration of the city centre, including maximising the potential of brownfield sites.

174. Strategic local plans are required to include a Key Diagram which illustrates key elements of the strategy in the plan on an indicative map.

175. Map 7 below provides further detail for housing by illustrating the location and scale of housing growth allocated through the plan across Greater Norwich.

176. The Sustainable Communities policy is wide ranging. It aims to ensure that the design of development is high quality, contributes to the establishment and maintenance of resilient and inclusive communities, promotes low carbon development and helps to address climate change. It is a key strategic policy, covering many aspects of the vision and objectives of the plan. Together with policy 3, which focuses on design taking account of historic and natural assets, the policy promotes well-designed places as required by section 12 of the NPPF.

177. The policy covers ten key social, economic and environmental issues which all developments must address through their design. These are set out in table 8 below. The table also references other relevant plan policies.

178. The policy will be implemented through:

• Major developments being required to submit a Sustainability Statement. This will be supported by supplementary planning guidance. The purpose of the statement is to show, on a site-by-site basis, how the varied aspects of the policy are addressed. The policy references use of national and local design guides and codes to ensure good urban design and encourages, but does not require, the use of the Building for a Healthy Life design tool, or any equivalents or future successors. This provides flexibility in how applicants produce their sustainability statements for housing developments. The policy also encourages master-planning using a community engagement process on larger sites 200 dwellings plus or 20,000 square metres for non-residential development. The purpose of this is to promote effective community engagement in the design of larger schemes. It also includes a requirement for Health Impact Assessments which will be provided for allocated sites of 500 dwellings plus, for non-allocated housing sites of 100 dwellings plus and for any housing proposal with a significant amount of housing for the elderly. These assessments will show how the health care needs of the new development will be provided for.
• Housing developments of 100 dwellings or more being required to submit a Delivery Statement. This statement is aimed at supporting timely delivery of development, a priority for this plan. It requires developers to set out the expected timing of the delivery of developments in their statements accompanying planning applications. Where delivery does not happen, it enables the local authorities to consider the use of legal powers to promote delivery, including compulsory purchase.
• All minor developments also being subject to the policy’s requirements. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking account of site characteristics and proposed uses. Minor developments are not required to submit a Sustainability Statement. This is in line with the threshold for national requirements for Design and Access statements for major developments only and ensures that planning application submission requirements are proportionate.
• Existing development management policies, which detail some policy aspects such as environmental protection issues.
• Supplementary Planning Documents and guidance.

179. Potential applicants for planning permission for major developments are advised to contact Anglian Water Services in the early stages of producing a development scheme in order to ensure that there is adequate capacity, or capacity can be made available, in the wastewater network. The provision of capacity could affect the timing of development. In locations where there are known to be capacity issues the local authority will expect this engagement to have taken place and for it to be demonstrated that adequate capacity will be available to serve the development (see Appendix 1 Infrastructure Requirements for currently known locations with capacity issues). Applicants should also consider contacting Norfolk Constabulary for advice on crime and safety issues.

180. Overall, to foster sustainable, mixed and resilient communities, development should be high quality, contributing to delivering growth that is inclusive and meets identified needs, to enhancing the environment, to mitigating and adapting to climate change and to assisting in meeting national greenhouse gas emissions targets.

181. The National Planning Policy Framework states that plans should set out a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment, including heritage assets most at risk through neglect, decay or other threats.

182. The Greater Norwich area has numerous heritage assets. Consequently, the historic environment is central to the character and quality of life of the Greater Norwich area and is a significant factor in its economic success through encouraging tourism and inward investment. Conserving and enhancing the historic environment will continue to reinforce what makes Greater Norwich an attractive place to live in, work and visit.

183. As well as the heritage assets that are easily visible, there are also those that are hidden below ground. As a long settled and productive area, Greater Norwich has a significant archaeological heritage which development can help to reveal.

184. As such, it is important to recognise that the historic character of the area is made up of a multitude of heritage assets. Individually, some may be more important than others, but even the lesser ones are important in contributing to overall character and quality. All the different elements of the historic environment need to be taken into consideration and conserved and enhanced where possible as part of the development of the area. Guidance for this can be obtained through a wide range of existing resources, such as historic landscape character assessments, conservation area appraisals, listed building and scheduled monuments information and archaeological records; but it is usually necessary to undertake a heritage impact assessment in accordance with guidelines produced by Historic England and local validation requirements to understand the impact of a proposal on the significance of a heritage asset. This would include the impact of development on the setting of a heritage asset, which can contribute to its significance, and can be undermined by proposals that have substantial mass or height that contrasts with neighbouring historic buildings and the wider area.

185. The strategic approach to heritage is first to consider the potential location of development, for example does the location itself “fit” well in relation to adjoining settlements, and does it avoid intruding in important views of heritage assets? This is addressed through the growth strategy set out in policy 1.

186. Following from this, the design of the development needs to respect the historic environment, be appropriate to its setting, seek to enhance the locality and provide measures to further the understanding of local heritage issues. Development should therefore draw upon existing historic character to lead to more positive change in the built and historic environment.

187. The aim should be to avoid harm to the historic environment. In certain cases, an element of harm to the historic environment resulting from development may be unavoidable. This will only be justified if the benefits of the development outweigh the harm, and the harm is kept to a minimum, taking into account the relative importance of the heritage assets in accordance with national policy.

188. The policy also includes a flexible approach to the use of heritage assets to achieve their retention whilst retaining their historic significance, and in this respect particular encouragement will be given to proposals for restoring those assets that are at risk of being lost. Historic significance potentially covers a broad range of issues such as artistic, aesthetic, architectural, cultural and social considerations.

189. The Greater Norwich Green Infrastructure Study provides information on designated Historic Environment assets in relation to green infrastructure provision.

190. Reflecting the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, the NPPF places great weight on protecting and enhancing Greater Norwich’s rich natural environment. It seeks to ensure that development not only avoids harm to natural environmental assets, but also encourages a local plan policy approach which actively protects, promotes and enhances biodiversity, so that development results in biodiversity net gain. Relevant legislation also has to be applied including the Water Framework Directive, which sets requirements to protect and improve the water environment, and the Habitats Regulations which set requirements to protect habitats and species.

191. The NPPF requires local plans to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and local landscape character. Accordingly, the policy requires development to respect local landscape character based on existing and any future landscape character assessments, avoiding harm to locally valued landscapes from inappropriate development. It continues the well-established approach in Greater Norwich of having strong landscape protection policies. To do this, it provides the continued strategic policy basis for more detailed, location specific development management policies covering the strategic gaps and landscape settings including river valleys, undeveloped approaches to Norwich and the setting of the Broads. This is the most suitable approach to landscape protection locally given that Greater Norwich does not have the exceptional circumstances required by Government to establish a Green Belt.

192. A key means of achieving biodiversity net gain is through the NPPF requirement that local plans take a strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing networks of habitats and green infrastructure. The development of a multi-functional green infrastructure network was formalised locally through the Joint Core Strategy in 2011. It is essential that the network continues to be protected and developed further into the long term as green infrastructure aims to link fragmented habitats, allowing the movement of species and supporting biodiversity gain. It also has other benefits such as reducing flood risk and promoting active travel.

193. Tools such as the Defra biodiversity metric should be used to demonstrate the expected biodiversity net gain that will be achieved through development. A holistic approach to biodiversity gain should provide a range of biodiversity improvements.

194. Securing measurable gains for biodiversity is a national policy requirement and this is reflected in this policy. Any such gain needs to be significant in order to be credible which is why the policy requires a gain of at least 10% greater than the existing situation.

195. A Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) has been produced for the plan. It identifies in detail how internationally designated ecological habitats and wildlife sites in the wider area, including areas in the Broads and on the Norfolk coast, would potentially be impacted by recreational pressures likely to be generated by growth in Greater Norwich. The policy therefore sets a requirement that development mitigates impact on sites protected under the Habitats Regulations Directive.

196. The HRA identifies a range of mitigation measures to alleviate additional recreational pressure from additional growth planned in the Greater Norwich Local Plan. These include interventions at the sites themselves, providing suitable alternative natural green space (known as SANGS) and the implementation of a wider programme of green infrastructure improvements.

197. The HRA provides further information on SANGS, stating that this could take the form of a new country park containing woodland and waterbodies. This would be in addition to the new country park facilities which are already planned for the Growth Triangle.

198. The Joint Core Strategy identified the potential to create a new country park at Bawburgh Lakes to the west of Norwich. It would complement the existing country park to the east of the city at Whitlingham, with the parks linked by the Yare Valley green corridor. Its establishment remains desirable. However, the policy is not site-specific as other opportunities may be identified either through local green infrastructure strategies or through other means. For example, there are proposals being brought forward to develop the Broadland Country Park to the north-west of Horsford and new small-scale country parks, such as at Ladybelt Country Park in East Carleton, can provide valuable additional green infrastructure.

199. A Norfolk-wide study, the Green Infrastructure and Recreational Impact Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy, has been undertaken and has informed this Plan, including the approach to avoiding and mitigating the potential impacts on the most important protected wildlife sites (identified under the HRA Directive) that might arise from visitor pressure related to new residential developments. For the purposes of this policy, “residential development” excludes replacement dwellings, extensions to single dwellings and nursing homes. Based on the strategy, policy 3 sets out a two-pronged approach to avoidance and mitigation of impacts.

200. Firstly, a contribution of around £205 (plus allowance for inflation) from each new home is to be made towards direct mitigation measures on the protected sites.

201. Secondly, it seeks to avoid impacts on the protected sites through the provision of sufficient and suitable informal recreational greenspace elsewhere to reduce the number of visits to the protected sites. The Greater Norwich authorities currently have different informal recreational requirements on development set out in their Development Management policies local plans. These will continue to apply. The suitability of such greenspace will depend on a number of factors, including the size of the area, its accessibility and its quality, which together provide its attractiveness to users. However, as a guide and to ensure that adequate provision is made to reduce the impacts on the protected sites, this policy requires a minimum of 2 hectares per 1,000 population of suitable informal recreational greenspace to be provided by a residential development. This figure has regard to the existing local standards, Natural England’s Accessible Natural Greenspace standard and the Fields in Trust informal recreational space standard. In addition, the provision of the greenspace should reflect the standards set out in Natural England’s Accessible Natural Greenspace standard.

202. The Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework includes county-wide policy objectives on environmental protection, landscape protection and biodiversity. Work supporting the NSPF includes a county-wide green infrastructure network map which provides the basis for more detailed mapping to support and inform local plans, including the GNLP. The updated green corridors map for Greater Norwich, including links to neighbouring areas, is in maps 8 A and B below.

203. The Greater Norwich Green Infrastructure Study outlines the existing green infrastructure, biodiversity and designated heritage assets for housing allocations within the area. It gives general comments about opportunities for potential enhancements of green infrastructure related to the allocations. Whilst this not intended to replace detailed site survey and design work, it is intended to assist the Development Management process. As well as being of importance for the natural environment, Green Infrastructure can have a role to play in enhancing and conserving the historic environment. It can be used to improve the setting of heritage assets and to improve access to it, likewise heritage assets can help contribute to the quality of green spaces by helping to create a sense of place and a tangible link with local history.

204. An updated Green Infrastructure Strategy is currently being produced. This should also be used to assist in identifying the most suitable green infrastructure provision to serve specific developments and contribute to the development of the network.

205. The policy therefore builds on the success of the JCS to ensure both continued long-term development of the green infrastructure network and that visitor pressure issues are addressed.

206. As the competent authority under the Habitats Regulations, the Greater Norwich local planning authorities must also ensure that development will have no negative impact on water quality through nutrient enrichment to internally protected habitat sites. As a result, policy 3 ensures that relevant developments will only be granted planning permission when there is certainty about the levels of nutrients which will be generated and mitigation so that the development will be nutrient neutral.

207. The relevant internationally protected habitat sites are designated under the Habitats Regulations Directive and are defined by Natural England and identified in the plan’s HRA as being in an unfavourable condition in 2022.

208. The habitat sites are named in the policy. They are firstly the Wensum Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which is an internationally significant lowland chalk river that is currently affected by phosphorous enrichment. Secondly, the Broads SAC and the Broadland Ramsar consist of five separate Sites of Special Scientific Interest which include broads and fens, with some drained marshes. They contain rich and rare aquatic habitats and species which currently suffer from phosphorous and nitrogen enrichment.

209. The policy applies to development in the river catchments which could add pollutants to the protected habitats. The catchments cover the majority of Greater Norwich so that development in the Norwich urban area and the main towns of Aylsham, Long Stratton and Wymondham, along with many service villages and village clusters, is impacted. The exception which is not affected is the area around Diss, Harleston and the Waveney Valley, Loddon and Acle. The issue also impacts other local planning authorities in Norfolk (see map 9 below), with the main towns of Dereham and Fakenham outside Greater Norwich also being affected.

210. To comply with the Habitats Regulations and Natural England advice, the policy applies firstly to residential developments leading to an increase in overnight accommodation. This includes new homes, student accommodation and care homes. Secondly, the policy applies to some types of non-residential development. These are developments which may draw people from outside the catchments of the SACs because of their scale or type, developments which may generate unusual amounts of surface water, or which may contain unusual pollutants in their surface water run-off. Tourist attractions, along with some uses which will need to be considered on their own merits, fall into this category.

211. Policy 3 consequently requires evidence to be submitted to show that mitigation has been secured to achieve nutrient neutrality. The evidence must show that this mitigation will be implemented prior to the occupation of relevant developments. Nutrient neutrality solutions must be retained in perpetuity, though short-term measures can subsequently be replaced by long-term approaches.

212. Therefore, proposals that require on-site mitigation will need to provide a costed management and maintenance plan to ensure they will not adversely affect the integrity of sites in an unfavourable condition, or alternative and equivalent means of demonstrating that the integrity of such sites will not be adversely affected. The plans must cover the lifetime of the development and should be accompanied by a monitoring framework. Proposals using off-site credits will need to submit evidence of the agreement with a mitigation provider to purchase adequate credits with their planning application.

213. The policy states that the nutrient neutrality requirement only applies whilst the protected sites are in unfavourable condition. Regular monitoring by the national environmental bodies and report in this plan’s monitoring framework will provide updates.

214. The Greater Norwich partnership is working with other Norfolk local planning authorities, Anglian Water, Natural England, and other stakeholders to assist developers in accessing a wide portfolio of mitigation opportunities suitable for different scales of housing and other relevant development. Reflecting the scale of the issue affecting the area which led to a long period in which planning permissions could not be granted for affected development, this work has been funded both by national government and the local planning authorities.

215. In addition to a calculator provided by Natural England, a local nutrient neutrality calculator, the Norfolk Budget Calculator, enables developers to identify the scale of mitigation requirements on a site-by-site basis.

216. Evidence on a wide portfolio of the most suitable measures for use in Norfolk has been produced by consultants Royal Haskoning. For many sites, different types of off-site or on-site mitigation measures will be used in combination. The off-site measures will mainly be delivered through a Joint Venture company, Norfolk Environmental Credits. The company brokers delivery of a variety of mitigation options between providers, such as landowners and developers. It secures mitigation and then issues certificates confirming the credits that have been purchased. Developers must submit the certificates with their planning applications.

217. This portfolio of mitigation measures includes:

• Nature-based solutions such as silt traps.
• Runoff management measures such as cover crops.
• Wastewater management measures such as improvements to wastewater treatment works and
• Demand management measures such as retrofitting water saving fixtures and fittings in existing properties.

218. Large-scale greenfield sites are generally able to provide dedicated on-site mitigation. It is estimated that around 60% of the homes in the plan will be on such sites. Some brownfield sites in Norwich will benefit from mitigation from a programme of retrofitting water efficiency measures in council housing. Therefore, the mitigation opportunities provided are of most importance to the developers of small and medium-scale greenfield sites and brownfield sites not benefitting from the retrofitting programme.

219. The portfolio of mitigation opportunities enables Habitats Regulations requirements to be addressed at a reasonable cost, limiting the impact on the viability of development. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill requires upgrades to Anglian Water’s strategic wastewater treatment plants by 2030. This will lead to around a 36% reduction in phosphorus pollutants entering the watercourse from the treatment plants and a 65% reduction in nitrogen. The cost per dwelling of nutrient neutrality mitigation measures will be reduced once these improvements have been made.

220. Natural England will also provide off-site schemes and nutrient neutrality credits through nature and land-based solutions such as wetlands and woodlands. These will be medium to long-term solutions. These solutions will sit alongside mitigation options provided through Norfolk Environmental Credits. It is also expected that commercial providers will enter the nutrient neutrality market.

221. Government guidance on combining environmental credits for biodiversity net gain and nutrient mitigation has confirmed that “stacking” of environmental credits is permitted. This means that credits from the same activity on a piece of land can be sold separately for both biodiversity net gain and nutrient mitigation provided that the eligibility criteria for each market is met.

222. The impacts of nutrient neutrality requirements have been taken into account in the plan’s housing delivery trajectory.

223. The National Planning Policy Framework states that strategic policies should make provision for infrastructure for transport, water, energy, health, education and green infrastructure. This plan is supported by evidence in the Greater Norwich Local Plan Infrastructure Report (GNLPIR).

224. As set out in the vision and objectives and the Delivery Statement, delivery of new infrastructure is a priority for the plan. It provides benefits for new and existing communities and is essential to ensure growth is sustainable.

225. This policy focusses primarily on the timely delivery of strategic infrastructure to support growth. The infrastructure will be provided by a range of organisations and through a variety of funding sources as detailed in appendix 1. The appendix sets out infrastructure currently identified to support growth from organisations such as utilities companies and health care providers. Since these may be subject to change over time, the Greater Norwich Infrastructure Plan, which supports implementation of the GNLP, along with this plan’s Annual Monitoring Report, will update the information in appendix 1 of this plan annually to take account of any changes.

226. As needs may change over time, particularly because of technological changes, the delivery of development will not necessarily be dependent on the specific infrastructure identified in the appendix.

227. To promote good local access to facilities, the policy also sets a requirement for development to provide or support local infrastructure, services and facilities. This can be directly through providing infrastructure or land, or indirectly through financial contributions which can include providing good access to existing services and facilities.

228. The policy therefore covers strategic transport, energy, water, health and education needs, with a cross reference to other policies in the plan which cover strategic green infrastructure and more local needs.

229. A well-functioning transport system and access to jobs, services and information is vital to the economy of the area and the well-being and quality of life for residents. Making the most of existing transport infrastructure and providing the additional infrastructure required to support growth will help support delivery of the GNLP. To support emissions reductions, it is also important to promote modal shift to active travel and clean public transport, and to support electric vehicle use in a time of rapid technological change.

230. Section 9 of the NPPF covers transport issues. It states that transport should be considered from the earliest stages of plan making to address the potential impacts of development, take advantage of existing and proposed infrastructure and new technology and promote public transport, walking and cycling. Significant development should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. This can help to reduce congestion and emissions and improve air quality and public health. It also recognises that opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary between urban and rural areas.

231. National, regional and local (county) proposals for transport measures include consideration of the growth needs identified by local plans, integrating development with transport infrastructure needs. Central government plans for major roads and there are regional strategies for railways. County led strategies provide for locally significant transport infrastructure. The recognition of and support for transport improvements in the GNLP can be of considerable assistance in applying for funding. The policy consequently identifies and supports strategic and local transport improvements.

232. Trunk road (the A11 and A47) improvements are planned by Highways England. In October 2017 it announced a timetable for £300 million of A47 improvements which will dual parts of the road between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth. Contracts were awarded in September 2019 for the three schemes in Greater Norwich:

• Blofield to North Burlingham.
• Thickthorn Junction.
• North Tuddenham to Easton improvement.

233. The Government has also announced a Major Road Network (MRN). The MRN comprises local non-trunk roads of national importance and the announcement comes with a fund for improvement. Within the Greater Norwich area, this includes the A140 north and south of Norwich (including the A1270 Broadland Northway) and the A146 connecting Norwich to Lowestoft. Improvements to the A140 include the new roundabout to replace the Hempnall crossroads which was completed in late 2019. The A140 Long Stratton bypass has been given conditional approval by Government. Construction of the Long Stratton bypass could commence in Spring 2024.

234. Significant improvements to rail services have been delivered with more services, new trains and faster journeys across the network. This includes 90-minute journey times on some trains between Norwich and London and regular Norwich to Stansted Airport services via Cambridge. Long-term development of a direct rail link to Milton Keynes, Oxford and the West remains a priority.

235. Two new railway stations are planned for the area. The Growth Triangle Area Action Plan identifies the potential for new station sites on the Norwich to Sheringham line at Rackheath and Dussindale to serve these major employment and housing growth areas. Dussindale station has outline planning consent.

236. The Norfolk Local Transport Plan 2021 to 2036 (LTP) was adopted in 2022. It is the countywide strategy and policy framework for transport and is used as a guide for investment priorities, as well as being considered by other agencies when determining their planning or delivery decisions. It includes an Implementation Plan and supports the county council’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2030.

237. The Transport for Norwich Strategy (TfN) was adopted in 2021. It aligns with the LTP, providing further detail for the Norwich area (which roughly equates to the Strategic Growth Area in this plan). TfN focuses on carbon reduction and better air quality, including measures to improve walking, cycling and public transport facilities to support significant modal shift in the urban area during the plan period. This is required to assist in meeting national targets to achieve zero carbon development by 2050. The measures feature improvements to sustainable transport networks and interchanges, including Park and Ride enhancements. TfN also supports road improvements to enable the other measures, including the Long Stratton Bypass and the Norwich Western Link (see below).

238. The Norwich area was successful in securing a place in the Government‘s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, which is bringing in significant investment to the transport networks in the city and surrounding area. Just over £6m was secured through Tranche 1 of the TCF programme, with improvement schemes delivered during 2019/20. A further £32 million has been secured from government through Tranche 2, as well as £18m investment from First Eastern Counties, which is being used to deliver improvements to the transport network, public transport services and buses.

239. Norfolk County Council has identified the Norwich Western Link as one of its infrastructure priorities. A Preferred Route announcement was made in July 2019 and that route is shown on the Key Diagram. In May 2020 the DfT approved the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for the Norwich Western Link which gives the scheme conditional entry to the DfT’s Large Local Majors project funding programme. Work continues to develop the scheme.

240. Transport improvements outside the Transport for Norwich area are dealt with on a local basis. The county council has completed a programme of Market Town Network Improvement Strategies (NIS). These strategies identify short, medium and long-term actions including the issues associated with long-term growth. Four strategies are in the GNLP area, these are Diss, Wroxham/Hoveton, Aylsham and Wymondham.

241. Policy 4 recognises that Greater Norwich is a mixed urban and rural area in which travel and access issues vary, with the use of the private car being particularly important to the rural economy. It is anticipated that the shift to electric and possibly hydrogen vehicles will assist in reducing emissions in rural areas.

242. Strategic transport improvements in policy 4 include rail and airport improvements, along with road improvements including dualling of the A47, the Long Stratton bypass and the Norwich Western Link.

243. The policy also supports the TfN strategy and identifies this as the detailed means by which transport improvements across the urban area of Norwich will be developed and delivered, including encouraging walking and cycling, and improving public transport.

244. The GNLP authorities will support the transport infrastructure improvements provided that their promoters and the relevant competent authority are able to demonstrate that they would not conflict with other policies of the plan and where there would be no adverse effect on the integrity of sites protected under the Habitats Regulations Directive.

245. The Greater Norwich Energy Infrastructure Study (March 2019) concludes that failure to address local energy constraints through local plan policy could threaten the delivery of growth in this plan. These result partly from regulatory barriers to network operators investing in new energy supply infrastructure. Reflecting the requirements of the NPPF, the study highlights the importance of having both positive energy efficiency policies and policies to promote sustainable energy development. This will help both to address climate change and to overcome network constraints.

246. The policy reflects the recommendations of the study in relation to improving network supply capacity. Policy 2 reflects its recommendations through policies which aim to reduce the carbon emissions, promote local energy networks, and minimise energy demand in new developments.

247. Therefore, the policy commits the Greater Norwich authorities to lobbying for improvements to the capacity of the energy supply network by the service provider UK Power Networks to ensure improvements are delivered to serve growth needs and/or to innovative approaches which could offset the need for capacity improvements. It particularly highlights the substations at which the study identifies capacity concerns. These are at Sprowston, Peachman Way (Broadland Business Park), Earlham and Cringleford.

248. Water supply and disposal infrastructure in Greater Norwich is provided by Anglian Water. Strategic plans which take account of planned growth and climate change and are subject to Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) are in place and are being updated for both water supply and disposal.

249. Water supply in Greater Norwich is from groundwater sources and from a river intake from the Wensum. There has been significant recent investment in the river intake to protect water quality in this internationally designated chalk river habitat.

250. The Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) does not require additional spending on water supply infrastructure to serve growth in Greater Norwich. However, the WRMP includes new potable water transfers to be funded by Anglian Water through customer bills. Anglian Water would also expect developers to pay appropriate charges for the required connections to the water supply network. Investment is planned to transfer water from the Norwich and the Broads water resource zone (WRZ) to the neighbouring Happisburgh and Norfolk Rural North WRZs. As a result, the policy does not cover water supply infrastructure as investment is not required to support the growth promoted in this plan. The WRMP is reviewed on a continuous basis and a new plan is being prepared for 2024. Anglian Water are also preparing a Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan in partnership with stakeholders to inform the next 2024 business plan.

251. The strategic focus for water supplies throughout the Anglian Water area, which covers much of eastern England, is to promote demand management and leakage reduction, along with a strategic grid to serve other parts of East Anglia and Lincolnshire. This is in line with the pioneering long-term approach taken in Greater Norwich. Water efficiency is now required by the Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework for local plans across the county (see policy 2 of this plan). Water Resources East has recently been formed to co-ordinate between water companies and others involved with water resources.

252. To address growth needs in Greater Norwich Anglian Water’s Water Recycling Long- Term Plan (2019) identifies the Yare Valley Sewer as one of the two strategic sewer investment requirements in its whole area. Increasing capacity at Whitlingham Water Recycling Centre (WRC) is also a strategic priority in Anglian Water’s plan.

253. In line with the long-term approach taken in Greater Norwich, and as required by the NSPF and policy 2 of this plan, Anglian Water also promotes the use of sustainable drainage (SuDS) which have benefits to the environment and communities.

254. Smaller scale measures to address growth needs for Acle, Aylsham, Belaugh and Wymondham WRCs are planned through Anglian Water’s water recycling plan. These are to improve capacity and protect water quality and are referenced in appendix 1. Improved monitoring of foul flows within the network is also planned.

255. Funding for water infrastructure improvements is provided through developer charges directly for connections to water supply network and foul sewerage networks. Taking account of the above evidence, the policy therefore commits the Greater Norwich authorities to lobbying for the timely delivery of improvements to the waste-water network by Anglian Water.

256. To ensure that development does not have a detrimental impact on the water environment, particularly in relation to water quality and the potential for impacts on the water-based sites protected under the Habitats Regulations Directive, major development will be dependent on the water infrastructure being capable of accommodating the development or being able to be made so.

257. The Greater Norwich Water Cycle Study provides further information on these issues.

258. Norfolk County Council is responsible for planning for education infrastructure. Evidence in the GNLPIR shows that school capacity to serve growth will be met both by improvements to existing schools and through new schools being provided.

259. As a rule, if a new development is likely to generate enough children to fill a new school, Norfolk County Council asks developers for the full cost of building that school. A pro rata contribution of the full cost is requested if numbers of children are calculated to be less than 420, a two-form entry primary school. With the current CIL approach locally, only land can be secured through a S106 agreement, and the build cost of the new school is claimed through CIL.

260. Appendix 1 provides details of new schools to serve growth. Sites in this plan and other local plan documents include locations for new schools. The requirement for a new high school in the North-East growth area is specifically identified in policy 4 due to its strategic significance.

261. The policy provides flexibility for the provision of new schools to take account of changing circumstances and allow for the timely delivery of schools when and where they are required. The information in appendix 1 will be updated annually through the Greater Norwich Infrastructure Plan (GNIP), or any successor, to ensure that it is up to date.

262. Forward planning for healthcare services is a high priority. The Greater Norwich Local Plan Infrastructure Report is informed by the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS). The ICS Estates Strategy has been produced in collaboration with the local Clinical Commissioning Groups (Norwich, North Norfolk, and South Norfolk) and NHS Foundation Trusts (Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norfolk Community Health and Care and the Norfolk and Suffolk trusts).

263. The ICS Estates Strategy identifies a range of potential funding sources to provide for growth requirements, including loans, disposals, and partnerships. Any additional contributions secured through planning obligations will need to take account of development viability; be necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms; be directly related to the development; and be fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development. Potential contributions to the provision of health care will need to be balanced against requirements for other essential infrastructure and community benefits like affordable housing.

264. Appendix 1 of this strategy includes health care projects identified through the ICS Estates Strategy.

265. The NPPF states that the Government’s objective is to significantly boost the supply of homes. The GNLP addresses this through the housing strategy in policies 1 and 7 and the housing allocations in the Sites document.

266. The NPPF also states that major housing developments should meet the need for affordable housing on-site, with at least 10% of the affordable homes available for affordable home ownership. The NPPF puts the emphasis on local plans to identify the amount of affordable housing needed. It also requires local plans to provide a mix of property types and sizes and a variety of affordable housing tenures, as well as meeting the needs of all groups in the community.

267. To achieve the above and based on local housing evidence, the policy encourages the provision of a full range of type, tenure, and cost of housing to meet the varied housing needs of our community. It also includes minimum space standards and requirements for adaptable homes to provide an improved quality of life and meet the needs of an ageing population.

268. The policy is flexible in relation to affordable housing sizes, types and tenures to allow differing needs to be met in the three districts on a site-by-site basis based on the most up-to-date evidence. The policy is pragmatic and adaptable, enabling the most up-to-date evidence on housing need to be used.

269. The policy sets a general requirement for on-site affordable housing provision of 33% on sites that show better viability based on local evidence, with a lower requirement in Norwich City Centre. This is based on:

• The Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2017 which identifies a need for 11,030 affordable homes in Greater Norwich from 2015 to 2038, 28% of the total housing need identified at that point.
• Under national policy, small sites under 10 dwellings are not required to provide affordable housing. Larger sites will therefore have to ensure that overall affordable housing need is delivered.
• The most recent viability study findings which conclude that centrally located brownfield sites which have higher development costs which affect viability are generally able to provide 28% affordable housing. In addition, the introduction by the Government of Vacant Building Credit enables existing vacant floorspace on a site to be discounted in order to lower the affordable housing requirement, with the aim of incentivising development on brownfield sites.
• Some specific sites have very high costs associated with development. These are allocated with lower affordable housing requirements.

270. As national planning guidance makes it clear that where applicants can demonstrate particular circumstances that justify the need for a viability assessment at the planning application stage, the policy provides some flexibility on this point for sites where exceptional costs are more likely.

271. The successful approach of preventing subdivision of sites currently in use in Norwich is applied to the whole area through the policy.

272. Development proposals should consider the need for wheelchair adapted homes which meet the Building Regulation M4 (3) standard or any successor. This is not set as a policy requirement but is encouraged within Greater Norwich where viable.

273. Based on local evidence of need, viability and timing and to ensure that new housing provides for a good quality of life, the policy requires housing development across Greater Norwich to meet nationally defined minimum space standards for different types of homes.

274. An increasing proportion of the population is over 65 or disabled, increasing the demand for supported accommodation such as sheltered housing, extra care housing and care homes, residential care and supported living. The local plan seeks to assist Norfolk County Council’s aim to reduce residential care home and nursing home dependency and support people to remain more independent in their own homes or in supported housing.

275. The policy therefore supports the provision of housing to meet the needs of older people and others with support needs, including sheltered housing, residential/nursing care accommodation and extra care housing. Norfolk County Council’s 2018 strategy “Homes for Norfolk” identifies the need for 2,842 additional extra care units by 2028. County wide evidence produced by Three Dragons has identified the need for 3,857 specialist retirement units (sheltered, age restricted or extra care housing) in Greater Norwich between 2020 and 2038.

276. To help to provide for this need, the plan contains a specific allocation for a specialised development for active ageing at Colney Hall and site allocations with an element of specialist housing in the policy (Taverham, Aylsham, Harleston and Barrack Street, Norwich). In addition, policy 5 supports delivery of older peoples’ and supported accommodation on housing sites with good access to local services including on sites allocated for residential use. The aim of this is to integrate older people and others with supported housing needs with the wider community, assisting active retirement and community cohesion. Development Management officers will ensure that the need for specialist housing for the elderly and other needs is considered on all housing schemes and advise applicants on the most up-to-date evidence of need.

277. The policy includes a local requirement to adhere to the national optional Building Regulation standard for adaptable homes. To achieve this 20% of homes on major developments must be designed to be adaptable to meet changing needs over time, enabling people to stay in their homes for longer.

278. The policy provides for the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers by setting criteria by which windfall planning applications can be approved, and the plan includes site allocation policies. In combination, this flexible approach will ensure that at least a further 52 pitches will be developed between 2022 and 2038 to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers.

279. The plan allocates 7 deliverable sites that will provide 38 pitches to meet the need for 30 pitches over the 5-year period between April 2022 and March 2027. These allocated sites, which are distributed around the Greater Norwich area, are in Carleton Rode (2 sites), Cawston, Foulsham, Hevingham, Stratton Strawless and Wymondham.

280. To address the need for 10 pitches over years 6 to 10 of the plan period from April 2027 to March 2032, a developable site is allocated for 10 pitches at Ketteringham Depot. The Ketteringham Depot site, which is currently owned and operated by South Norfolk Council for its household waste collection service, is due to be vacated. This site provides the opportunity for public investment from Homes England and the construction of new pitches by a registered housing provider.

281. Windfall proposals for new pitches for Gypsies and Travellers can come forward at any time in the plan period. Windfall delivery of at least 12 pitches is anticipated to March 2038.

282. The allocation of specific sites for 38 pitches in the initial 5-year period, the allocation of Ketteringham Depot for 10 pitches to be delivered by March 2032, and the allowance of 12 windfall pitches equals a total of 60 pitches. This provides a buffer against the need for 52 pitches to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers.

283. The policy also allows for Travelling Show People and Residential Caravan needs to be met through market-led solutions through the criteria-based policy. The Partnership will work with the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain (Eastern Region) to address the need for 43 plots over the plan period to 2038. The Broads Authority plans for the needs for residents of houseboats in the area.

284. The policy also aims to ensure that Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) is provided to meet growing needs at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and in other locations with good access to the educational facilities they will serve, including Norwich University of the Arts. The policy content and the sites allocated for student accommodation on the campus of the UEA will have regard to the UEA Development Framework Strategy, or successor documents.

285. Away from the UEA campus, PBSA is required to provide an affordable housing contribution. This contribution to affordable housing is to be through a commuted sum. The methodology for calculating the commuted sum will be set out in a new Supplementary Planning Document to be adopted after the adoption of the GNLP.

286. Local authorities are required to keep a register of those seeking to acquire serviced plots in the area for their own self-build and custom-build housing. In April 2022, there were 723 people on the registers in Greater Norwich.

287. In line with the Right to Build and the NPPF, self and custom-build housing delivery is promoted through the GNLP on a range of sites. This policy sets a requirement for larger sites to provide self and custom-build plots. The thresholds have been set to ensure that plots are provided across Greater Norwich. Policies 7.4 and 7.5 also promote self and custom-build on smaller scale windfall sites. Overall, this comprehensive approach will increase the supply of housing in urban and rural areas and provide opportunities for small and medium enterprises to build houses, as well as for self and custom-build.

288. Other potential means of helping to provide for local housing needs are through the provision of live-work units and through community led housing initiatives, such as might be provided by a Community Land Trust. Such initiatives will need to be in appropriate locations.

289. This local plan aims to deliver inclusive economic growth. It supports and delivers the ambitions of the New Anglia LEP’s Norfolk and Suffolk Economic Strategy and Local Industrial Strategy, the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor initiative, and the enhanced growth outlined in the Greater Norwich City Deal. In a time of significant economic uncertainty and change, the policies aim to provide an appropriate balance between certainty and flexibility to inform investment decisions and encourage economic development.

290. The Norfolk and Suffolk Economic Strategy (NSES) recognises Norwich and Greater Norwich as one of six “priority places”. Greater Norwich is also a key location within two other priority places; the A47 corridor and the Cambridge-Norwich corridor. The NSES identifies nine key economic sectors of:

• Energy.
• Life sciences and biotech.
• ICT, tech and digital creative.
• Advanced agriculture, food and drink.
• Visitor economy, tourism and culture.
• Financial services and insurance.
• Transport, freight and logistics.
• Construction and development.
• Advanced manufacturing and engineering.

291. The promotion of Norfolk and Suffolk as the “UK’s clean growth region” sits at the heart of New Anglia’s Local Industrial Strategy (LIS). It focusses on three high growth sectors: clean energy, agri-food and ICT/digital. All the NSES and LIS sectors are represented in Greater Norwich and relevant businesses are found throughout the area. In addition, there are important concentrations of the LIS priority sectors in strategic employment locations: Norwich Airport plays a key role in servicing the off-shore energy industry; Norwich Research Park and the Food Enterprise Park are crucial to the success of the agri-food sector and the city centre is home to a growing ICT/digital cluster. The high environmental standards promoted through this local plan will support the recognition of the area as the UK’s Clean Growth region.

292. The Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor (CNTC) is an extension of both the Oxford Cambridge Arc and the London Stansted Cambridge corridor. The A11 coupled with Cambridge to Norwich train services provide the linking transport infrastructure. Greater Norwich includes key economic assets supporting the CNTC – notably Norwich and its city centre, the Norwich Research Park (including UEA and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH)), the Food Enterprise Park, Norwich Airport and Hethel Engineering Centre.

293. Evidence in the Employment, Town Centre and Retail study (GVA 2017), updated in the Greater Norwich Employment Land addendum: Avison Young: 2020, investigated both “business as usual” and the potential for enhanced economic growth. It demonstrates that committed employment land is more than sufficient in quantity and quality to meet the potential for enhanced growth. The Avison Young addendum forecasts growth of around 33,000 jobs in the period 2020 to 2038. While the plan provides for significantly more employment land than is required for this scale of jobs growth, there are a range of justifying factors:

1. Over 280 hectares of our supply is on key strategic sites, with several targeted at particular sectors such as NRP, Hethel and the airport area. These sites are not suitable for reallocation to other uses.
2. The remainder is dispersed across the area providing important local opportunities. The evidence focusses on B-class uses (as defined pre-2020) and employment land will also be used for non-B-class employment such as gyms, waste recycling centres, vehicle sales and fuel forecourts; or supporting uses such as cafés and restaurants.
3. The scale and range of our employment allocations facilitates choice and flexibility, provides for growth in the longer term and supports more ambitious levels of jobs growth if demand can be stimulated.

294. The enhanced growth scenario forecasts around 45,000 jobs in the period 2015 to 2036. In the period 2015 to 2018 the East of England Forecasting Model (EEFM) suggests that around 15,000 jobs were delivered. This leaves the enhanced growth potential for around 30,000 jobs in the period 2018 to 2036. This is an uplift of around 8,000 on the EEFM business as usual forecast and is consistent with City Deal ambitions. Since the evidence was produced the local plan period has been extended to 2038 and, based on the EEFM, the target is extended to 33,000 jobs 2018 to 2038.

295. The policies of this plan seek to grow the local economy in a sustainable way to support jobs and inclusive economic growth in both urban and rural locations. This will:

• Provide jobs and services for a rising population and develop Greater Norwich’s role as an engine of the regional economy.
• Facilitate enhanced growth potential with a target of at least 33,000 additional jobs in the period 2020-2038.
• Support the key sectors identified in the NSES and LIS and help increase the proportion of higher value, knowledge economy jobs, while ensuring that opportunities are available for development that can support all types and levels of jobs in all sectors of the economy and for all the workforce.
• Be supported by investment strategies that focus on overcoming constraints to the release and development of key employment sites.

296. Policy 2 promotes the provision of enhanced broadband throughout the area and this will support businesses directly and support home working. Implementation of the policy will also see employment development contribute to the green infrastructure network as appropriate.

297. The Norwich urban area and in particular the city centre has a key role to play in providing the employment needed to support the housing growth proposed across the Greater Norwich area through significant employment generation in the city centre. Evidence shows that Norwich’s economic dynamism underpins the regional economy; if Norwich’s economy flourishes, it will benefit the adjoining rural settlements in the county and beyond. A key part of retaining and growing employment in the city centre will be to reverse the loss of office accommodation in the city centre, as required by policy 1 of this plan, which has experienced a 29% reduction since the start of the Joint Core Strategy plan period in 2008.

298. Although the Employment Town Centre and Retail study (GVA 2017) and the Avison Young 2020 addendum conclude that Greater Norwich has enough employment land overall, most of this is out-of-centre and is neither the preferred location for some growth sectors nor the most sustainable place for high intensity employment / office growth. The report highlights key trends in employment activity including a re-urbanisation of business activity back to locations that can offer a broader range of services to employees, and the rise in new start-ups in the creative and media sector which is fuelling demand for space in specific locations allowing for greater interactions, including Norwich City Centre. Given that the report also identifies an underlying demand for good quality office and employment space there is a risk that this may lead to new such development going to less sustainable locations with serious impacts on the vitality of the city centre and undermining policies to encourage modal shift. Therefore, it is essential that this plan ensures that high density employment uses are concentrated in highly accessible locations in particular the city centre, and that loss of existing floorspace in the city centre is resisted (see policy 7.1).

299. The Employment Town Centre and Retail study reviewed existing employment sites and allocations and did not conclude that any should be reallocated for other uses. While the study also concluded that there is no overall quantitative need for additional employment sites, 46.5ha of land at Norwich Airport is newly allocated for aviation related uses. The site has the benefit of planning permission and was included as a commitment in the study. Two small sites are also allocated as they are logical extensions to existing strategic sites and provide additional flexibility. Extensions to other small sites will also be considered where this can be justified, for example where the site is well located to serve local needs and has insufficient capacity to serve ongoing demand.

300. Retailing and town centres are currently in a state of flux. Covid-19 has strengthened the growth of internet shopping. This uncertainty reinforces the need to protect and promote town centres to allow them to recover and evolve. There is some evidence that the Covid-19 epidemic has encouraged people to shop locally and boosted the opportunities for smaller businesses and in market towns, and smaller centres.

301. The policy identifies the hierarchy of centres across the area to guide the operation of the “sequential approach”. It encourages development in all centres and, outside defined centres, small-scale businesses to serve local areas. New local centres are promoted in the site-specific policies for all strategic housing developments. Within town centres a flexible approach will be required to allow centres to diversify while retaining their ongoing role as economic and community hubs. Owing to the need to update policy for Norwich City Centre, further detail is set out in Policy 7.1.

302. Retail, offices and some leisure uses are currently the same use class and this helps provide flexibility within town centres. The policy’s definition of the local retail hierarchy enables the individual councils to consider whether, dependent on national permitted development rights, Article 4 Directions may be appropriate locally. This approach would allow protection of all or parts of retail centres, potentially ranging from local to town centres and the city centre as defined in Development Management policies, from conversion to residential uses. In addition, large-scale out of centre office, retail or leisure development will have significant implications, for example for traffic generation, and it will be important to ensure through conditions that the development that takes place is consistent with the evidence provided with the planning application.

303. Tourism, and related developments, are an important part of the local economy and reflect the attractiveness of the environmental and cultural offer in the area. However, it is important that this attraction does not itself lead to damage of the very things that people come here for. In particular, consideration under the Habitat Regulations will be needed for such developments. The requirements set out under Policy 3 for new residential development will apply to tourist accommodation development; and a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) will be required for significant tourism, leisure, cultural or environmental development which would impact on a Habitats Regulations protected site.

304. Policies 7.1 to 7.4 provide details of the distribution of growth set out in policy 1, along with location specific strategic policies for the different areas of growth within Greater Norwich. The policies for these areas follow the settlement hierarchy:

• 7.1 The Norwich urban area including the fringe parishes.
• 7.2 The main towns.
• 7.3 The key service centres.
• 7.4 Village clusters.

305. Policy 7.5 provides for small-scale windfall development of up to 3 dwellings for self-build and custom build homes.

306. The GNLP Sites Plan provides individual allocations to implement the strategy with the exception of allocations in village clusters in South Norfolk and some sites in and around Diss which will be in separate plans.

307. The policy for the Norwich urban area is divided into three sections:

1. The City Centre.
2. East Norwich.
3. Elsewhere in the urban area including the fringe parishes.

308. This division reflects:

1. The importance of the city centre to Greater Norwich as a whole, the rapid change in the role of city centres (particularly in relation to retailing and office employment), and the need to promote brownfield regeneration (particularly in the northern city centre), which together create the necessity for a distinctive, detailed and updated planning framework.
2. The potential for brownfield regeneration to create a new urban quarter in the long-term in East Norwich.
3. The essential role that the other parts of the urban area and the fringe parishes will play in meeting housing needs through the growth of strategic and smaller scale extensions and small-scale brownfield redevelopment to support neighbourhood renewal. The area will also play a key role in meeting employment growth needs, providing sites for the growth of both strategic and local employment uses.

309. Housing growth of 27,958 in the area will provide around 62% of the total growth in the GNLP (see policy 1). The Sites document provides policies for each site allocated to deliver these homes.

310. The NPPF requires local planning authorities to plan positively to ensure that town centres remain vibrant, diverse, and viable and recognise the role that they will play at the heart of communities by taking a positive approach to their growth.

311. Norwich City Centre is defined in this plan as the area within the city walls, with the addition of Riverside, and areas around the railway station, Norwich City Football Club, and south of the bus station. This is illustrated in map 10 below.

312. Norwich City Centre is the pre-eminent regional centre in the East of England, focused on a historic city centre with a wealth of heritage assets and an unrivalled historic and natural environment. It accommodates the majority of jobs, key services and economic, leisure and cultural facilities serving much of Norfolk and north Suffolk. It is within the top 15 retail destinations in the UK. The established approach to planning for Norwich city centre has been cited as an example of best practice by Government.

313. To date, Norwich City Centre has proved remarkably resilient in adapting to the unprecedented challenges arising from wider societal changes in employment patterns, shopping habits and leisure activities.

314. Policy 7.1 details how development will help to shape the city centre to 2038. The centre must continue to be planned in a way which enhances, protects, and makes the best use of its distinctive assets and ensures that it remains the focus for the high-value jobs, services, and facilities. A strong, vibrant, attractive, and thriving city centre is critical to attracting investment in Greater Norwich as the key driver of the area’s economy and to supporting the delivery of housing and other development across the plan area.

315. As changes will inevitably continue, policy 7.1 takes a flexible long-term approach to continuing to promote a vibrant city centre in the context of the decline of high street shopping and the growth of online retailing which is further impacted by Covid-19 and its economic consequences. This flexible approach allows for:

• The intensification and diversification of city centre uses, with retail combining with other uses to foster an attractive and distinctive living and working environment.
• Conserving and enhancing the historic and natural environment.
• Encouraging housing on all suitable city centre sites as part of mixed-use development.
• Actively promoting and integrating new retail and other town centre uses in the city centre and resisting out of centre developments.
• Attracting and retaining employment in the city centre and resisting loss of office floorspace with the areas defined under the ‘Article 4 direction relating to the conversion of offices to residential’ or where the loss of office accommodation involves listed buildings unless it can be demonstrated that its loss will not be of detriment to Norwich’s office economy.
• Managing shopping frontages to effectively adapt to change and protect their vibrancy, diversity, and attractiveness.
• Mitigating the impact of traffic and improving accessibility and connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport.

316. The city centre has the potential to consolidate existing economic sectors as set out in policy 6 and detailed in this policy, such as finance, insurance, and retailing, and support significant further growth in key economic sectors, including ICT/digital culture industries, leisure and tourism. Evidence shows that the character of the city core and property typology are well suited to tech firms and knowledge intensive businesses that function well within city locations that support face to face working. £25 million secured in late 2020 from the Government’s Towns Fund will assist in the development of a digital hub, as part of wider investment in the city on transport, infrastructure, and skills.

317. The city centre also offers considerable potential for brownfield development to promote physical and economic regeneration in areas where there has been long-term decline.

318. The ongoing revitalisation of the King Street and Mountergate area has been a notable success, with more sites allocated in this area through this plan to secure further regeneration.

319. Anglia Square, a 1960s neighbourhood shopping precinct, forming the main part of the large district centre in the north of the city centre, is also a major regeneration priority. The capacity of Anglia Square to deliver a significant element of the plan’s housing need on a highly accessible brownfield site means that it has strategic significance for Greater Norwich. The Employment, Town Centre and Retail Study (GVA, 2017) acknowledges the considerable potential of Anglia Square to accommodate a much-enhanced retail and leisure offer including extensive public realm improvements.

320. The policy therefore promotes high density, housing-led mixed-use redevelopment of Anglia Square and surrounding vacant land. Redevelopment proposals should also include retailing, employment, community, and leisure facilities.

321. Regeneration of Anglia Square is also intended to be the catalyst for substantial investment in, and further regeneration of, the wider northern city centre. As a result, the whole of the northern city centre area as defined in map 10 is identified on the Key Diagram as a Strategic regeneration area.

322. The northern city centre has been declared a neighbourhood area for planning purposes. This policy provides the strategic context for any more detailed plans for the area.

323. Anglia Square has been subject to comprehensive mixed-use regeneration proposals which Norwich City Council resolved to approve in December 2018. The Secretary of State “called-in” the application for determination and refused it notwithstanding a recommendation to approve it. The decision gives considerable comfort that medium to high density residential led mixed-use development in this location is appropriate and should be part of this plan. The previous scheme required support to be viable for delivery. It is likely that any future scheme will also require public support to ensure implementation.

324. To provide strategy on the wide range of planning issues affecting the city centre, the remainder of the city centre element of the policy is divided into six sections on: the economy; retail and main town centre uses; leisure, culture, entertainment, and the visitor economy; housing; the natural and built environment and access and transportation.

325. The policy seeks to attract and retain employment in the city centre by boosting employment sectors identified by evidence in the GVA study as having most growth potential, in particular knowledge based and digital creative industries, providing for a suitable range and choice of employment premises particularly in locations which are well related to transport hubs, offer good linkages with existing and expanding business networks and provide high value employment opportunities as part of the regeneration of key sites and areas. A key part of retaining employment in the city centre will be to reverse the significant loss of office employment.

326. To this end an Article 4 Direction was introduced to prevent the change of use of certain offices to residential within the city centre, unless planning permission is granted for it by the council. The intention of the direction is to manage the loss of office floorspace that could otherwise change to residential through permitted development rights and to only allow a change of use to residential where it can be demonstrated that the loss of office accommodation will not be of detriment to Norwich’s office economy. The policy also seeks to protect offices within statutory listed buildings. This policy approach will ensure a supply of suitable sites and premises for the key city centre employment growth sectors, most particularly digital and creative industries. The Article 4 Direction, as modified by the Secretary of State/DLUHC, came into force in February 2023 and targets specific areas and buildings (see map 11 below).

327. Retail and other main town centre uses policy set out in policy 7.1 provides flexibility and recognises the trend for changing uses and functions in city centres. The aim is to ensure the centre provides an attractive location in which people can experience a complementary range of different uses, services, and activities, including retailing. The Norwich City Centre Retail Strategy prepared by the Norwich Business Improvement District endorses this approach. It acknowledges that a vibrant, diverse, and accessible offer providing a range of different experiences for the visitor, alongside promotion of a strong and distinctive sense of place and identity, will be key to the long-term economic success of Norwich city centre.

328. Policy 6 places the city centre retail area at the top of the retail hierarchy, with the large district centres at Riverside and at Anglia Square, Magdalen Street and St. Augustines providing a complementary role and meeting more day-to-day needs. The extent of, and more detailed policies for, the city centre retail area, and the primary and secondary retail areas within it, along with the large district centres, are set out in existing development management policies.

329. The Avison Young Greater Norwich Town Centres & Retail Study Update December 2020 forecasts an oversupply of circa 20,000 square metres net of comparison retail floorspace in the Norwich Urban area to 2038. It is therefore not necessary to allocate any new retail sites. This may be revisited in the review of the plan when the future of retailing becomes clearer.

330. In view of the rapidly changing retail picture and the forecast oversupply, the reservation of a specific site for retail development is inappropriate. This reinforces an approach which seeks to improve the quality of existing retail provision and other town centres uses and concentrate on existing provision in terms of redevelopment, intensification, refurbishment/remodelling, and, in some instances, down-sizing and repurposing to other land uses appropriate to town centre environments.

331. Development to support speciality, independent and small-scale retailing is encouraged by the policy. This allows for additional convenience goods floorspace to be provided for through smaller food store development to support new mixed-use development and regeneration.

332. The policy also prioritises vibrancy, activity, and diversity of uses in defined retail areas outside of the defined primary retail area, permitting the use of redundant floorspace for other uses, including the reuse of upper floors.

333. The policy encourages the development of new leisure and cultural facilities, hotels, and other visitor accommodation to support the delivery of a broader range of activities in the city centre and strengthen Norwich City Centre’s role as a visitor and cultural destination.

334. The policy also supports the delivery of more high-quality housing on suitable sites, generally as part of mixed-use development, except where including housing in redevelopment could affect the commercial vitality and viability of the centre. Furthermore, it supports the expansion of further and higher education facilities and promotes development to augment the supply of purpose-built accommodation for students in the city centre.

335. To supplement policy 3 for the built and natural environment, policy 7.1 promotes innovative design with reference to the National Design Guide and the City Centre Conservation Area Appraisal, particularly at gateways, and supports further delivery of the riverside walk and the River Wensum Strategy.

336. To support the above, development is required to assist in implementing accessibility, legibility, and permeability measures within the city centre. These are likely to comprise improvements to the public transport, walking and cycling networks to enhance connectivity, including public realm works. This will be led by the Transport for Norwich strategy.

337. East Norwich, which consists of brownfield regeneration sites by the rivers Wensum and Yare at Carrow Works, the Deal Ground, the Utilities Site, and land in front of ATB Laurence Scott fronting the Wensum, is defined in map 10 below. It has the potential in the medium to long-term to create a new mixed-use sustainable urban quarter for Norwich and to contribute significantly to growth of the Greater Norwich economy. It also has the potential to act as a long-term catalyst for regeneration of the wider area. As a result, East Norwich is identified as a strategic regeneration area on the Key Diagram.

338. To ensure growth is co-ordinated, overcomes local constraints and is well-designed in a sensitive location in and adjacent to the Broads, the strategic policy requires regeneration to be guided by an area-wide Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Funding for the SPD has been provided from the site landowners and other partners in the East Norwich Partnership (a new public-private sector partnership led by Norwich City Council) including Homes England and Network Rail. Significant additional funding was also secured from the Towns Fund which has enabled the SPD to progress and enabled Norwich City Council to acquire land in order to become a landowning partner. The SPD will inform implementation of this strategy and, alongside an Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) and phasing plans, will establish a framework for assisting with unlocking the development opportunities and a framework for securing funding for the delivery of infrastructure where needed, such as bridges and marinas. Whilst the SPD, IDP and phasing plans will form the framework for bringing forward development at East Norwich, further in-depth assessments and studies will need to be undertaken to inform the decision-making process at the planning application stage. This will include (but not be limited to) a Transport Assessment, a Sustainability Statement, a Heritage Impact Assessment, an Archaeological Evaluation, Energy, Water and Construction Statements, a Flood Risk Assessment, Landscape and Design Statements, an Ecological Assessment, an Arboricultural Assessment, Contamination Investigations and Noise and Air Quality Assessments.

339. The SPD will promote development of a locally distinctive, high density and high-quality sustainable residential-led mixeduse community. It will co-ordinate delivery of new transport and connectivity infrastructure, social infrastructure, jobs, and services, and protect and enhance biodiversity and green infrastructure. It will also set the objectives for implementation of a low carbon energy solution for the site (potentially including a local energy network to serve the area as a whole), conserve, and where opportunities arise, enhance heritage assets, and address local issues including the active railway, the protected minerals railhead, noise, and flood risk issues. The masterplanning work indicates a residential development capacity for the entire East Norwich Strategic Regeneration Area of 3,633 homes. This includes 271 homes within the Broads Authority area which will be delivered through the local plan for the Broads. Of these, in the region of 3,000 homes should be delivered on sites within the Greater Norwich Local Plan area by 2038. In terms of job numbers, the findings of the masterplanning work indicate that opportunities should be created for in the region of 4,100 jobs (full time equivalents).

340. Policy 7.1 provides the strategic policy framework and site allocation policy STR.01 sets out the key development considerations and constraints along with the site-wide and site-specific requirements.

341. Reflecting the settlement hierarchy set out in policy 1, development elsewhere in the urban area and in the fringe parishes within Broadland and South Norfolk will support sustainable housing and employment growth on sites with good access to services.

342. The area contains substantial communities located in residential areas with the benefits of being accessible to the services, facilities and employment that are located here and in the city centre. It also has the advantage of being located near to the countryside which adds to its attraction. This proximity makes the area attractive both as a place to live and for the location of employment.

343. The importance of this area to the strategy for Greater Norwich is illustrated by the fact that it will provide almost half of the housing growth and the majority of the strategic employment areas.

344. Housing growth in the area will consist of limited numbers of brownfield developments in existing built-up areas, along with significant growth in both strategic and smaller scale extensions to the urban area.

345. As set out in policy 6, strategic employment growth will be in accessible locations at Norwich Research Park, Easton/Honingham, Longwater and the Growth Triangle. Growth at these employment locations will provide sites for both knowledge intensive industries, particularly on existing and newly allocated sites at Norwich Research Park, and for building a broad-based economy. Development at Norwich Research Park and Easton and Honingham will address transport and infrastructure impacts to mitigate constraints of the proposed developments on the existing highway infrastructure.

346. Further growth is planned at UEA through intensification of uses within the campus and its limited expansion. This is in line with evidence supporting growth as part of wider expansion of the education sector and of Norwich Research Park, both of which are key to economic growth in Greater Norwich.

347. In line with its adopted area action plan, and with the addition of a site for over 1,200 new homes at White House Farm in Sprowston allocated through this plan, the Growth Triangle provides for approximately 13,500 new homes to 2038, along with the growth strategic employment areas close to Norwich Airport, at Rackheath and in Thorpe St. Andrew.

348. Other strategic housing growth locations will provide well located new communities in the west of the area. These consist of new and expanded communities in Cringleford, Easton, Costessey and Hellesdon and the completion of the long-term urban extension at Three Score, Bowthorpe. Development at Costessey will address transport and infrastructure impacts to mitigate constraints of the proposed developments on the existing highway infrastructure particularly relating to the A47 Longwater Junction.

349. This and other policies in the development plan ensure that such growth will be positive, adding to the choices in terms of location and quality in the area in an appropriate manner. In particular, major development should be integrated with existing communities both physically, through connecting roads, footways, cycleways, bridleways (where appropriate) and green infrastructure, and socially for example through recreational provision on new developments or improvements to existing provision.

350. In line with the settlement hierarchy, the main towns of Aylsham, Diss (with part of Roydon), Harleston, Long Stratton and Wymondham collectively provide just under 6,700 homes, around 15% of the proposed housing growth planned to 2038.

351. The towns play a vital role in the rural economy, providing employment opportunities and services for wider hinterlands. As such, they are engines of rural growth and it is important that they are enabled to grow at appropriate scales, having regard to infrastructure and environmental issues, to enable them to thrive. Growth in these towns will have good access to services.

352. Some development is already identified for the towns through existing local plans. In particular, major development proposals are set out in the Long Stratton and Wymondham Area Action Plans (AAPs), which are not superseded by the GNLP and continue to operate.

353. Since allocations meet growth needs, in line with other policies in this plan, windfall sites will be limited to locations within and, for very small developments limited to 5 homes, adjacent to settlement boundaries.

354. Retail evidence suggests that there will not be the need for major additional retail expansion in the main towns, with the possible exception of Diss. Since retailing is experiencing significant changes, no land allocations are made through the plan. This policy and policy 6 allow for such development, prioritising town centre locations, if new evidence justifies it.

355. Aylsham has a good range of shops and services in and around its attractive and historic centre and local employment opportunities. Transport links to and from the town via the A140 are good, including regular bus services to Norwich and North Norfolk. Delivery of housing has been good in recent years and there are 226 homes with existing planning permission including completions 2018/19 – 2021/22.

356. The Bure Valley and the Marriott’s Way form the core of a well-developed local and strategic green infrastructure network and development could support further improvements.

357. To support the continued vitality of Aylsham and to locate an appropriate amount of growth in this main town, 300 additional homes are allocated on a site to the south-east of the town centre through the GNLP and 250 homes off the Norwich Road to the south, the latter including specialist retirement homes. Both sites have good access to the A140 and public transport. A new primary school required to serve growth in the town is included in the south-eastern allocation.

358. Anglian Water plans to increase capacity at the local water recycling centres at Aylsham and Belaugh to serve growth.

359. Diss is strategically located on the Norwich to London railway line and the A140 and A143 provide road links to Norwich, Ipswich, east coast ports and Bury St. Edmunds. Diss is also a hub for local bus links.

360. Diss has the widest range of shops and services of the main towns, as well as a broad range of employment opportunities mainly located to the east of the town centre close to the railway. The shops and services are mainly within the attractive town centre of Diss, which has significant pedestrian priority areas, along with supermarkets on Victoria Road. Diss Mere and its surrounding green space provide a distinctive focal point for the town centre.

361. These locational attributes and connectivity provide the potential for economic growth as an enhanced centre serving a large rural hinterland in South Norfolk and northern Suffolk.

362. Diss and Roydon are in the Waveney Valley. The valley provides an attractive setting for the settlements and is the hub of an extensive green infrastructure network including the Angles and Boudicca Ways.

363. While delivery of housing has been good in recent years, associated environmental constraints place limits on the potential for housing expansion. The Diss Network Improvement Strategy shows that traffic constraints, particularly on Victoria Road, also reduce the potential for significant additional expansion.

364. The existing commitment of 400 dwellings is complemented by a strategic requirement for around 400 homes set by this plan. 150 of these homes are allocated through this plan on a site neighbouring the railway station. The Diss and District Neighbourhood Plan allocates land for the remaining 250 homes.

365. The GVA Study suggests that Diss has the best potential of the main towns for retail growth, which could be accompanied by further improvements to the public realm and a strengthened food and beverage offer in the town centre.

366. The GVA Study also shows that Diss has the potential for jobs growth on existing undeveloped allocated employment land, particularly for manufacturing, including high value activities. The sites are close to the railway line and have good access to a large neighbouring employment area at Eye Airfield, allowing for complementary activities.

367. Harleston has a smaller range of more specialist retail facilities and services which provide for a more local catchment in South Norfolk and northern Suffolk. These have the potential for expansion. It has good road links to the east and west via the A143 and access to Norwich via the A140 will be improved by delivery of the Long Stratton bypass. A local bus network is focussed on the town.

368. Harleston is close to the River Waveney and the Angles Way along the valley forms part of the strategic green infrastructure network.

369. Housing delivery has been good in Harleston in recent years. The plan allocates two sites to the south-east of the town centre within the A143 bypass and close to employment areas. The sites provide for 550 new homes including specialist retirement accommodation, in addition to commitment of around 250 dwellings. Growth of around 800 new homes in Harleston to 2038 will support the retention and expansion of services and jobs in this attractive market town, as well as providing accommodation for older residents.

370. Owing to the scale of the existing commitment in Long Stratton, which will both provide a bypass and the growth of services supporting its classification as a main town, this plan does not make further allocations in addition to Long Stratton’s Area Action Plan (AAP). ;Evidence shows that the scale of the commitment means that parts of the site allocated in the AAP will not be delivered until after 2038. ;There may be further potential capacity for development within the existing allocation beyond the 1,875 homes that are the subject of current planning applications; however, these would be unlikely to be delivered until late in the plan period, or beyond. ;

371. The AAP identifies some infrastructure capacity constraints, particularly in relation to Long Stratton Water Recycling Centre, although Anglian Water plans to increase capacity to serve growth. ; The GNLP is not intended to replace the AAP, which may therefore be reviewed separately later to address the delivery of additional housing in Long Stratton, ;if required. ;

372. The plan allocates two sites in Wymondham for a total of 150 additional dwellings to 2038. With the major housing commitment and employment expansion set out in Wymondham’s Area Action Plan, this means that the town will grow by around 2,500 homes, along with strategic employment growth at Browick Road. This will both support Wymondham’s role as a main town serving the south-west of Greater Norwich and contribute to the development of the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor.

373. Anglian Water plans to increase capacity at the local water recycling centre at Wymondham to serve growth.

374. Transforming Cities funding has been awarded to improve access to Wymondham railway station.

375. The strategic gaps identified through this plan and other policies in the development plan aim to prevent coalescence of Wymondham and Hethersett. The gap between the two settlements is focussed on Kett’s Oak.

376. The key service centres of Acle, Blofield, Brundall, Hethersett, Hingham, Loddon / Chedgrave, Poringland / Framingham Earl, Reepham and Wroxham provide 3,812 homes, around 8% of the proposed housing growth. This reflects the settlement hierarchy and is made up of significant existing commitments, with additional sites allocated through this plan in the locations with the best opportunities for further growth and the fewest constraints.

377. The key service centres have a relatively good range of services, access to public transport and employment opportunities and play a vital role in serving the rural areas. This role is intended to continue with development taking place at appropriate levels.

378. High amounts of existing commitments and environmental and infrastructure constraints limit the potential for additional housing growth through this plan at Blofield, Brundall, Poringland / Framingham Earl and Reepham. Traffic constraints and proximity to the Broads at Wroxham restrict growth.

379. The focus of additional housing growth identified through this plan is therefore at Acle, Hethersett, Hingham and Loddon / Chedgrave.

380. Acle has been identified for additional growth on well-located sites which will provide a link road to the west of the village. The village has a good range of services including a secondary school. It also has good bus and rail services and is strategically located between Norwich and Great Yarmouth to benefit from employment growth, including in the offshore energy sector.

381. Hethersett is close to Norwich and within the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor. It has a range of services including a secondary school and good access to other services, with good public transport links to Norwich and Wymondham. It also has good access to employment opportunities at a range of strategic and more local sites. As a result, major development is committed to the north and west of the village and additional growth identified through this plan will be delivered through uplift within the existing allocation. Strategic gaps identified through this plan and detailed in development management policies between Wymondham and Hethersett, focussed on Kett’s Oak, and Hethersett and Cringleford, aim to prevent the settlements joining up.

382. Hingham has limited existing commitment, a range of services and employment, good public transport links and is well located to benefit from additional employment opportunities in the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor. The additional allocation to the east of the village, which provides for 80 homes, has good access to services and public transport.

383. Loddon / Chedgrave has a good range of services, good public transport links and is well located between Norwich and Lowestoft to benefit from employment growth, including in the offshore energy sector. Additional growth is allocated on one site to the north of Chedgrave and on another to the south-east of Loddon.

384. In line with other policies in this plan, windfall sites will be limited to locations within and, for very small developments limited to 3 to 5 homes, adjacent to settlement boundaries.

385. The remaining permitted and allocated housing growth, 3,883 homes, around 9% of the total for Greater Norwich in the plan period, is on sites in village clusters. Village clusters are based on primary school catchments, which provide a proxy for social sustainability.

386. Locating this level of growth in village clusters aims to promote social sustainability by supporting rural life and services. The provision of several relatively small allocation sites as required by the National Planning Policy Framework means this approach also has the benefit of supporting small-scale builders, providing choice for the market and helping to ensure the delivery of housing in popular village locations. The policy also aims to provide a range of sizes and tenures of new homes to meet needs in village clusters.

387. A separate South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Site Allocations Local Plan is being produced. This plan will include sites for a minimum of 1,200 homes in addition to the 1,187 already committed in the village clusters to be identified in South Norfolk.

388. The GNLP Sites Plan allocates sites to meet the strategic requirement for up to 442 more homes in addition to the 1,054 homes already committed in the village clusters in Broadland.

389. The village clusters cover the remaining areas of Broadland outside the Norwich fringe, main towns and key service centres. Some smaller settlements are clustered with towns and villages higher in the settlement hierarchy, such as the villages around Aylsham. This applies where the larger settlement provides the local primary school.

390. The scale of growth in any cluster in Broadland reflects school capacity or ability to grow and the availability of other accessible services, the “social capacity” of a cluster. The identification of sites with the fewest constraints has also helped to provide the indicative view on the potential amount of growth in specific clusters.

391. To reduce additional car journeys and encourage healthy and active lifestyles, new housing allocations have been preferred on sites within village clusters with good access to a primary school and a safe route to school.

392. Policies 1 and 7.4 also support windfall development for affordable housing in the village clusters in both Broadland and South Norfolk, with some market housing permitted where it supports viability, including self/custom-build. The policies allow for infill and small extensions in those parts of village clusters which have a settlement boundary.

393. This approach will provide for appropriate levels of growth in accessible locations in village clusters as required by policy 1.

394. This policy applies to all parishes. Its purpose is to allow for a limited number of additional dwellings in each parish beyond those allocated or allowed for as larger scale windfall sites through other policies in this plan.

395. Policy 7.5 promotes small-scale self-build and custom build housing development. This complements policies 5 and 7.4 which also support self/custom build.

396. To achieve this, the policy provides opportunities for the development of self-build and custom build homes:

1. On sites that are within or adjacent to settlements with a defined settlement boundary.
2. Or on sites within or adjacent to other settlements without a defined settlement boundary.

397. The policy requires such developments to respect the form and character of the settlement and landscape.

398. Additional requirements applying to all sites such as providing safe highways access set in policy 2 will be applied to these sites, though with greater flexibility in relation to access to services due to the very limited scale of development supported by the policy.

399. It is anticipated that this policy will lead to the delivery of around 800 homes during the plan period. These homes form part of the housing supply in table 6 and policy 1 of this plan.