Small sites for new homes in North Norfolk

The small sites project aims to provide more affordable homes in North Norfolk district by encouraging small and medium-sized developers to bring forward sites for new homes.

North Norfolk District Council is working with Broadland Housing Association and Flagship Housing Group (the local housing associations) on this project. 

Benefits for the developer

• A guaranteed price – no marketing costs or sales risk.
• Stage payments (subject to pre-qualification criteria) to help with cash flow.
• A clear specification for the new homes.
• Free access to pre-planning advice and support with planning applications.

One of the local housing associations will buy the new homes and let them at sub-market rents to households in housing need. 

Benefits for the community

• A new supply of quality affordable homes.
• A chance of an affordable home for people on the Council's housing list.
• Retention of young people and families who may otherwise be unable to afford to rent or buy a house locally.

Supporting information

The information provided on this page will show how North Norfolk District Council working with Broadland Housing Association and the Flagship Housing Group, will support developers to deliver affordable homes on small sites across the district.  

In the content below, you can look at each housing association's specifications and a draft contract. In addition, please refer to our frequently asked questions. We also have links to relevant planning policies, particularly the Council policy on affordable housing in the countryside.

Get in touch

We hope you find the information you need. However, we want to hear from you and encourage you to contact us for an informal discussion.

Housing Associations 

Broadland Housing Group

Broadland Housing Group has a track record of providing innovative and award-winning affordable housing developments in the district. Recent development has focussed on small rural sites of up to 20 homes, and Broadland designs these to blend in with and enhance the existing homes in the host village.

Documents

• Broadland Housing Association Affordable Housing Specification
• Draft contract

Flagship Housing Group: Victory Housing

In 2006, Victory Housing Trust took ownership of the council housing previously owned by the district council.

Victory Housing Trust has continued to deliver new affordable housing in the district and is now part of the Flagship Housing Group.  

Flagship Housing is the largest housing association in North Norfolk district. Its new developments range from small sites in village locations to larger sites in North Walsham, Holt and Wells.

Documents

• Flagship Homes Affordable Housing Specification
• Design and Construction Brief: Homes for Rent
• Draft contract

Planning Policy

Planning advice

We can help with free pre-planning advice if your site needs planning permission.

Local Plan

Our new local plan is in development. In the meantime, our current local plan sets out the existing planning policies for the district.

Exception Sites

If your site is in a rural location, it may still be possible to use it to provide affordable housing. We refer to these sites as exception sites, also known as affordable housing in the countryside. The Council has a specific planning policy which allows the building of housing on exception sites. The Council will apply the standard planning policies about the site layout, site access and number of homes, external appearance and landscaping.

The Council's Exception Housing Scheme policy requires the:

• housing must meet a proven local housing need
• site is close to existing homes in the village
• homes to be affordable for the life of the property

Site owners

If you are a landowner interested in selling land for affordable housing, we want to hear from you even if you do not want to develop the land yourself. We can provide informal advice on whether the site might be suitable for development, and if it is, we can help you find a developer to build homes on the site.