Local plan consultation

This consultation is now closed.

A final period of public consultation on the proposed submission version local plan is currently underway. We have extended the closing date to 7 March 2022.

• Formal notice of consultation

Consultation description

This document takes account of the public feedback submitted on the first draft local plan in 2019 and has been updated to reflect changing national planning policy and guidance. This plan emphasises climate change as a key theme and sets the framework to help deliver climate resilient, sustainable development. It introduces new environmental standards to require energy-efficient construction, a net gain in biodiversity, electric vehicle charging points and more.

Purpose of the consultation

This stage of the process tests whether the local plan has been prepared in a legally compliant and sound way. If responding you will need to tell us why the plan does not meet one or more of the specific tests and how it should be changed so that it does. These are the questions that will be examined by the independent Inspector appointed to examine the local plan.

You can view the local plan and supporting evidence in the document library.

What happens next?

Following the consultation, we will submit the local plan for independent examination. The Secretary of State will then select an independent planning inspector to carry out an examination in public. The inspector's job is to consider whether the plan is 'sound' and 'legally compliant'. They will consider any representations (comments) received on the final draft and hold a public hearing to discuss them. Before this hearing, we will be seeking your representations (comments), which must focus on legal compliance and soundness.

Previous consultations

First Draft Plan Part 1 (Regulation 18) from May 2019 to 28 June 2019 covered the proposed policies, site allocations, and alternative options which had been considered. Extensive publicity was undertaken, including a series of 12 public drop-in events across the district, with an exhibition display conveying the key proposals and to inform discussions with the community.

Local plan notification (Regulation 18) from 17 August 2015 to 9 October 2015 involved notifying interested parties of the proposed subjects included in the local plan and inviting comments.

Alongside Regulation 18, we undertook the call for sites. This process was an opportunity for developers, landowners, individuals and other interested parties to suggest sites within North Norfolk for development and let us know when they will be available.

Previous workshops

Local plan viability workshop

On 29 August 2018, a stakeholder event was attended by members of the development industry interested in North Norfolk. The workshop's purpose was to review the emerging local plan viability study findings with key stakeholders. The study assesses and informs the proposed policies in the emerging local plan related to the development of new housing sites.

Town council workshop

In May and June 2016, local plan workshops were held with several town and parish councils to:

• raise awareness of the local [review in the main settlements
• discuss early scenarios around the location and quantity of further development
• identify issues and opportunities
• help establish a vision for those areas
• enable general discussion

Parish and town council events

As part of the Regulation 18 consultation, two parish and town council briefings took place on 30 January 2018 and 1 November 2018. The events provided a briefing on the emerging local plan content, consultation arrangements and an opportunity for councillors to discuss issues through a local drop-in session. The workshop was attended by around 90 people representing 60 town and parish councils.

Presentation slides

• Local plan update
• Preferred sites

Member site visits

Throughout the process of preparing the plan, working party and other members have been provided with the opportunity to visit specific sites so as to inform their decisions. In spring 2018 members were taken on a series of site visits to the locations where new development is being planned for. The visits were organised in advance of agreeing the preferred sites for inclusion in the first draft local plan consultation document.

Site visits also took place in winter 2015 and autumn 2016 where the aim was to orientate members to a range of early candidate sites.