The Local development framework (LDF) is a suite of planning policy documents to guide and manage new development in the city of Norwich. It will form part of the overall development plan for Norwich.
Joint core strategy (JCS)
The councils of Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk, supported by Norfolk County Council, have formally adopted the JCS, covering the entire area (excluding the Broads) up to 2026.
The plan provides the strategy to guide, manage and deliver sustainable development to meet local housing and employment needs, provide for predicted growth and protect the environment. For Norwich this is especially important to help address the significant concentrations of deprivation; develop the knowledge economy; ensure new development is more sustainable; and provide the strategic policy to support the council’s priorities for regeneration.
As the first part of the LDF to be adopted, the JCS now forms part of the development plan for Norwich and will therefore be used to determine planning applications. A statutory challenge was made in May 2011 on this plan which is currently under consideration.
Site allocations plan
The Site allocations plan is in production. It will identify sites for new homes, shops and employment uses to meet the requirements set out in the JCS.
The University of East Anglia has produced a development framework strategy to identify how it will grow over the next 30 years. The final version of the strategy was approved at cabinet on 8 December 2010. This strategy will inform the site allocation plan. Download the
UEA development framework strategy (6.9 Mb pdf), and the accompanying sustainability appraisal.
Development management policies
The Development management policies plan is also in production. It will contain policies against which all future planning applications will be assessed.
Area action plans, masterplans and design briefs
Northern city centre area action plan
Area action plans are comprehensive plans for areas where significant change is needed. The city council has adopted the Northern city centre area action plan which includes detailed policies and site proposals to guide mixed use regeneration of this important part of the city centre.
St Stephens Street area outline masterplan
The St Stephens Street are outline masterplan has been produced for the council to provide further detail to JCS city centre policy 11 and other LDF documents. It guides retail, leisure, residential and office redevelopment around the St Stephens Street area, with the aim of strengthening these uses and improving the appearance of this key part of the city centre.
Deal Ground and utilities sites
The Deal Ground and utilities sites to the east of Norwich are major areas of regeneration under the City of Norwich replacement local plan. A guidance note was produced for developers to outline suitable development of these sites.
Earlham Hall and its surrounding area
The University of East Anglia has produced a development framework strategy. Following on from this a Vision and Development Document (VADD) has been produced for the Earlham Hall area. A public consultation was held by UEA on this and the comments which were received and considered can be downloaded here:
Outcome of the consultation (864 Kb pdf). The final version was considered and endorsed by Members at Norwich City Council at Cabinet on 12 October. The final VADD is available here:
Vision and development document (VADD) (3.27 Mb pdf).
Other planning documents
Supplementary planning documents provide more information and detail about key planning policy topics. These documents will also include planning briefs for future development of important sites.
The Local development scheme is the project plan that sets out our timetable for producing planning documents. This is our latest updated version of the scheme.
The Statement of community involvement sets out how and when we will involve the community in both preparing new planning documents and assessing planning applications. It was adopted in January 2007.
The Annual monitoring reports show how we are keeping to our timetable and asses the progress of plan policies in achieving its objectives. The council also produces a Retail and shops monitor covering retail development around the city.
Contact details
For further information on the Local development framework please contact us at LDF@norwich.gov.uk
Related pages
Adopted local plan