The Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP), the blueprint for development of the city over the next 14 years, is poised for consideration by Norwich City Council’s cabinet on March 6.
If adopted it will become the starting point for determining all local planning applications up until the year 2038.
Working in partnership with Broadland District Council, South Norfolk Council and Norfolk County Council, the city council has consulted widely with local communities, with the GNLP going through many planning stages over seven years, and modifications and inspectors’ recommendations being incorporated, to set out a vision and a framework for future housing and business development of the area.
This encompasses sustainable growth of the city’s urban area and its fringe communities; how to protect and enhance its environment; strategic infrastructure such as road/rail networks and other provision like schools and utilities; and the allocation of land for the building of homes and to enable continuing growth of the area’s economy across all local employment sectors.
Following the Norwich cabinet’s meeting on March 6, the GNLP will move forward to be considered for adoption by the full council on March 12.
South Norfolk Council’s cabinet will examine its adoption on March 18, with its full council making its decision on March 25; while Broadland District Council’s cabinet makes its decision on adoption at cabinet on March 19 and at full council on March 28. All three councils must adopt the plan separately.
Once fully formally adopted, it enters a six-week legal period when challenges on the process can be made, but the content of the plan can no longer be changed. When in place, the GNLP will become part of the statutory development plan for the Greater Norwich area.
Leader of Norwich City Council, Cllr Mike Stonard said:
"Reaching this stage in the preparation of the plan is an important milestone that has taken several years of close working with our partners in neighbouring authorities to achieve. The publication of the independent inspector’s report, following a thorough public examination, concludes the plan is sound and able to be adopted. This is testament to the hard work of those in the joint team that have prepared it.
"Having an up to-date and adopted plan in place increases the confidence that we can give to developers to invest in our area and is a major step forward in bringing forward sustainable urban regeneration, such as the proposals contained in our East Norwich Masterplan. It maximises the prospect of getting the right type of housing in the right locations to meet needs, and enables us to co-ordinate the provision of the supporting infrastructure."
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