Have Your Say on New Planning Policies

What will your community look like in 15 years' time?

19 September, 2006

North Norfolk District Council is currently putting together the planning policies that will govern development in the District for the next 15 years. Now local people have a chance to say what they think about the proposals, and can influence the final documents.

This set of documents, called the Local Development Framework (LDF), will spell out what kind of new development can go where in North Norfolk. And because it dictates where new homes and businesses can be put, it will have a long-lasting impact on the shape, character, vitality and sustainability of local communities and neighbourhoods.

From 25 September, NNDC is running a six week consultation on the draft policy approaches it has prepared.

"This will affect everyone in the District," said Clive Stockton, NNDC's Cabinet member for Planning Policy, "whether or not they intend to do any building work themselves. Planning policies have a bearing on what goes on in a town or village, because they influence the kind of workplaces and community facilities you find there, as well as the number of households".

"There are proposals in the draft LDF that cover the whole District, and there are site proposals for each of the larger settlements, and I can't stress enough how important it is that North Norfolk residents look at these proposals, consider them carefully, and then tell us what they think of them."
Finding out what the LDF proposes
The North Norfolk community has already influenced the LDF, as consultation meetings were held in North Norfolk's major settlements in 2005 to find out people's aspirations for development in their localities. Since then, a Council working group has been putting together a set of policy approaches that seek to meet the demands of national planning guidance as well as the community's wishes.

From 25 September, 2006, the Council will be running exhibitions to explain what is proposed for each area, with plans available for inspection and officers on hand to help people make sense of the proposals and their likely impacts. In addition, there will be a full display of the proposals at the Council's office on Holt Road, Cromer, open weekdays from 9.30am to 4pm.

A timetable of these exhibitions is available on the Council's website:

www.northnorfolk.org/ldf

The website also gives access to the LDF's proposals, which are organised into two documents: the Core Strategy (for District-wide policies on topics such as housing, economy, tourism, flood risk, redundant military bases and building design) and Site Specific Proposals showing in detail the proposed allocations of land for different uses.

The LDF will also be available for inspection at North Norfolk libraries, and people can or collect paper copies or CD-ROMS from NNDC offices during office hours. The documents can be posted on CD-ROM (for free) or as paper copies (for a charge of £10 to cover postage and packing). Please call the Planning Policy Team on 01263 516318 to request copies.
Giving us your comments
This is a statutory consultation, which has to be carried out in accordance with Government legislation. Comments should be made on the 'comments form', which is available to download online, and can be collected from the Council offices and at all the exhibitions. Comments can also be submitted online via the website www.northnorfolk.org/ldf

It is also important to remember that, because it is a statutory consultation, only comments received in the right format, and in the period 25 September to 6 November, can be taken into account.

Councillor Stockton said: "Our LDF will only be accepted by the Government if its inspectors are satisfied that local people's views have been properly considered and reflected. So your views really count. This is the biggest change in the planning system for a long time, so please don't miss this opportunity to be a part of that change."

NOTES FOR EDITOR

• For more information, the media should call NNDC's Planning Policy Manager, Jill Fisher, on 01263 516304.
• For comment call Councillor Clive Stockton, Cabinet Member for Planning Policy, on 01692 650004.

ENDS