B1 Chapter 3 - Development Strategy

Purpose of the Development Strategy

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3.1

The Local Plan must be in general conformity with the Structure Plan (see paragraphs 1.8 and 2.34 of the Local Plan). Accordingly, the contents of the Structure Plan had a strong influence on the preparation of the Local Plan's proposals as well as its objectives. The Structure Plan sets out, in broad terms, the 'balance' that is to be struck in reconciling the need to make adequate provision for development in North Norfolk (for example, the need for new houses and workplaces, and associated services such as roads, schools and shops) and the need to conserve and enhance North Norfolk's natural and built environment. (See also paragraph 2.17 of the Local Plan.)

3.2

Having regard to the balance indicated by the Structure Plan, the Council identified the need for a basic framework for guiding detailed decisions about where development should be located and what form it should take, and where development is unacceptable. The purpose of the development strategy is to provide such a framework by addressing the conflicts between development needs and the conservation of the countryside (see Fig. 5). The development strategy identifies:

• areas where development is to be directed, i.e. the Growth Towns;
• areas where there will be limited development opportunities, i.e. the Small Towns and Large Villages; and
• areas of development restraint, i.e. the Selected Small Villages and the 'Countryside'. (NB: The Countryside designation contains a significant number of smaller settlements as well as agricultural land, woodland and other 'open' countryside.)

The boundaries of the Growth Towns, Small Towns, Large Villages and Selected Small Villages (referred to as settlement boundaries) are defined by the Countryside and shown on the proposals map.

3.3

The development strategy should be read in context with the other policies in the Local Plan, particularly under Chapter 4: Settlement Structure, Chapter 6: Environment, and Chapter 7: Environmental Safety, which further constrain and condition development.

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Definition of the Settlement Boundaries

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3.4

It is important to note at the outset that the settlement boundaries have been defined for the purpose of showing the areas where particular Local Plan policies apply; they are not intended to define the settlements as such. This means that in many cases a designated settlement boundary does not necessarily include all the dwellings and other buildings that may be locally regarded as part of a given settlement.

3.5

Each settlement boundary has been defined having regard to the following set of principles:

(a) The settlement boundary encloses the main built-up area of a town or village (or areas, in the case of some of the smaller villages) in a manner which ensures that the opportunities for permitting further housing proposals will be severely restricted (see paragraph 2.36 (g)):

(b) Notwithstanding (a) above, the settlement boundary also encloses:

1. 'Open Land Areas' which are considered important to the settlement's appearance and character and, therefore, worthy of special protection (see paragraph 4.7(g) and Policy 8: Open Land Areas);
2. occasionally in the larger settlements, other sites (e.g. caravan or holiday chalet parks) which are well integrated with the main built-up area and where redevelopment for residential or other appropriate purposes would not conflict with the objectives of the Local Plan overall;
3. sites with planning permission for residential development which are significant in terms of North Norfolk District's housing land supply; and
4. sites allocated for employment purposes (see paragraph 4.7 (e)):

(c) Notwithstanding (a) above, in the smaller settlements in particular, the settlement boundary excludes, where appropriate, the following types of property in order to protect the important contribution they make to the appearance and character of settlements:

1. farm buildings and their ancillary yards;
2. churches and churchyards; and
3. other types of building (including dwelling-houses, farmhouses, rectories, schools and other institutions which are set in extensive grounds.

(d) Notwithstanding (a) above, the settlement boundary excludes any area of built development to which vehicular access is considered to be so inappropriate, inadequate or unsafe as to make it unsuitable for accommodating additional development.

(e) The settlement boundary is usually drawn along features such as roads, footpaths, rivers, watercourses, and boundary walls and fences which are indicated on the Ordnance Survey 1:5000 scale plans. Where no suitable line exists on the Ordnance Survey plan, it has been necessary to draw a boundary which reflects land-use features recognisable on the ground, existing planning permissions or otherwise achieves the intended purpose.

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Areas Where Development is to be Directed

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Growth Towns
3.6

The towns of Fakenham and North Walsham were the only towns in North Norfolk identified as 'small town growth centres' in the now superseded Structure Plan (1988). Consequently, they have both experienced greater amounts of new employment and residential development than North Norfolk's other towns in recent years.
Furthermore, both towns currently have unimplemented planning permissions for a substantial number of dwellings. Although no longer specified as 'growth towns' in the Structure Plan, the Structure Plan policies do not preclude Fakenham and North Walsham continuing as such, provided further development is environmentally acceptable and is not constrained by infrastructure considerations.

3.7

Fakenham and North Walsham are both strategically placed to serve extensive rural hinterlands. Although development to the south of Fakenham is restricted by the River Wensum, both towns are generally less constrained by environmental considerations than the other towns of North Norfolk. In addition, there are Local Plan proposals to improve the transport infrastructure serving these towns. For these reasons, the Council considers that, together, these towns can accommodate most of North Norfolk's development needs.

Policy 1: Growth Towns
Development proposals will generally be directed to the Growth Towns of Fakenham and North Walsham.

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Areas of Limited Development Opportunity

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Small Towns
3.8

The towns of Cromer, Holt, Sheringham, Stalham and Wells-next-the-Sea are all situated close to areas having statutory environmental designations (for example, the Norfolk Broads, the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the Sheringham and Beeston Regis Common Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Glaven Valley Conservation Area). In the case of Wells-next-the-Sea, the whole town is covered by the AONB designation. The general desire to conserve these important areas serves to restrict, if not exclude, the possibilities for future expansion of these settlements beyond their designated boundaries. Complementing these considerations is the Council's desire to conserve the 'small-town' character of these settlements for its own sake.

3.9

However, all these settlements have the capacity and infrastructure to accommodate a limited amount of additional development within their present confines without detriment to either their character as small towns or the appearance and character of their landscape settings.

Policy 2: Small Towns
In Cromer, Holt, Sheringham, Stalham and Wells-next-the-Sea development proposals will be permitted provided that they are compatible with the existing character of these settlements as small towns.

Large Villages
3.10

The large villages of Briston/Melton Constable, Hoveton and Mundesley each have between 1,800 and 2,500 inhabitants and, in the context of the surrounding rural areas, are significant centres of employment. In addition, they contain important community and social facilities that benefit the rural population. They can all accommodate a limited amount of additional development within their designated boundaries without detriment to their existing character.

Policy 3: Large Villages
In Briston/Melton Constable, Hoveton and Mundesley housing development will be limited to individual dwellings or small groups of houses which enhance the character of the village.

For the purposes of this policy a small group of houses should be regarded as up to eight dwellings.

Development proposals for other purposes will be permitted provided that they are compatible with the existing character of these settlements as large villages.

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Areas of Development Restraint

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Selected Small Villages
3.11

Seventy-seven Selected Small Villages, including three residential areas associated with existing and former military airfields at Coltishall, Sculthorpe and West Raynham, have been identified and are listed below in Policy 4: Selected Small Villages.

3.12

They have been 'selected' on the basis that each settlement contained:

• at least fifty dwellings in relative proximity to each other (determination of such proximity having regard to the occasional separation of a settlement's council-built housing estate from its historical core); and
• at least one community or social facility such as a church, public house, community hall, shop, garage, post office or primary school, which needs to be maintained for the benefit of the local population.

3.13

All the Selected Small Villages can accommodate sensitively-designed development that should help to secure the viability of their facilities and the rural community, and provide alternative locations for appropriate residential and employment developments. Those small settlements not identified as Selected Small Villages will be subject to the Countryside policy (Policy 5: The Countryside) in order to restrict the level of opportunities for new residential development in North Norfolk. (See Chapter 8: Housing.)

The Countryside
3.14

The countryside that surrounds the designated Growth Towns, Small Towns, Large Villages and Selected Small Villages in the Local Plan forms the principal element in the rural character of North Norfolk, and is enjoyed by both residents and visitors. It is the Government's policy that the countryside should be safeguarded for its own sake and that non-renewable and natural resources should be afforded protection.

3.15

For nearly fifty years after the end of the Second World War, the North Norfolk countryside was largely shielded from the unprecedented pressures on traditional landscapes and wildlife habitats that had occurred in many other parts of the country. The main reasons for this were the area's relative remoteness and the continued public support for retaining agricultural land in full production. However, more recently, the increasing efficiency of agricultural producers and changes in agricultural policy has meant that retaining as much land as possible in agricultural use no longer has the same priority - although the best and most versatile agricultural land is still considered to be a national resource which requires protection from irreversible development (see Policy 22: Agricultural Land expired 27/09/2007).

3.16

The Government's priority now is to promote diversification of the rural economy so as to provide wide and varied employment opportunities for rural people, including those formerly employed in agriculture and related sectors, while maintaining and, where possible, enhancing the quality of the environment. It is therefore essential that development is controlled to ensure that the intrinsic quality and purpose of the countryside is passed on for the benefit of future generations.

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