Local Plan

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Introduction of NEW Planning Policies

North Norfolk District Council is replacing the current Local Plan with a new planning policy document called the Core Strategy. This will introduce some important changes to the rules governing whether planning permission is likely to be granted.

The Core Strategy is currently being examined by an Independent Government inspector to consider if the document is 'sound'. The inspectors' final decision is expected by the middle of June at which time it is intended that the Core Strategy will replace the Local Plan.

It should therefore be assumed that if a planning application is likely to be determined after this date it will need to comply with the new policies. If you have not already done so, you should seek advice from a Planning Officer to see if the policy changes are likely to affect the prospect of your application securing permission.

Details of the Core Strategy can be found on the Council's Web site www.northnorfolk.org/ldf or contact Mark Ashwell on 01263 516325

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The North Norfolk Local Plan, adopted on the 2nd April 1998, provides a detailed framework for the control of development and use of land that will guide most day-to-day planning decisions in North Norfolk. Work has started on its replacement, the Local Development Framework (LDF) which will contain new policies for North Norfolk upon adoption.

As part of the new plan making process, any Local Plan policies that the authority wanted to save between 27th September 2007 and when new policies in the LDF are adopted, (anticipated to be July 2008), needed to be subject to an application to be specifically saved for a longer period.

Just over 80 of the 153 Local Plan policies were requested to be saved, which generally included the policies that are most often used in development control decisions. However, policies to be saved had to comply with several criteria such as being in conformity with the regional spatial strategy and being necessary - i.e. not simply repeating national guidance.

As a result, from the 28th September 2007 only certain Local Plan policies remain part of the development plan and can be used in decision making.

The Local Plan Policy list indicates those policies which 'expired' on 27 September 2007. Policies not marked as expired have been 'saved'.

While there is no formal provision to save Supplementary Planning Guidance and other guidance, if the Policy to which the SPG is linked is saved then it will continue to carry weight.

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Adopted Local Plan
Briefly, the adopted Local Plan strategy determines that:

• development is to be directed to the "Growth Towns" of Fakenham and North Walsham;
• there will be limited development opportunities in the "Small Towns" of Cromer, Holt, Sheringham, Stalham and Wells-next-the-Sea and the "Large Villages" of Briston/Melton Constable, Hoveton and Mundesley; and
• beyond these areas, development will be restricted to within the boundaries of "Selected Small Villages" and to particular appropriate uses in the "countryside".

A reference copy of the Local Plan can be seen at North Norfolk libraries or District Council's Area Offices. It can be purchased for £107.00 + £13.00 p&p (including recorded delivery if necessary), from the Council's Planning Policy Section. Some individual parts can be purchased separately. Please contact us on 01263 516318 if you require a copy.

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Online Local Plan Maps
The 88 maps have been scanned into PDF files, from a 1998 printed copy of the Local Plan. The small text in the printed copy has thick outlines and when the scanned version is zoomed in on, it becomes unreadable. Equivalent map files re-created using our GIS (Geographic Information System) are too large - 30 to 50 MB - to be usable on the Internet, especially for Dialup users. We plan to provide access to the maps for the emerging LDF via a web version of the GIS.

Using the Online Local Plan Maps
North Norfolk doesn't have any very large towns, so each of the 87 inset maps of built up areas is small enough to allow you to zoom in and locate a particular plot or area of interest, without referring to the text.

You should note the boundaries - lines or patterns, and the colours and/or patterns which cover or enclose the plot or area you are locating, and then, on the key page in another window, click the blue Policy Numbers alongside the keys you've noted. This link displays the Policy text, which will outline the nature of the area covered by the Policy, and what development is permissible or not in the area. If the Policy has expired the Policy number and name will be followed by ' - expired 27/092007'.

If you do need to locate a particular street relative to the town or village boundaries, you could locate it using either of the following sites and then return to our local plan map, to see which policies affect that area. On both websites, scroll through the map area using the arrows in the centre of each map border. :

• Streetmap - Once you've searched for and found the street, use the + or - at the bottom right hand corner of the map to zoom in or out.
• Multimap - Search on place or postcode, then use the + or - at the top left hand corner of the map to zoom.

Requests for Maps
The Council receives many requests for maps of varying scales, sizes and types. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of North Norfolk District Council's Ordnance Survey licence, we are unable to provide maps unless they are specifically for use in the submission of a planning or building regulations application. If you require map reproduction services there are other suppliers available locally.

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If you require any assistance please contact the Planning Policy Team on 01263 516318 or email the team at planningpolicy@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Local Plan Contents |

The Design Guide and Maps are displayed in PDF format. The other content is presented as web pages.

Local Plan Policy List |

These are listed under headings in number order.

Maps - Interactive |

Scroll the whole proposals map to select inset maps by location. Options include, 'View Key', where you can click the Policy Number(s) alongside a key, to read the relevant Policy statement.

Maps - List |

Select main proposals map, or inset maps by settlement name. This page includes a Legend (Key) for all the maps, where you can click the Policy Number(s) alongside a key, to read the relevant Policy statement.