Thousands of new Norfolk homes in pipeline after plan agreed

Council leaders say the adoption of the Greater Norwich Local Plan will pave the way for thousands of homes to built in their preferred locations in Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk.

The plan has been adopted by Norwich City Council, Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council after it was found to be legally sound by inspectors.

The document opens the door for hundreds of homes to be built in places such as Norwich, Rackheath, Hellesdon, Drayton, Taverham, Wymondham and Thorpe St Andrew.

The Greater Norwich Local Plan allocates land which could be acceptable for new homes and the creation of jobs (Image: Greater Norwich Local Plan)

Work on the plan has been going on since 2019, when there was a 'call for sites' inviting site promoters, landowners and others to suggest locations for inclusion in the document.

Inclusion in the plan makes it more likely that councillors will grant planning permission for proposals on that land.

Lord Fuller (Image: Newsquest)

Lord Fuller, leader of South Norfolk Council and chairman of the Greater Norwich Development Partnership, said: "Having an up-to-date local plan has never been more important now that it provides protection against unwanted and unexpected speculative planning applications in the wrong places.

"This decision protects communities from unplanned applications and gives confidence that the building of new homes is delivered alongside infrastructure and community facilities.

“The plan allows for the protection of separations between settlements, country parks and landscape protections. It unlocks the building of new schools and surgeries.

Rackheath is one of the areas earmarked for new homes (Image: Mike Page)

"And it sustains village life with measured development in our villages while concentrating the bulk of new homes closer to the city with its job opportunities and facilities."

Around 9,000 of the homes earmarked in the plan have already been built, while others will have already secured planning permission, with construction yet to start.

Thousands of new homes are earmarked for Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk (Image: Chris Bishop)

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But there has been criticism of the plan, with some parish councils unhappy at the allocation of homes in their villages.

The Norfolk branch of CPRE had also raised concerns that the number of homes was too high and that they were in "unsustainable" rural locations.

Housebuilding in Norfolk has been in limbo due to the nutrient neutrality directive - rules about pollution which have stopped councils from being able to grant permission until mitigation measures are put in place.