Local Plan Full Update 2024

Local Plan Full Update 2024

Introducing the 'Commonplace tool'

The Council has adopted a new tool 'Commonplace' to help with community engagement and promotion of key issues relating to the Local Plan. This leading technology has been used successfully by a number of local authorities in their Local Plan processes, and we intend to use it as part of our approach to grow the reach and engagement with the Local Plan process.

There is the facility for anyone tosign up to our Commonplace website (opens new window) in order to receive updates and share information with the planning policy team. 

The Local Plan documents and interactive map can be found on ourCommonplace Website (opens new window). Here you will also find tutorials showing how to register and submit a response or comment.

Regulation 18 Consultation (Preferred Options Draft Plan)

The Council has completed a public consultation on the Draft Plan. This ended on 15th July 2024. This stage of the local plan (known as Regulation 18) sets out the Council's draft policies and growth strategy and is an important stage in the plan-making process. It provides an early opportunity for our communities, businesses, landowners, developers, partners and stakeholders to 'have a say' and comment on the draft Local Plan before it is considered further.

All comments will be considered as part of the process of preparing the next version of the Local Plan.

On 30th July 2024 the Labour Government published a consultation on proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation ends on 24th September 2024 and it is understood the revised document will be issued towards the end of this year. The Council is considering the implications of this proposed change in national policy on the Local Plan and the timetable for production.

Once this is completed, the website will be updated.

The Consultation Document

Please take a look at our Preferred Options Document (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window) . You can view our Planning Policies Map on ARCGIS (opens new window).

Consultation events

The Council is committed to ongoing engagement with communities. Following the publication of the Draft Local Plan a range of consultation events will be held across June and July and you can view and register for information about virtual and in person consultation events via theCommonplace Website. (opens new window)

Please view the list of consultation events (PDF, 71 KB)(opens new window) being held.

Consultation description

The purpose of the Preferred Options Local Plan Document is to outline the Council's preferred policy direction on strategic issues, preferred development management policies and the range of emerging site options. To inform this, feedback has been used from previous phases of consultation covering matters such as growth scenarios, potential sites and sustaining rural communities alongside commissioned evidence. Through this  consultation, the aim is to seek stakeholder views around the preferred approach being proposed by the Council.

Please send any comments or responses on the Preferred Options Draft Local Plan to LocalPlan@breckland.gov.uk

Integrated Assessment 

Following publication in January 2024 of the IA Scoping Report and Initial IA of the Local Plan Alternative Development Options (available available on Commonplace (opens new window)), the Authority's consultants LUC are undertaking IA of the Local Plan Full Update.

The challenging timetable for completion and assessment of the draft Local Plan mean that a completed IA Report to the Preferred Options is not yet available for consultation. At this time, the Council expects this to be available towards the end of the current Local Plan consultation period.

As soon as the IA is available and published an additional notification will be issued to consultees for review and comment.

Evidence Base

• Adopted Interactive Breckland Design Guide (PDF, 33 MB)(opens new window)
• Breckland LGS Call Combined Assessments (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)
• Breckland Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment (PDF, 39 MB)(opens new window)
• Consultation Paper - A Review of Breckland Villages with Boundaries (PDF, 593 KB)(opens new window)
• Consultation Paper - A Review of Local Service Centre Parishes (PDF, 665 KB)(opens new window)
• Gypsy and Travellers Report (PDF, 916 KB)(opens new window)
• Health and Lifestyle paper Breckland 2023 (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
• HEDNA - Employment Site Assessments (PDF, 17 MB)(opens new window)
• HEDNA - Final Report (PDF, 6 MB)(opens new window)
• Issues and Options Feedback Report 2024 (PDF, 4 MB)(opens new window)
• Landscape and Character 2007 (PDF, 48 MB)(opens new window)
• Landscape and Fringe 2007 (PDF, 34 MB)(opens new window)
• Local Green Space Report (PDF, 201 KB)(opens new window)
• Norfolk Green Infrastructure and Recreational Impact Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy 2021 (PDF, 5 MB)(opens new window)
• Norfolk Study Older Person Housing (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
• The Planning in Health Protocol (PDF, 718 KB)(opens new window)

Phase 2 Site Assessments 

• Interactive Map: Breckland Call For Sites (opens new window)
• Preferred Allocations and Strategic Options (PDF, 744 KB)(opens new window)
• Alternatives (sites not included in preferred options) (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window)
• Discounted Sites (PDF, 521 KB)(opens new window)

Previous consultation phases

Call for Sites

Between April and December 2022 the council undertook a Call for Sites consultation as part of the Update on the Local Plan. This is a way for landowners, developers, individuals, parish and town councils and other interested parties to suggest sites for development or for protection as Local Green Space. This is a normal part of plan making.  

We need to ensure that the sites eventually allocated within the Plan are deliverable. This means, among other factors, that the landowner is open to developing it within the required timescales. As such, a Call for Sites is an important part of finding out what land may be available.

Issues and Options

The Issues and Options consultation was an important part of the Local Plan process.

It was the first stage of public consultation, where the community was asked how they would like to tackle a range of planning issues and proposed options for the future development of the District.

The consultation did not identify potential development sites or draft policy working.

The Issues and Options consultation ran from March 10 to May 19 2023.

Regulation 18 Consultation (Development Options)

A 6 week period of public consultation on the Regulation 18 Local Plan: Full Update (emerging development strategy) was undertaken between 8th January 2024 and 19th February 2024. The feedback from this consultation has been summarised in the Issues & Options Consultation Feedback Report May 2024.