GNLP 2045 Regulation 20 Scoping Consultation

New Settlements Study

This is a spatial study being done by Prior and Partners which is using GIS to analyse constraints, opportunities and parameters for growth. It will identify broad locations which may be the most suitable for large scale new settlements.

This study is already in progress and will be completed by October 2026.

Housing Capacity Study

This study is being done by Lichfields. It will assess the capacity of the Norfolk districts to provide for their housing growth needs through their emerging local plans being produced under the new plan-making system. These growth needs are established using the government’s Local Housing Need standard methodology as established in December 2024 and are based on regularly updated data on affordability and existing numbers of homes. The study is analysing data on housing completion rates, market strength and capacity.

This study is being progressed and will be completed by the end of 2026.

Greater Norwich Infrastructure Needs Study (Phase 1)

The study will provide a high-level list of infrastructure requirements encompassing both physical infrastructure (such as transport and utilities) and social infrastructure (potentially including education, health, and community facilities). It will include mapping and quantifying the existing infrastructure baseline and pipeline and auditing planned infrastructure vs committed / secured funding. Phase 1 will inform the Regulation 23 consultation to support the scale and spatial distribution of growth.

Complete early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence.

Greater Norwich Infrastructure Needs Study (Phase 2)

Phase 2 will develop evidence from phase 1 to assess proposed site allocations, thereby providing a consistent evidence base to inform site-specific policies. This will ensure that draft site allocation policies identify and address any infrastructure needs and will inform future planning applications.

Complete early 2028 to support the Regulation 27 consultation on the Proposed Local Plan

Town Centres Study

The study will focus on the city centre, district centres in and around Norwich, and possibly on the five main market towns. It will include:

• A policy review of the NPPF and the local context
• The retail hierarchy
• Retail centre health checks
• Catchment and market share analysis
• Retail & leisure capacity modelling
• Qualitative need assessment
• Site capacity and sequential assessment
• The need for further retail and town centre allocations
• Whether some underused town centre spaces should be repurposed for other uses.
• Vision, strategy, and policy recommendations.

Consideration will be given to doing work on retail centre boundaries (or an alternative approach), retailing in the main towns and on local centres in house.

Complete in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence with subsequent updates for the Regulation 27 draft plan and submission.

Norfolk Economic Study

The likelihood is that this study will be done at the county level. It will evidence both the jobs growth potential of Greater Norwich and the remainder of Norfolk and the need for existing and new land use allocations to support our local economy. This will include identifying barriers to the delivery of adopted employment sites.

Attention will be given to the local economy as a whole, including the definition of Functional Economic Market Areas (FEMAs) with a focus on key sectors such as life sciences, biotechnology, agri-tech, ICT and digital industries, advanced engineering, financial services, food processing and logistics. Clean energy and net-zero transition impacts on employment land demand will also be considered.

There will also be a focus on strategic employment locations including the City Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich Airport, the Food Enterprise Park, and Hethel Engineering Centre.

The evidence will include guidance on whether certain employment allocations should have their uses restricted to specific types of employment activity such as research and development.

Complete in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence with subsequent updates for Regulation 27 and plan submission.

Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Habitats Regulations Assessments

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and the Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA) are legal obligations to test a plan or programme for its impacts on such matters as biodiversity, wildlife, climate change, water quality, and air quality. Testing the GNLP 2045 through these legal processes is mandatory.

We will consider assessing baseline carbon emissions, the potential effects of development options on future emissions, and possible mitigation measures. This assessment may be undertaken through the SEA or as a separate evidence study.

A scoping consultation with Historic Egland, the Environment Agency and Natural England is due to be undertaken in late 2026. The initial main report will be due in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on the Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence. Subsequent updates will be needed for Regulation 27 consultation, plan submission and any main modifications to the plan.

Greater Norwich Local Housing Needs Assessment (LHNA)

By understanding datasets concerning household projections and house price affordability the study will assess the tenures, size and types of homes required in Greater Norwich, as well as the needs for differing groups like older people, students, private renters, self-builders, and Gypsies and Travellers.

Key outputs will be the requirements for affordable housing and specialist housing. This is to meet the defined need set out by the national standard method.

This study may be done with other Norfolk partners.

Complete in 2027 with updates to support the plan examination.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Level 1 and 2

The SFRA Level 1 will consider the overall risks from all flood risk sources of rivers, surface water, and ground water. Level 2 will focus on detailed, site-specific flood risk for proposed allocations, using a sequential test approach, and where necessary exception tests. It will also identify mitigation measures for specific site allocations. We will look into the potential for the SFRA to be done jointly with other local planning authorities in Norfolk which are reviewing their local plans.

Complete in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence, with subsequent updates for Regulation 27 consultation and plan submission.

Water Cycle Study (WCS) Levels 1 and 2

Key outputs from this study will be understanding how to reduce water demand through measures like improved efficiency standards, diversifying water supply with new infrastructure such as reservoirs, and increased wastewater treatment capacity to protect the Broads and other water environments. We will look into the potential for the WCS to be done jointly with other local planning authorities in Norfolk which are reviewing their local plans.

Complete in early 2027 with updates to support examination stage

Strategic Transport Modelling

The study will cover capacity and adequacy of the road network managed by Norfolk County Council Highways to accommodate required growth. It will also cover opportunities for modal shift to public transport, cycling, wheeling, and walking. Detailed work will inform highways related site-specific policies and future planning applications associated with the GNLP 2045.

Complete in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence, with subsequent updates for the Regulation 27 consultation and plan submission.

Trunk Road Junctions Modelling

Working with Norfolk County Council Highways and Highways England, this study will analyse traffic counts, journey times, and accident records. It will forecast future trends for key junctions along the A11 and A47, as well as the connecting routes to the major road network, the A140, A146 and the A1270 Broadland Northway.

Complete in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence. Subsequent updates will align with finalised allocations and the infrastructure needs assessment.

Plan-wide Viability

Considering the viability of the Greater Norwich market, this evidence will factor in reasonable assumptions about developer inputs like build costs, professional fees, finance, and profit. Using typologies as proxies for the range of sites allocated by the GNLP 2045 obligations such as for affordable housing, key infrastructure obligations, and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) will be assessed against development deliverability considerations. Site specific viability assessment is likely to be required for larger sites.

Complete in 2028 to test deliverability of draft plan policies.

Densification and Brownfield Opportunities plus Townscapes Study

This will identify and support the renewal and the intensification of key brownfield sites across the city centre, the wider urban area and market towns, prioritising locations with the greatest potential to drive economic prosperity and high-quality urban living. Study contents will include an analysis of key sites, including considering viability, abnormal site costs, and land assembly. The study will also advise on potential policies to promote windfall development on unallocated brownfield sites and could include recommendations for a building heights policy. Sites to investigate are likely to include underutilised industrial sites, lower performing retail areas, other land uses like surface car parks and other types of infill development.

The study will also cover townscapes in Norwich and possibly in the main towns to inform policy development on protecting and enhancing the historic centres.

Complete in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence. Subsequent updates will align with finalised allocations and the infrastructure needs assessment.

Landscapes Study

The aim of this study is to understand the character, sensitivity, and capacity for change from housing and economic growth, as well as the implications from energy-related infrastructure. The scope is expected to include a review of existing key views of the city, strategic gaps between settlements, and the A47 landscape protection zone. The case for new designations and updates to existing landscape character documents will be in scope too.

Due in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence. Subsequent updates will align with finalised allocations and the infrastructure needs assessment.

Heritage Assessments and Design Codes

Consideration will be given to:

• Including the recently completed design code for South Norfolk and Broadland as an appendix to the GNLP 2045,

• Assessing the potential role for design codes for Norwich as part of the Viability, Densification, Brownfield Opportunities Study, potentially covering wider town centre issues.

• Providing heritage impact assessments to support specific site allocations.

Work will be undertaken on assessing the heritage impacts of development after initial site selection has taken place at the Regulation 23 consultation.

Norfolk and Suffolk Energy Action Plan

This study will assist the GNLP 2045 in identifying the energy infrastructure needed to ensure the plan’s policies and allocations can be achieved without delays from either a lack of electricity capacity or the availability of connections to the local grid. With the use of more electricity to heat buildings, the transition to electric vehicles, and the demands from new development, electricity consumption is expected to increase over coming years.

Due in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence. Subsequent updates will align with finalised allocations and the infrastructure needs assessment.

Recreational Open Space, Sports and Allotments Needs Assessment

As required by the draft NPPF, the study will identify appropriate local standards for the provision of different types of outdoor recreational land, including for play, sport, informal recreation and allotments. Reflecting that Greater Norwich includes both urban and rural areas, the study will provide evidence for both on-site provision and financial contributions. The study will take account of recent green infrastructure evidence in the Greater Norwich Green Infrastructure Strategy to promote the enhancement of green networks. It may also consider the need to update the current Built (Sports and Leisure) Facilities Assessment of Need and Strategy.

Due in early 2027 to support the Regulation 23 consultation on Proposed Local Plan Content and Evidence.