GNLP 2045 Regulation 20 Scoping Consultation
Other elements in this consultation
Glossary of Terms
This glossary explains key planning terms used in the GNLP 2045 Scoping Consultation. It is intended to support understanding for all audiences and avoids unnecessary technical language where possible.
A
Accessible and adaptable homes: Homes designed and built to be easily accessible and capable of being adapted over time to meet the changing needs of occupants, including those with mobility or other accessibility requirements.
Accessibility: The ease with which people can access jobs, services, facilities and other destinations via active and public travel networks, as well as road networks.
Active travel: Forms of travel that involve physical activity, such as walking and cycling, often promoted to improve health, reduce congestion, and support sustainable transport.
Affordable housing: Housing provided for sale or rent at prices below the open market, to meet the needs of people who cannot afford to buy or rent homes on the market. There are different types of tenure and affordable housing models available.
Allocated/ Allocation: Land which has been identified for a specific use or uses in the current Development Plan.
B
Biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal life in a particular area.
Brownfield land/site (previously developed land): Land that has previously been used for development and may be suitable for redevelopment.
C
Clawback: A mechanism used in planning agreements to recover additional financial contributions or value from a development if its viability improves over time, ensuring that infrastructure or policy requirements can still be delivered.
Climate change mitigation: Actions taken to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions and slow global warming.
Commuted sums: Financial contributions paid by developers, typically through planning agreements, to cover the long-term maintenance, management, or provision of infrastructure and services associated with a development, such as open space, highways, or community facilities.
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL): A financial charge on new development introduced by the Planning Act 2008 as a tool for Local Authorities to help deliver infrastructure to support growth and development in their area. Within the Greater Norwich area, the CIL 123 List sets out which infrastructure items may be funded by CIL payments.
Connectivity: The extent to which people, places and services are linked by infrastructure networks.
Conservation Area: Area of special historic and/or architectural interest which is designated by the Local Planning Authority as being important to conserve and enhance. Special planning controls apply within these areas.
Criteria-based policy: A policy that assesses development proposals against a set of defined criteria.
Cross-boundary: Relating to matters that affect more than one local authority area.
D
Decarbonisation: The process of reducing carbon emissions, particularly from energy, transport and development.
Deliverability: The extent to which development (such as housing or infrastructure) is realistically achievable within a given timeframe.
Densification: Increasing the number of homes or buildings within an area.
Development management policies: Policies within a local plan that set the criteria for the assessment and determination of planning applications.
Development Plan (or Local Plan): The set of adopted planning documents used to guide decisions on planning applications in an area.
Digital connectivity: Access to broadband, mobile and other digital communication services.
Digital-first engagement: An approach to consultation that prioritises online tools and platforms while ensuring alternatives are available for those without digital access.
E
Engagement: The process of involving stakeholders and the public in the preparation of plans and decision-making, including providing opportunities to give feedback, share views, and inform outcomes.
Engagement strategy: A plan for how stakeholders and the public will be involved in preparing the local plan.
Energy efficiency: Achieving the same outcome while using less energy.
Evidence base: The collection of studies, data and analysis used to inform and justify policies in a local plan.
Exception site: A site released primarily for affordable housing outside normal policy provisions.
Exception Test: A planning assessment used to determine whether development in areas at flood risk can be permitted where wider sustainability benefits outweigh the risks and the development can be made safe for its lifetime.
F
Five-year land supply: A requirement for local planning authorities to demonstrate that there is enough suitable and deliverable land available to meet housing needs for at least the next five years.
G
Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP): A partnership of local authorities in the Greater Norwich area that works collaboratively to plan for growth, including preparing strategic planning documents and coordinating development across the area.
Greater Norwich Growth Board (GNGB): A partnership between Broadland District Council, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk Council, Norfolk County Council to provide homes, jobs and infrastructure.
Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP): A strategic planning document that sets out the vision, objectives, and policies for future growth and development across the Greater Norwich area. It was adopted in 2024 and identifies locations for new homes, employment, infrastructure, and services, guiding development up to the plan period end in 2038 in accordance with national planning policy. GNLP 2045 is now in preparation and, on adoption, will replace the GNLP 2024.
Green and blue infrastructure: A network of green spaces and water features that supports biodiversity, climate resilience and wellbeing.
Greenfield land/ site: Land that has not previously been subject to development.
Green infrastructure: A network of natural and semi-natural spaces, such as parks, rivers, and green corridors, which provide environmental and community benefits.
Grid capacity: The capability of the electricity network to accommodate additional demand or generation.
Gross Value Added (GVA): A measure of the contribution made by an area or sector to the economy.
Growth scenarios: Different options for how and where development could be distributed across an area.
Growth strategy: The approach a Local Plan takes to deciding how much development is needed, where it should go, and when it should happen.
Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation: Land and facilities provided to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.
H
Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA): An assessment to identify whether a plan or development could have harmful effects on protected natural sites and how these impacts can be avoided or reduced.
Heat networks: Systems that distribute heat from a central source to multiple buildings.
Housing mix: The range of different types, sizes and tenures of homes provided within a development.
Housing need: The number of homes needed, based on existing housing stock and affordability.
Housing requirement: The number of homes a local plan must provide over its plan period, based on national policy and evidence. This can be different to the identified housing need figure.
Housing Delivery Test: A national measure of how many homes have been delivered in an area compared to how many are needed.
I
Impact Assessment: An assessment of the likely effects of a proposed development.
Infrastructure: The services and facilities needed to support development, including transport, schools, healthcare, energy, water, and digital networks.
Infrastructure Investment Fund (IIF): A funding mechanism used to support the delivery of key infrastructure required to enable planned growth, such as transport, education, utilities, and community facilities. Contributions are typically secured from development and allocated to priority projects to ensure that new development is supported by appropriate infrastructure.
Infrastructure funding: The mechanisms used to pay for infrastructure, including developer contributions and public investment.
Intensification: Making more efficient use of land or buildings through increased development or activity.
J
Joint Core Strategy (JCS): A key planning policy document for the Greater Norwich Area produced in partnership between Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk working with Norfolk County Council and the Broads Authority that set out the long-term vision for the area from 2008 into the early 2020s. The JCS had a considerable impact on the Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) which superseded the JCS when it was adopted in 2024.
L
Local housing need (LHN): An estimate of the number of homes needed in an area, calculated using a standard national method.
Local Plan (or Development Plan): A document prepared by a local authority that sets out policies and proposals for development and land use in an area.
Local Plan Timetable: A schedule setting out the stages and timing for preparing a local plan.
Low carbon: Producing lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional approaches or technologies.
N
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): A document which sets out the Government’s economic, environmental and social planning policies for England and how they should be applied.
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP): A major infrastructure project of national importance that requires development consent from the Government rather than a local planning authority.
Net zero: Achieving a balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and emissions removed from the atmosphere.
New settlement: A planned new community with homes, services and supporting infrastructure.
Nutrient neutrality: A requirement that development does not increase nutrient pollution (such as nitrogen or phosphorus) into protected water environments.
O
Off-site provision/ delivery: Infrastructure, facilities or mitigation provided away from a development site.
On-site provision/ delivery: Infrastructure, facilities or mitigation provide within a development site.
P
Phasing: The timing and sequencing of development over the plan period.
Plan-led growth: Growth directed through an adopted development plan.
R
Regeneration: The renewal of an area through physical, economic, social or environmental improvement.
Regulation 20 / 23 / 27 consultations: Key statutory stages in the new plan-making process:
- Regulation 20: Scoping consultation (early stage)
- Regulation 23: Consultation on emerging plan content and evidence
- Regulation 27: Consultation on the proposed final plan
Renewable energy/ renewables: Energy from naturally replenishing sources such as wind and solar power.
Retail hierarchy: The ranking of shopping areas (such as city centres, town centres and local centres) based on their size and role.
S
Scoping Consultation: The first stage of consultation in preparing a local plan, seeking views on what the plan should include.
Self/custom build: Homes built or commissioned by individuals to meet their own requirements.
Settlement hierarchy: A way of grouping towns and villages based on their size, role, and access to services, to help guide where development should take place.
Sequential test: A process for directing development to the most appropriate locations.
Site allocations: Sites identified in a local plan as suitable for specific types of development, such as housing or employment.
Site assessment: The process of evaluating potential development sites based on factors such as suitability, availability and constraints.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): A protected site of national importance for nature conservation or geology.
Small and medium-sized sites: Smaller development sites that can contribute to housing delivery, often defined by specific size thresholds. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) defines a medium sized site as delivering between 10-49 dwellings (inclusive) and having a site area of up to 2.5 hectares. A small site therefore provides for up to 9 homes on an area of up to 1 hectare.
Spatial Development Strategy (SDS): A strategic planning document that sets out a long-term framework for the scale, distribution and location of development across a defined geographic area.
Spatial distribution: Identification of where development should take place within an area.
Special Area of Conservation (SAC): A protected site of international importance for habitats and species.
Specialist housing: Housing designed to meet specific needs, such as for older people, disabled people or students.
Stakeholders: Individuals, groups or organisations with an interest in the plan, including residents, businesses and public bodies.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): A systematic process used to evaluate the likely significant environmental effects of plans and programmes, ensuring that environmental considerations are integrated into decision-making at an early stage.
Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG): Natural green space provided to reduce recreational pressure on protected habitats.
Supplementary Plans: Additional documents that provide more detailed guidance on specific sites or issues, supporting the current Local Plan. Such plans must go through a formal adoption process including public examination.
Sustainable development: Development that meets current needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, balancing economic, social and environmental objectives.
T
Tenure flexibility: Different forms of housing ownership or occupation
Town centre: The main commercial, service and community centre/ hub of a town
Transport node: A point where transport routes or services connect.
U
Unitary authorities: Local authorities that are responsible for all local government functions within their area, including planning, housing, transport, education, and social services, rather than these responsibilities being split between separate district and county councils.
Urban extension: Development that extends an existing urban area.
V
Viability: The ability of a development to meet its costs and policy requirements.
Village clusters: Groups of villages considered together for planning and development purposes.
W
Water efficiency standards: Requirements for reducing water consumption in buildings through efficient design and technology.
Windfall development: Development on sites that were not specifically identified in a development plan.
