GNLP 2045 Regulation 20 Scoping Consultation

Thank you for your e-mail inviting comments on the above matter. I have also forwarded your request to the Constabulary’s Head of Estates (Mr. Duncan Potter) for his considerations.
The police service is keen to have a positive input within the Scoping Consultation and places great importance upon the need to build sustainable and inclusive communities and to raise awareness of the significant impact that low crime has on the ongoing and long-term sustainability of well-designed buildings and environs.
Crime, the fear of crime, together with the unhappiness and disorder they create, significantly damages communities. It is a reasonable expectation that all those with some responsibility for the built environment from local authorities and the police to architects, builders, and developers, include crime prevention measures in their work; creating environments that reduce opportunities to commit crime with design led solutions is a cost effective, resource efficient and highly impactive means of improving the quality of life.
Therefore, it is hoped that the GNLP 2045 Vision and Objectives will refer to the importance of designing out crime when developing new environs and homes. This ethos should be particularly embedded within Chapters 7 (Housing) and 10 (Environment).
Nationally the Police Service achieves this by joining together and delivering the Secured by Design initiative to deter criminal and anti-social behaviour through the design, layout and specification of buildings and the spaces around and between them, to reduce easy opportunities for crime.
Constructing well designed places, buildings and communities that promote both sustainable communities and health and wellbeing is an objective that the Secured by Design Initiative widely supports; however, it is imperative that they must also be safe, secure, and accessible. Mitigating the opportunities for crime is not only about reducing and preventing injury and crime, but it is also about building strong, cohesive, vibrant, and participatory communities.
It is argued that more crimes are committed where a criminal feels more comfortable committing them, for instance where a physical environment offers easy unrestricted or at least uncontrolled access, where clear messages of ownership are absent, where either natural and formal surveillance are absent or where wrong doers feel free to move within an area assured of their anonymity.
Design-led solutions to prevent crime will include ample opportunity for natural surveillance, high quality public lighting, clearly defined and well overlooked defensible spaces, the eradication of unnecessary foot routes and see these routes concentrated together with busier traffic routes, the sensible and sensitive positioning of play and leisure areas, the provision of clear and appropriate boundary treatments and the careful removal of any chances to hide unseen to create ambush points.
These thoughts align with: The National Planning Policy Framework 2026 which requires applications:
“Support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by fostering well-designed, beautiful and safe places, with accessible community facilities, public service infrastructure and open spaces that reflect current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being;
Chapter 7 Housing:
10. Based on updated evidence to be commissioned through a Housing Needs Assessment and the Whole Plan Viability Report, the GNLP 2045 will set affordable housing requirements, as required by the draft NPPF, and consider mechanisms such as on-site provision, commuted sums, clawback and tenure flexibility.
11. The GNLP 2045 must respond to a range of housing needs, including for older people, disabled people, students, and those needing supported housing. Based on updated evidence commissioned through a Housing Needs Assessment, the GNLP 2045 will need to include policies and allocations to address this range of needs.
All new developments should provide a venue that makes the most from the proven crime reduction methodologies of Secured by Design gained from over thirty years policing experience and supported by independent academic research.
Norfolk Constabulary provides Designing Out Crime Officers to assist in the planning process and to offer advice in relation to the layout, environmental design and the physical security of buildings, based upon the established principles of ‘Crime Prevention through Environmental Design’.
It is desired….That mechanisms and forthcoming guidance on producing local design codes will set out how homes and neighbourhoods should be designed with safety and security in mind by applying the principles of Secured by Design. This includes using passive design measures, such as ‘eyes on the street’ and appropriate layouts for homes.”
Furthermore, within
Chapter 10 Environment:
This section sets out how the natural environment of Greater Norwich will be considered alongside the identified growth needs for the area and the changes within the NPPF, including:
•
Setting standards for various types of outdoor and recreational spaces and creating a network of green spaces.
Key principles for well-designed places should include spaces that are safe, secure, inclusive, and accessible for all ages and abilities, including for groups such as women and girls; and which facilitate and encourage social interaction, play and healthy lifestyles (for example by providing high quality, clear and legible pedestrian and cycle routes, a variety of recreational spaces and places to meet, integrating lighting and making building entrances and windows face onto streets and other public spaces to provide natural surveillance).
[NPPF 2026 DPS (f)]
c. Ensure that the arrangement of streets and other routes help to create places that are safe, inclusive and attractive for all users (particularly for women and girls, for other groups who may be vulnerable to crime or the fear of crime, and for those with limited mobility). This includes reflecting relevant aspects of policy DP3(2). [NPPF 2026 p70 TR4: Street design, access and parking]
The Constabulary is consulted by all of the County’s Planning Authorites with regards to this subject and offers appropriate advice. Key issues are:
Creating a sense of place
Permeability
Natural Surveillance
Lighting
Parking
Cycling
Boundary treatments
The changes to the English Planning and Building Control regulations following in-depth reviews by the government have underlined the importance of the police advice delivered over the past 35 years; specifically in the form of the Secured by Design (SBD) initiative. The references within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the accompanying National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) have sought to reinforce the need and importance of a safe and secure external environment and to this end there are specific references to police service advice and the www.police.uk website in particular.
Indeed, the government’s Chief Planning Officer Steve Quartermain, wrote to all planning authorities reminding them of the important role the planning system plays in ensuring appropriate measures are in place in relation to crime prevention and security.
I would therefore encourage the GNLP scoping Consultation to consider requesting that all future planning applications work towards achieving the principles of SBD, designed to create safe and secure developments and fully comply with UK Planning and governmental strategic policies.
The Government has reiterated that designing out crime and designing in community safety should be central to the planning and delivery of new development. Specifically, the Planning Practice Guidance on Design reminds practitioners that local authorities are duty bound to adhere to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and exercise their functions with due regard to their likely effect on crime and disorder and do all that they reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder.

Thank you for your e-mail inviting comments on the above matter. I have also forwarded your request to the Constabulary’s Head of Estates (Mr. Duncan Potter) for his considerations.
The police service is keen to have a positive input within the Scoping Consultation and places great importance upon the need to build sustainable and inclusive communities and to raise awareness of the significant impact that low crime has on the ongoing and long-term sustainability of well-designed buildings and environs.
Crime, the fear of crime, together with the unhappiness and disorder they create, significantly damages communities. It is a reasonable expectation that all those with some responsibility for the built environment from local authorities and the police to architects, builders, and developers, include crime prevention measures in their work; creating environments that reduce opportunities to commit crime with design led solutions is a cost effective, resource efficient and highly impactive means of improving the quality of life.
Therefore, it is hoped that the GNLP 2045 Vision and Objectives will refer to the importance of designing out crime when developing new environs and homes. This ethos should be particularly embedded within Chapters 7 (Housing) and 10 (Environment).
Nationally the Police Service achieves this by joining together and delivering the Secured by Design initiative to deter criminal and anti-social behaviour through the design, layout and specification of buildings and the spaces around and between them, to reduce easy opportunities for crime.
Constructing well designed places, buildings and communities that promote both sustainable communities and health and wellbeing is an objective that the Secured by Design Initiative widely supports; however, it is imperative that they must also be safe, secure, and accessible. Mitigating the opportunities for crime is not only about reducing and preventing injury and crime, but it is also about building strong, cohesive, vibrant, and participatory communities.
It is argued that more crimes are committed where a criminal feels more comfortable committing them, for instance where a physical environment offers easy unrestricted or at least uncontrolled access, where clear messages of ownership are absent, where either natural and formal surveillance are absent or where wrong doers feel free to move within an area assured of their anonymity.
Design-led solutions to prevent crime will include ample opportunity for natural surveillance, high quality public lighting, clearly defined and well overlooked defensible spaces, the eradication of unnecessary foot routes and see these routes concentrated together with busier traffic routes, the sensible and sensitive positioning of play and leisure areas, the provision of clear and appropriate boundary treatments and the careful removal of any chances to hide unseen to create ambush points.
These thoughts align with: The National Planning Policy Framework 2026 which requires applications:
“Support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by fostering well-designed, beautiful and safe places, with accessible community facilities, public service infrastructure and open spaces that reflect current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being;
Chapter 7 Housing:
10. Based on updated evidence to be commissioned through a Housing Needs Assessment and the Whole Plan Viability Report, the GNLP 2045 will set affordable housing requirements, as required by the draft NPPF, and consider mechanisms such as on-site provision, commuted sums, clawback and tenure flexibility.
11. The GNLP 2045 must respond to a range of housing needs, including for older people, disabled people, students, and those needing supported housing. Based on updated evidence commissioned through a Housing Needs Assessment, the GNLP 2045 will need to include policies and allocations to address this range of needs.
All new developments should provide a venue that makes the most from the proven crime reduction methodologies of Secured by Design gained from over thirty years policing experience and supported by independent academic research.
Norfolk Constabulary provides Designing Out Crime Officers to assist in the planning process and to offer advice in relation to the layout, environmental design and the physical security of buildings, based upon the established principles of ‘Crime Prevention through Environmental Design’.
It is desired….That mechanisms and forthcoming guidance on producing local design codes will set out how homes and neighbourhoods should be designed with safety and security in mind by applying the principles of Secured by Design. This includes using passive design measures, such as ‘eyes on the street’ and appropriate layouts for homes.”
Furthermore, within
Chapter 10 Environment:
This section sets out how the natural environment of Greater Norwich will be considered alongside the identified growth needs for the area and the changes within the NPPF, including:
•
Setting standards for various types of outdoor and recreational spaces and creating a network of green spaces.
Key principles for well-designed places should include spaces that are safe, secure, inclusive, and accessible for all ages and abilities, including for groups such as women and girls; and which facilitate and encourage social interaction, play and healthy lifestyles (for example by providing high quality, clear and legible pedestrian and cycle routes, a variety of recreational spaces and places to meet, integrating lighting and making building entrances and windows face onto streets and other public spaces to provide natural surveillance).
[NPPF 2026 DPS (f)]
c. Ensure that the arrangement of streets and other routes help to create places that are safe, inclusive and attractive for all users (particularly for women and girls, for other groups who may be vulnerable to crime or the fear of crime, and for those with limited mobility). This includes reflecting relevant aspects of policy DP3(2). [NPPF 2026 p70 TR4: Street design, access and parking]
The Constabulary is consulted by all of the County’s Planning Authorites with regards to this subject and offers appropriate advice. Key issues are:
Creating a sense of place
Permeability
Natural Surveillance
Lighting
Parking
Cycling
Boundary treatments
The changes to the English Planning and Building Control regulations following in-depth reviews by the government have underlined the importance of the police advice delivered over the past 35 years; specifically in the form of the Secured by Design (SBD) initiative. The references within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the accompanying National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) have sought to reinforce the need and importance of a safe and secure external environment and to this end there are specific references to police service advice and the www.police.uk website in particular.
Indeed, the government’s Chief Planning Officer Steve Quartermain, wrote to all planning authorities reminding them of the important role the planning system plays in ensuring appropriate measures are in place in relation to crime prevention and security.
I would therefore encourage the GNLP scoping Consultation to consider requesting that all future planning applications work towards achieving the principles of SBD, designed to create safe and secure developments and fully comply with UK Planning and governmental strategic policies.
The Government has reiterated that designing out crime and designing in community safety should be central to the planning and delivery of new development. Specifically, the Planning Practice Guidance on Design reminds practitioners that local authorities are duty bound to adhere to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and exercise their functions with due regard to their likely effect on crime and disorder and do all that they reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder.

Thank you for your e-mail inviting comments on the above matter. I have also forwarded your request to the Constabulary’s Head of Estates (Mr. Duncan Potter) for his considerations.
The police service is keen to have a positive input within the Scoping Consultation and places great importance upon the need to build sustainable and inclusive communities and to raise awareness of the significant impact that low crime has on the ongoing and long-term sustainability of well-designed buildings and environs.
Crime, the fear of crime, together with the unhappiness and disorder they create, significantly damages communities. It is a reasonable expectation that all those with some responsibility for the built environment from local authorities and the police to architects, builders, and developers, include crime prevention measures in their work; creating environments that reduce opportunities to commit crime with design led solutions is a cost effective, resource efficient and highly impactive means of improving the quality of life.
Therefore, it is hoped that the GNLP 2045 Vision and Objectives will refer to the importance of designing out crime when developing new environs and homes. This ethos should be particularly embedded within Chapters 7 (Housing) and 10 (Environment).
Nationally the Police Service achieves this by joining together and delivering the Secured by Design initiative to deter criminal and anti-social behaviour through the design, layout and specification of buildings and the spaces around and between them, to reduce easy opportunities for crime.
Constructing well designed places, buildings and communities that promote both sustainable communities and health and wellbeing is an objective that the Secured by Design Initiative widely supports; however, it is imperative that they must also be safe, secure, and accessible. Mitigating the opportunities for crime is not only about reducing and preventing injury and crime, but it is also about building strong, cohesive, vibrant, and participatory communities.
It is argued that more crimes are committed where a criminal feels more comfortable committing them, for instance where a physical environment offers easy unrestricted or at least uncontrolled access, where clear messages of ownership are absent, where either natural and formal surveillance are absent or where wrong doers feel free to move within an area assured of their anonymity.
Design-led solutions to prevent crime will include ample opportunity for natural surveillance, high quality public lighting, clearly defined and well overlooked defensible spaces, the eradication of unnecessary foot routes and see these routes concentrated together with busier traffic routes, the sensible and sensitive positioning of play and leisure areas, the provision of clear and appropriate boundary treatments and the careful removal of any chances to hide unseen to create ambush points.
These thoughts align with: The National Planning Policy Framework 2026 which requires applications:
“Support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by fostering well-designed, beautiful and safe places, with accessible community facilities, public service infrastructure and open spaces that reflect current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being;
Chapter 7 Housing:
10. Based on updated evidence to be commissioned through a Housing Needs Assessment and the Whole Plan Viability Report, the GNLP 2045 will set affordable housing requirements, as required by the draft NPPF, and consider mechanisms such as on-site provision, commuted sums, clawback and tenure flexibility.
11. The GNLP 2045 must respond to a range of housing needs, including for older people, disabled people, students, and those needing supported housing. Based on updated evidence commissioned through a Housing Needs Assessment, the GNLP 2045 will need to include policies and allocations to address this range of needs.
All new developments should provide a venue that makes the most from the proven crime reduction methodologies of Secured by Design gained from over thirty years policing experience and supported by independent academic research.
Norfolk Constabulary provides Designing Out Crime Officers to assist in the planning process and to offer advice in relation to the layout, environmental design and the physical security of buildings, based upon the established principles of ‘Crime Prevention through Environmental Design’.
It is desired….That mechanisms and forthcoming guidance on producing local design codes will set out how homes and neighbourhoods should be designed with safety and security in mind by applying the principles of Secured by Design. This includes using passive design measures, such as ‘eyes on the street’ and appropriate layouts for homes.”
Furthermore, within
Chapter 10 Environment:
This section sets out how the natural environment of Greater Norwich will be considered alongside the identified growth needs for the area and the changes within the NPPF, including:
•
Setting standards for various types of outdoor and recreational spaces and creating a network of green spaces.
Key principles for well-designed places should include spaces that are safe, secure, inclusive, and accessible for all ages and abilities, including for groups such as women and girls; and which facilitate and encourage social interaction, play and healthy lifestyles (for example by providing high quality, clear and legible pedestrian and cycle routes, a variety of recreational spaces and places to meet, integrating lighting and making building entrances and windows face onto streets and other public spaces to provide natural surveillance).
[NPPF 2026 DPS (f)]
c. Ensure that the arrangement of streets and other routes help to create places that are safe, inclusive and attractive for all users (particularly for women and girls, for other groups who may be vulnerable to crime or the fear of crime, and for those with limited mobility). This includes reflecting relevant aspects of policy DP3(2). [NPPF 2026 p70 TR4: Street design, access and parking]
The Constabulary is consulted by all of the County’s Planning Authorites with regards to this subject and offers appropriate advice. Key issues are:
Creating a sense of place
Permeability
Natural Surveillance
Lighting
Parking
Cycling
Boundary treatments
The changes to the English Planning and Building Control regulations following in-depth reviews by the government have underlined the importance of the police advice delivered over the past 35 years; specifically in the form of the Secured by Design (SBD) initiative. The references within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the accompanying National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) have sought to reinforce the need and importance of a safe and secure external environment and to this end there are specific references to police service advice and the www.police.uk website in particular.
Indeed, the government’s Chief Planning Officer Steve Quartermain, wrote to all planning authorities reminding them of the important role the planning system plays in ensuring appropriate measures are in place in relation to crime prevention and security.
I would therefore encourage the GNLP scoping Consultation to consider requesting that all future planning applications work towards achieving the principles of SBD, designed to create safe and secure developments and fully comply with UK Planning and governmental strategic policies.
The Government has reiterated that designing out crime and designing in community safety should be central to the planning and delivery of new development. Specifically, the Planning Practice Guidance on Design reminds practitioners that local authorities are duty bound to adhere to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and exercise their functions with due regard to their likely effect on crime and disorder and do all that they reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder.