GNLP 2045 Regulation 20 Scoping Consultation

The emerging GNLP should support the delivery of multifunctional green infrastructure that can provide benefits for recreation, biodiversity, landscape, drainage and climate resilience. At Site 25781: Land South of Church Road and West of Mill Road, Reedham, the proposals provide an opportunity to deliver a connected network of green infrastructure, including public open space, SANG, children’s play, ecological corridors, native planting and sustainable drainage features, that would be of benefit to the occupiers of the new homes and the wider residents of Reedham.

The GNLP should therefore support sites capable of delivering multifunctional green infrastructure which benefits both new and existing communities.

The GNLP should adopt a positive approach to high-quality design which enables development to respond to the specific character and opportunities of individual sites and settlements. Development at rural settlements should not be excluded solely because of its rural location where it can be appropriately designed and integrated with the existing settlement.

At Site 25781: Land South of Church Road and West of Mill Road, Reedham, the emerging design proposals have been informed by the site’s landscape character, existing vegetation, surrounding built form and the relationship with Witton Green, Witton Green Farmhouse and the Church of St John the Baptist. The site therefore provides an opportunity for a landscape-led extension to Reedham, responding to local character while providing new homes and supporting infrastructure.

The GNLP should support this type of approach, whereby development is shaped by local landscape, heritage, ecological and townscape characteristics while still allowing sustainable settlements to grow.

The SWOT analysis should recognise the important role that the network of rural villages play in accommodating future growth across Greater Norwich, alongside the primary role of Norwich and the larger settlements. It is recognised that the larger settlements mostly represent sustainable locations for accommodating a significant proportion of future growth, given their greater concentration of employment, services, facilities and infrastructure. However, a strategy that relies too heavily on the larger settlements would not fully recognise the contribution that sustainable rural settlements can make towards meeting the significant increase in housing need identified for the GNLP 2045.

The recently published NPPF 2026 places greater emphasis on enabling villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services. It also promotes sustainable development in locations with good public transport connectivity, including around well-connected railway stations. Greater Norwich has the opportunity to utilise its network of well-connected rural settlements where they are connected by railway stations as part of a balanced approach to growth.

In this context, Cantley is a sustainable settlement, benefiting from local services and facilities, including a primary school, public house, village hall and church, as well as a railway station. Site 25939: Land South of Limpenhoe Road and East of Station Road, Cantley, is located approximately a five-minute walk from Cantley Railway Station and is therefore well placed to benefit from this connectivity.

The baseline evidence should give greater consideration to settlement connectivity, rather than assessing the sustainability of settlement principally by reference to their size or the number of services located within their boundaries. The evidence base should consider the role of railway stations and the frequency and destinations of services, alongside walking, wheeling, access to local services and facilities and connectivity between neighbouring settlements.

This approach would a more comprehensive assessment of the sustainability of rural settlements to accommodate additional growth, having regard to the availability of infrastructure, environmental constraints and opportunities to deliver new homes alongside green infrastructure and improvements to local connectivity.

The existing strategy of directing the majority of growth towards the Norwich Urban Area and other high-order settlements is recognised as appropriate, given the concentration of employment, services, facilities and infrastructure in these locations.
Notwithstanding this, the new Local Plan presents and opportunity to ensure that the spatial strategy is sufficiently balanced and flexible to reflect the increased housing need and the capacity of sustainable rural settlements to accommodate additional growth. Given the scale of the housing requirement, it is important for the emerging GNLP to identify a broad range of development opportunities across Greater Norwich, rather than relying predominantly on the Norwich Urban Area, brownfield land and larger key service centres.

A balanced approach should therefore continue to direct a significant proportion of growth towards Norwich and the larger settlements, whilst also identifying appropriate and proportionate opportunities for growth at sustainable villages. In particular the GNLP 2045 should recognise the role of rural settlements that benefit from railway stations and good public transport connectivity Cantley is an example of a settlement where additional growth could be accommodated in a location that benefits from existing rail infrastructure and opportunities and enhanced walking and cycle connections.

It is anticipated that there will be insufficient previously developed (brownfield) land available to accommodate the level of growth required across Greater Norwich. The emerging GNLP should continue to support the efficient use of brownfield land and the regeneration of existing urban areas. However, suitable greenfield sites, which are sustainably located and capable of delivering development alongside the necessary infrastructure and environmental enhancements should also be given greater consideration.

The Growth Strategy should support a range of development types, including brownfield intensification, urban extensions, new settlements, and proportionate growth at sustainable rural villages. Particular importance should be given to sites that are well related to existing settlement and benefit from good access to services, facilities and sustainable transport, including railway stations.

Site 25939: Land South of Limpenhoe Road and East of Station Road, Cantley, provides an opportunity to deliver approximately 300no. new homes in a location that is physically related to the existing settlement and within walking distance of Cantley Railway Station. The site also presents opportunities to provide new green infrastructure, public open space, biodiversity enhancements and improved pedestrian connections.

The majority of growth should continue to be directed towards Norwich and the larger settlements. However, given the increased housing need, the GNLP should also identify sustainable rural settlements capable of accommodating proportionate additional growth. Consideration in relation to the expansion of existing rural settlements should focus on appropriate levels of existing services and facilities, access to education and community facilities, access to public transport, particularly rail, opportunities to support and enhance existing local services, and land that is capable of accommodating development without overriding environmental constraints.

Cantley represents an appropriate location for additional growth. The settlement benefits from a railway station providing connections to Norwich, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, whilst the adopted GNLP recognises the presence of a village hall and public transport services. The emerging strategy should seek to ensure that development is supported by appropriate infrastructure, including improvements to pedestrian and cycle connections, drainage infrastructure, green infrastructure and opportunities to support local services.

Site 25939: Land South of Limpenhoe Road and East of Station Road, Cantley, is located within an approximate five-minute walk of Cantley Railway Station from its southwestern corner and has the potential to deliver circa 300no. new homes alongside public open space, biodiversity enhancements, sustainable drainage and improved active travel connections. These measures would provide benefits for both new and existing residents and assist in integrating the development with the wider village.

The settlement hierarchy should ensure that it appropriately reflects connectivity and accessibility as well as settlement size and service provision. Consideration should be afforded to rural settlements that benefit from railway stations, and good access to public transport.

The recently published NPPF 2026 places an increased emphasis on development in locations within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations, reflecting their ability to support sustainable patterns of development. The emerging GNLP should therefore avoid a settlement hierarchy that limits the growth potential smaller rural settlements based solely on their population or position within the existing hierarchy. Instead, settlements should be assessed having regard to their actual connectivity, relationship with neighbouring settlements, access to services and facilities and ability to accommodate sustainable growth.

Cantley provides a suitable example of a rural settlement that benefits from a railway station with connections to Norwich, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, with further connections available to London Liverpool Street. The settlement should therefore be considered for proportionate additional residential development, particularly where proposals are well related to the existing built-up area and can deliver supporting infrastructure and environmental enhancements.
Well-designed residential extensions to rural settlements should be recognised a key factor within the settlement hierarchy, providing opportunities to deliver a substantial quantum of new homes and support the long-term vitality of local communities. Site 25939: Land South of Limpenhoe Road and East of Station Road, Cantley, provides an opportunity to contribute approximately 300no. homes in a sustainable location, alongside the delivery of supporting green infrastructure, public open space, active travel connections and other infrastructure.

The emerging GNLP should take a balanced approach when considering the location of new housing development across the borough, ensuring that large-scale developments are located within a variety of locations, serving both urban and rural communities.

The emerging GNLP should take a positive and proactive approach to identifying sufficient deliverable and developable land to meet the housing requirement across Greater Norwich. Total housing need for 2026 to 2045 has increased by 34.9%, from 1,920 homes per annum in 2018, to 2,590 homes per annum in 2024. This represents a significant increase compared to the adopted amount within the Local Plan. Given the scale of the identified housing need, it is important that the Local Plan identifies a broad range of development opportunities across the area, including sustainable rural settlements.

The Local Plan should support the delivery of sustainable, high-quality homes capable of meeting a variety of housing needs, including market and affordable housing, whilst also encouraging adaptable and accessible homes where appropriate. This approach will aid in ensuring that new development can contribute towards creating balanced and inclusive communities that remain resilient to future changes in housing demand.

The emerging Plan should focus on identifying sustainable and deliverable locations for growth, ensuring the timely delivery of homes in the right places, supported by appropriate infrastructure, services and high-quality environments.

The new Local Plan should provide a flexible policy framework that supports the delivery of a broad range of housing types, sizes and tenures. Rather than prescribing housing mixes too rigidly, policies should allow development to respond to the most up-to-date evidence of local housing need at the planning application stage, ensuring that housing provision can adapt to changing demographic, economic and market circumstances throughout the plan period.

The GNLP should support the delivery of sustainable, high-quality homes capable of meeting a variety of housing needs, including market and affordable housing, whilst also encouraging adaptable, accessible and specialist homes where appropriate. This approach will aid in ensuring that new development can contribute towards creating balance and inclusive communities that remain resilient to future changes in housing demand.

The Plan should focus on identifying sustainable and deliverable locations for growth, ensuring the timely delivery of homes in the right places, supported by appropriate infrastructure, services and high-quality environments. This flexible approach will help ensure housing provision remains aligned with evolving local requirements throughout the plan period.