Region 1. Introduction 2
2. Issues and Options 3
3. Preferred Directions 5
4. Proposed Sites and Settlement 7 Boundaries
5. General and Specific Consultees 9
6. Conformity with the Statement of 16 Community Involvement
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 1
1 Introduction
1.1 This statement of consultation will be submitted to the Secretary of State as part of the examination of the Breckland Local Plan. The statement sets out the information required under Regulation 22 (c) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. This statement shows:
Who was consulted; How they have been consulted; A summary of the issues raised How issues have been addressed within the Local Plan.
1.2 The 2012 Local Planning Regulations sets out the stages of consultation that a Local Plan is required to go through prior to its submission to the Secretary of State. These are:
Regulation 18: a consultation whereby the local authority notifies of their intention to prepare a Local Plan and representations are invited about what the Local Plan should contain Regulation 19: prior to submitting the Local Plan to the Secretary of State, the proposed submission document is made available to the general consultation bodies and the specific consultation bodies.
1.3 In accordance with the regulations and Breckland's Statement of Community Involvement, the Local Plan has been subjected to a number of consultation periods. These are summarised below:
Regulation 18: Issues and Options consultation Regulation 18: Preferred Directions consultation Regulation 18: Preferred Sites and Settlement Boundaries consultation
1.4 Full details of each of these consultations is included within this statement.
1.5 The appendices to this statement are included as a separate document due to their size.
2 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 2 Issues and Options
Introduction
2.1 The Breckland Local Plan Issues and Options consultation ran from 17th November 2014 until 9th January 2015. The consultation covered an 8 week period, and was extended beyond the usual 6 weeks to account from the Christmas period. The consultation received 1130 representations from 140 individuals and organisations.
Who was consulted
2.2 The consultation was carried out in accordance with the Councils adopted Statement of Community Involvement (2013). Local and National interest groups were consulted in accordance with Government regulations. The regulations set out two separate groups to be consulted, specific consultation bodies and general consultation bodies.
2.3 Specific Consultation Bodies - these are statutory bodies involved in service provision, government agencies working on particular issues and Town and Parish Councils within or adjoining Breckland. Norfolk County Council and adjoining Districts Councils. The specific consultees included:
Natural England The Environment Agency Highways Agency English Heritage
2.4 A full list can be seen here: 5 'General and Specific Consultees'
2.5 General Consultation Bodies - a full list of general consultation bodies can be seen at 5 'General and Specific Consultees'. However it included:
Voluntary bodies and community groups whose activities benefit or represent different racial, ethnic or religious groups, disabled persons and persons carrying out business in the Authorities Area. Landowners/agents who have submitted sites and the public who have expressed an interest in the Local Plan
How the public were consulted
2.6 The Breckland Local Plan Issues and Options consultation and Sustainability Appraisal was made available online on Breckland's consultation portal http://consult.breckland.gov.uk/portal The documents were also placed in Breckland Council offices in Dereham and Thetford, libraries in the Districts market towns of Attleborough, Dereham, Swaffham, Thetford and Watton and within the customer contact centres in each of these towns.
2.7 Hard copies of the document were sent to all of Breckland's Town and parish Councils and an advert was placed in the Eastern Daily Press, which is shown at appendix B.
2.8 Six public meetings were held at the following venues to inform parish councils and the public of the Local Plan:
Town and Parish Councils only – Monday 17th November – Anglia Room Breckland Council Offices, Dereham (2pm-7pm) Thursday 20th November – Dereham Memorial Hall (2pm – 7pm) Monday 24th November – Swaffham Assembly Rooms (2pm – 6:30pm) Thursday 27th November – Watton Queens Hall (2pm – 7pm)
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 3 2
Thursday 4th December – Attleborough Town Hall (2pm – 6pm) Tuesday 9th December – Thetford Guild Hall (2pm – 7pm)
What was said
2.9 During the consultation 1130 comments were received from 140 individuals and organisations. In addition 516 land representations have also been submitted. A summary of the comments received by question is included within Appendix E. Comments were received from a number of the statutory consultees the Environment Agency, English Heritage, Norfolk County Council, and a number of the town and parish councils. The full comments are available to view on the Council's consultation portal http://consult.breckland.gov.uk/portal
How the issues raised were addressed
2.10 The representations from the issues and options document have helped to formulate the preferred options document. This has included through the setting of the housing target, the spatial strategy and the designation of Local Service Centre villages. The representations also formulated the approach to the economy and the development management policies.
4 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 3 Preferred Directions
3.1 The preferred directions consultation covered a six week period from 11th January 2016 until 22nd February 2016. The consultation was made up of the following documents:
Preferred Directions Part 1 - Policies Preferred Directions Part 2 - Emerging Sites Preferred Directions Sustainability Appraisal Part 1 - Policies Preferred Directions Sustainability Appraisal Part 2 - Emerging Sites
3.2 During the consultation 1,586 responses were received on Part 1: Preferred Directions, 54 on the Part 1 Preferred Directions Sustainability Appraisal, 922 on Local Plan Part 2 – Emerging Site Options and a further 31 on Part 2 – Emerging Site Options Interim Sustainability Appraisal. Furthermore, during the consultation period a further 114 site representation were submitted.
Who was consulted
3.3 The consultation was carried out in accordance with the statement of community involvement. This included both the specific consultation bodies, (which include the statutory consultees), and the general consultation bodies incorporating voluntary and community groups, land owners and agents.
How the public were consulted
3.4 A number of different mechanisms were used to engage members of the public in the preferred directions consultation. The document was made available on the Council's website and also on the consultation portal, where representations on the plan were also placed.
3.5 The document was made available on public display at the Council offices in Dereham and Thetford, the customer contact centres in each of the five market towns, and also at each of the towns libraries. Furthermore, hard copies of the document were also sent to each of the Town and Parish Council's. An advert was placed within the Eastern Daily Press at the start of the consultation advising of the consultation period, where the documents would be made available and also of the drop-in events. A copy of the press advert can be seen in appendix J. A number of press releases were also sent out, which generated articles within local newspapers.
3.6 To accompany the consultation 9 public drop-in events were held, details of which are shown below. Posters were provided to each of the town and parish council's to place on public notice boards within their parishes to advise of the drop-in events.
Thursday 14th January – Attleborough Town Hall (2pm – 7pm) Wednesday 20th January – Swaffham Assembly Rooms (2pm – 7pm) Monday 25th January - Thetford Guildhall (2pm-7pm) Wednesday 27th January – Mundford Village Hall (2pm-7pm) Thursday 28th January – Dereham Memorial Hall (2pm-7pm) Tuesday 2nd February – Shropham Village Hall (2pm-7pm) Thursday 4th February – North Elmham Institute Hall (2pm-7pm) Tuesday 9th February – Watton Queens Hall (2pm-7pm) Thursday 11th February – Necton Village Hall (2pm-7pm)
3.7 In addition to the 9 public drop-in events, two events specifically for town and parish councils were also held on 18th January, The first meeting started at 5pm for all parish councils informing them about the Local Plan. A second session started at 6:30pm for those groups who were currently preparing a neighbourhood plan. On request, specific meeting were held with parish councils which were also open to members of the public. These were:
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 5 3
North Elmham - 13th January North Elmham - 21st January Bawdeswell - 1st February
What was said
3.8 A total of 2,707 comments were received during the consultation period. A full summary is available at appendix L. Comments were received from a number of the statutory consultees including Norfolk County Council, the Environment Agency, RSPB, Anglian Water, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, and Natural England. In addition to this a number of the town and parish councils also responded.
How the issues raised were addressed
3.9 The representations received during the consultation period have led to the revision of a number of the Local Plan policies including the level and location of growth and the approach to rural areas. The responses on the site representation and the new sites have all been included within the site assessments.
6 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 4 Proposed Sites and Settlement Boundaries
4.1 The proposed sites and settlement boundary consultation covered a six week period and occurred between 19th September 2016 and 31st October 2016. The consultation was made up of the following documents:
Proposed Sites and Settlement Boundaries Sustainability Appraisal
4.2 During the consultation 1171 comments were received on the consultation document and a further 28 comments were received on the accompanying sustainability appraisal.
Who was consulted
4.3 The consultation was carried out in accordance with the statement of community involvement. All specific consultees were notified of the consultation by email or letter, a copy of which can be seen in appendix M. General consultees included all community groups, voluntary groups, landowners, agents and members of the public who had been asked to be notified.
How the public were consulted
4.4 The consultation document was made available on the council's consultation portal, where comments could be submitted and also viewed. The document was also made available at the Council offices in Dereham and Thetford, the contact centres within the five market towns and also within the towns libraries.
4.5 Hard copies of the consultation document were sent to all Town and Parish Councils, an advert was placed in the Eastern Daily Press at the start of the consultation period and a number of press releases were also sent out. Public drop-in events were held across the district at the following venues. Posters were sent to all Town and Parish Councils to display on notice boards within the parishes.
Monday 26th September – Thetford Carnegie Rooms 2pm-6pm Wednesday 28th September – Bawdeswell Village Hall 2pm-8pm Thursday 29th September – Dereham Memorial Hall 2pm-8pm Tuesday 4th October – Watton Sports Centre 2pm-8pm Wednesday 5th October – New Buckenham Village Hall 2pm-7:30pm Thursday 6th October – Attleborough Town Hall 2pm-8pm Monday 10th October – Mileham Village Hall 2pm-8pm Wednesday 12th October - Swaffham Assembly Rooms 2pm-7pm Monday 17th October – Watton Sports Centre 2pm-8pm Wednesday 19th October – Dereham Memorial Hall 2pm-8pm Thursday 20th October – Thetford Carnegie Room 2pm-8pm Monday 24th October – Great Hockham Village Hall 2pm-8pm Tuesday 25th October – Attleborough Town Hall 2pm-8pm Wednesday 26th October – Swaffham Assembly Rooms 2pm-8pm
What was said
4.6 A summary of the consultation responses is available to see within appendix R. There was a good level of response from the statutory consultees including Anglian Water, the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Historic England, Natural England, Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and RSPB. A range of issues were raised through the consultation, including:
Historic evidence base;
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 7 4
Changes to the Stone Curlew buffer zone; Specific comments on individual sites including in relation to highways and surface water flooding.
How the issues were addressed
4.7 The responses received during the consultation period have led to updates to the evidence base to support the plan. Historic England objected to the Local Plan consultation based on lack of historic evidence to support the site allocations. We have met with Historic England and agreed a methodology to undertake historic characterisation work. This work has been undertaken and has been used to inform further work on site assessments, and also updates to the site policies. We have also under taken a sequential assessment to consider all sources of flooding including surface water, fluvial and tidal. The sequential assessment has led to removal of preferred and alternative sites.
8 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 5 General and Specific Consultees
General Consultees
Organisation Consultee Type
Age UK General Consultee
Airport Operators Association General Consultee
Ambulance Service General Consultee
Ancient Monuments Society General Consultee
British Geological Survey General Consultee
Broadland Housing Association General Consultee
Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) General Consultee
Church of England General Consultee
Civil Aviation Authority General Consultee
Communities and Local Government General Consultee
CPRE Norfolk General Consultee
Crime Prevention and Architectural Liaison Officer General Consultee
Defence Estates Headquarters General Consultee
Defence Estates Operations North General Consultee
Dereham Access Group General Consultee
Design Council CABE General Consultee
Diocese of Norwich General Consultee
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee General Consultee
East Midland Trains General Consultee
East of England Local Government Association General Consultee
Elizabeth Truss MP General Consultee
Equality and Human Rights Commission General Consultee
Federation of Small Businesses - West Norfolk Bran General Consultee
FFT Planning General Consultee
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 9 5
Organisation Consultee Type
Fields in Trust General Consultee
Flagship Housing General Consultee
Forestry Commission General Consultee
Freight Transport Association General Consultee
G P S S General Consultee
George Freeman MP General Consultee
Granta Housing Association General Consultee
Greater Anglia General Consultee
Greater Norwich Development Partnership General Consultee
Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service General Consultee
Hastoe Group General Consultee
Health & Safety Executive General Consultee
Historic Environment Service General Consultee
Home Builders Federation General Consultee
Iceni Homes Ltd General Consultee
LINK-UP Breckland's Talking Newspaper General Consultee
Marine Management Organisation General Consultee
Mobile Operators Association General Consultee
NHS Property Services Ltd General Consultee
Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership General Consultee
Norfolk Fire Service General Consultee
Norfolk Geodiversity Partnership General Consultee
Norfolk Living Well General Consultee
Norfolk Local Access Forum General Consultee
Norfolk Rural Community Council General Consultee
Norfolk Tourism Team General Consultee
10 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement Organisation Consultee Type
Norfolk Wildlife Trust General Consultee
Norwich Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd General Consultee
Norwich International Airport Ltd General Consultee
Orwell Housing Association Ltd General Consultee
Renewables East General Consultee
RSPB - East Anglian Regional Office General Consultee
Secretary of State for Transport General Consultee
Skills Finding Agency General Consultee
Sport England General Consultee
Sustrans General Consultee
The Broads Authority General Consultee
The Crown Estate General Consultee
The Gardens Trust General Consultee
The Guinness Partnership General Consultee
The National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups General Consultee
The National Trust General Consultee
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Building General Consultee
Theatres Trust General Consultee
Wensum Valley Trust General Consultee
Wherry Housing Association General Consultee
Woodlands Trust General Consultee
Table 5.1
Specific Consultees
Organisation Consultee Type
Amec Specific Consultee
Anglia Water Services Ltd Specific Consultee
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 11 5
Organisation Consultee Type
Barnham Broom Parish Council Specific Consultee
Barnham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Barton Bendish Parish Council Specific Consultee
Boughton Parish Council Specific Consultee
Brandon Town Council Specific Consultee
Bressingham & Fersfield Parish Council Specific Consultee
Broadland District Council Specific Consultee
BT PP LGO3 Specific Consultee
Carleton Rode Parish Council Specific Consultee
Castle Acre Parish Council Specific Consultee
Deopham and Hackford Parish Council Specific Consultee
East Cambridge District Council Specific Consultee
East Walton Parish Meeting Specific Consultee
Elveden Parish Council Specific Consultee
Environment Agency Specific Consultee
Euston Parish Meeting Specific Consultee
Feltwell Parish Council Specific Consultee
Forest Heath District Council Specific Consultee
Foulsham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Great Massingham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Great Witchingham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Great Yarmouth Borough Council Specific Consultee
Highways England Specific Consultee
Hinderclay Parish Council Specific Consultee
Hingham Town Council Specific Consultee
Historic England Specific Consultee
12 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement Organisation Consultee Type
Hockwold-cum-Wilton Parish Council Specific Consultee
Homes and Communities Agency Specific Consultee
Honingham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Hopton cum Knettishall Parish Council Specific Consultee
Kimberley & Carleton Forehoe Parish Council Specific Consultee
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council Specific Consultee
Library and Information Service Specific Consultee
Little Massingham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Marham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Marlingford & Colton Parish Council Specific Consultee
Methwold Parish Council Specific Consultee
Mid Suffolk District Council Specific Consultee
Morley Parish Council Specific Consultee
National Grid Specific Consultee
National Grid Specific Consultee
Natural England Specific Consultee
Natural England Specific Consultee
Network Rail Specific Consultee
New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership Specific Consultee
NHS Norfolk Specific Consultee
Norfolk Constabulary Specific Consultee
Norfolk County Council Specific Consultee
Norfolk County Council Specific Consultee
Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Specific Consultee
North Norfolk District Council Specific Consultee
Northwold Parish Council Specific Consultee
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 13 5
Organisation Consultee Type
Norwich City Council Specific Consultee
Office of Rail Regulation Specific Consultee
Pentney Parish Council Specific Consultee
Pudding Norton & Testerton Parish Council Specific Consultee
Raynham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Redgrave Parish Council Specific Consultee
Reepham Town Council Specific Consultee
Runhall Parish Council Specific Consultee
Ryburgh Parish Council Specific Consultee
Santon Downham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Shelfanger Parish Council Specific Consultee
South Norfolk District Council Specific Consultee
St Edmundsbury Borough Council Specific Consultee
Stibbard Parish Council Specific Consultee
Stoke Ferry Parish Council Specific Consultee
Suffolk County Council Specific Consultee
Thelnetham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Themelthorpe Parish Meeting Specific Consultee
Tibenham Parish Council Specific Consultee
UK Power Networks Specific Consultee
West Acre Parish Council Specific Consultee
West Rudham Parish Council Specific Consultee
Weston Longville Parish Council Specific Consultee
Winfarthing Parish Council Specific Consultee
Wood Norton Parish Council Specific Consultee
14 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement Organisation Consultee Type
Wymondham Town Council Specific Consultee
Table 5.2
Local Consultees
Organisation Consultee Type
1st Attleborough (St Mary's) Scouts Local Consultee
Attleborough and District Chamber of Trade Local Consultee
Attleborough Community Team (ACT) Local Consultee
Attleborough Scouts Local Consultee
Banham Residents Association Local Consultee
Breckland Astronomical Society Local Consultee
Dereham and District Chamber of Trade Local Consultee
Dereham Area Partnership Local Consultee
Equal Lives Local Consultee
Friends of the Earth Local Consultee
Iceni Partnership Ltd Local Consultee
Keystone Development Trust Local Consultee
Mayfair Investments Local Consultee
Mid Norfolk Railway Local Consultee
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Local Consultee
Ramblers Association Local Consultee
Swaffham and District Chamber of Trade Local Consultee
The Brecks Partnership Local Consultee
The Upper Yare Partnership Trust Local Consultee
Wayland Chamber of Commerce Local Consultee
Table 5.3
Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement 15 6
6 Conformity with the Statement of Community Involvement
6.1 The adopted Breckland Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how the Council will engage with all sections of the community in the planning process.
6.2 This consultation statement sets out how the Council has met the requirements of the adopted SCI. The SCI sets out a variety of options for engagement throughout the regulation 18 consultation. Breckland is a large rural district, and a range of consultation methods have been deemed necessary in order to with the public through the consultation procedure. The SCI states in relation to Regulation 18:
This is the first stage of consulting on a planning document and as such consultation methods will be wide ranging. We will notify those on our consultee database, promote the use of the Breckland on-line consultation portal, place documents on the website, print off documents and put them in public venues, in towns and hold public events like open days. In working with Town and Parish Councils we will respond constructively and positively to requests to attend Parish meetings, particularly where they can be grouped or where they can be grouped or where there is a recognised policy issue of local significance.
If deemed appropriate we may produce summary leaflets or surveys, present to specific groups (such as school assemblies) and produce summary posters or un-staffed displays at suitable venues.
6.3 The preceding chapters of this document have set out the methods for each individual consultation, in summary they have included:
Press adverts; Press releases; Posters for town and parish councils to display on noticeboards; Drop-in events in order to allow members of the public and town and parish councils to talk to planning officers; We have responded positively to requests to meet with parish councils to discuss the Local Plan; Documents were made available at public venues across the District, to allow those without access to the Internet to view the document; and Documents were available for viewing on the Council's website.
6.4 The Council has sought to pro-actively engage with the community through the preparation of the Local Plan. The council has accepted comments on the regulation 18 consultations in a range of formats including:
By post; By email; Through the Council's online consultation portal; and Using response forms made available at the drop-in events.
6.5 The consultation procedure set through the SCI, goes beyond the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. It is the opinion of the Council that the requirements of the SCI in regards to regulation 18 have been met through the three consultations which have occurred.
16 Breckland Local Plan Consultation Statement