Statement of Consultation Growth Triangle Area Action Plan Area Action Plan - Statement of Consultation Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Preparation of the Area Action Plan (Reg.18) 4 3 Consultation Activity 5 Parish Assessments (Feb-May 2008) 5 Principles for Development (Nov 2008-Jan 2009) 8 Options for Growth (March-July 2009) 12 Growth Triangle Workshops (Sept-Oct 2011) 41 Options Consultation (March-June 2013) 47 GNDP Design Review Panel (Sept 2013) 112 Appendix 1: Parish assessment survey form 115 Appendix 2: Consultation Material - 'Principles for Development' 117 Questionnaire 117 'Initial Site Concept' form 119 Appendix 3: Consultation Material - 'Options for Growth' 124 List of consultees 124 Publicity material 126 Consultation with schools 133 Infrastructure workshop 136 Appendix 4: Publicity Material - Growth Triangle Workshops 138 Workshops flyer 138 Workshops agenda 140 Broadland News article - Autumn 2011 141 Appendix 5: Consultation Material - Options Consultation 142 List of consultees 142 Consultation response form 146 Broadland News article - Spring 2013 151 Summary leaflet 153 Focus Groups Agendas 157 Area Action Plan - Statement of Consultation Contents Appendix 6: Letter of feedback - Design Review Panel 160 Area Action Plan - Statement of Consultation Introduction 1 1.1 A major area of growth to the north-east of Norwich is identified by the Joint Core Strategy (JCS).The Old Catton-Sprowston-Rackheath-Thorpe St. Andrew Growth Triangle (or Growth Triangle, for short) will accommodate at least 7,000 new homes by 2026, rising to 10,000 thereafter. This growth will include significant employment allocations and greater provision of services and facilities in the area. It is also dependant upon delivery of key infrastructure. The Growth Triangle includes land within the parishes of Old Catton, Sprowston, Rackheath and Thorpe St. Andrew, as well as within adjoining areas such as Beeston St. Andrew, Postwick, Great & Little Plumstead, Salhouse and Spixworth. 1.2 Broadland District Council has developed an Area Action Plan (AAP) as a Development Plan Document (DPD) to guide the major growth within the Growth Triangle as a whole and to ensure that it leads to the development of sustainable communities. 1.3 Community and stakeholder consultation has been crucial to the development of an AAP that is fit for the needs of communities (existing and new) within the area. The Council's strategy for consultation in the production of the Local Plan is set out in the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which was adopted in April 2006 and updated with an addendum in 2008. 1.4 This Statement of Consultation details the programme of community and stakeholder consultation that has been carried out in the development of the Growth Triangle AAP. In particular, it addresses the requirements of the Town & Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, which require such a statement to form part of the 'proposed submission documents' to be sent to the Secretary of State. Regulation 17(d) requires a statement setting out: 1. Which bodies and persons were invited to make representations under regulation 18, 2. How those bodies and persons were invited to make such representations, 3. A summary of the main issues raised by those representations, and 4. Broadland District Council's consideration of and response to those issues. 1.5 The Town & Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 set out the statutory requirements relating to consultation in the production of Local Plan documents. Regulation 18 relates to 'Preparation of a Local Plan' and allows for a local planning authority to be quite flexible in how it gathers evidence and views from consultation bodies and the public at an early stage. 1.6 This statement explains, in chronological order, the range of consultation exercises undertaken during the regulation 18 stage. 3 Area Action Plan - Statement of Consultation 2 Preparation of the Area Action Plan (Reg.18) 2.1 Regulation 18 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 requires local planning authorities to notify specific and general consultation bodies (where it is considered they may have an interest) of the subject of the Local Plan document that the authority proposes to prepare and invite them to make representations to the authority on what that document should contain. The local planning authority must also consider whether it is appropriate to invite representations from persons who are resident or carrying on business in their area and, if so, they must make arrangements for this to take place. The local authority must take into account any representations made to them in response to these invitations. 2.2 This requirement for early consultation therefore allows for a relatively flexible approach in how a local planning authority can consult with the public and with consultation bodies in the preparation of a Local Plan document. 2.3 As Broadland District Council has stated in its 'Update to the Statement of Community Involvement' (October 2008), it is likely that this preparation stage (Reg. 18) will normally encompass the following, broad phases of work: 1. Evidence gathering 2. Consideration of issues and options 3. Consideration of a draft DPD 2.4 The consultation activity relating to the Area Action Plan broadly follows this pattern, with early stage evidence gathering in order to identify the issues, an 'issues and options' style consultation in order to gain views on the most appropriate options for development, and (although not a draft DPD, as such) a consultation on a further refinement of options, before drawing together the final document for publication. 2.5 The following information within this document outlines the specific consultation exercises that have been undertaken. For each consultation exercise undertaken the following information is presented: 1. The aim of the exercise 2. The timescale of the exercise 3. The consultees invited to take part in the exercise 4. A description of the exercise methodology 5. A summary of the exercise results 6. Broadland District Council's consideration of and response to the main issues raised 2.6 The appendices that feature at the end of this document present a variety of information produced in support of the different consultation exercises undertaken. Each of these is referenced within the following sections, where appropriate. 4 Area Action Plan - Statement of Consultation Consultation Activity 3 Parish Assessments (Feb-May 2008) Aim 3.1 Parish assessments were undertaken as an initial exercise to engage Parish and Town Councils across the district in considering any key constraints, issues or opportunities relating to the future development of their parish. This exercise formed an initial part of the evidence gathering related to the Area Action Plan (AAP), as well as the Council's Site Allocations Development Plan Document. Timescale 3.2 This exercise commenced with a briefing event, undertaken by Broadland District Council's Spatial Planning Team, which was held on four separate occasions in different locations across the district. One of these events took place within the Growth Triangle, at Pinebanks Business & Recreation Centre, Thorpe St Andrew, on 21st February 2008. 3.3 The events were targeted at Parish and Town Councils and were intended to introduce the 'parish assessment' concept and explain to representatives of Parish and Town Councils the type of information that the District Council was seeking as part of the assessment. 3.4 This was then followed by the assessment forms being sent out to all Parish and Town Councils for completion between 6th March and 2nd May 2008. Consultees 3.5 The invitation to workshops and subsequent 'parish assessment' forms were sent to all Parish and Town Councils and Parish Meetings in Broadland District, including those based within the 'Growth Triangle'. Description 3.6 The 'Parish Assessment 2008' survey forms were sent out to every Parish and Town Council in Broadland on 6th March 2008, for completion. Parish and Town Councils were given until 2nd May to complete these forms and return them to the District Council. 3.7 The survey forms asked questions relating to the local environment, housing, employment, transport and community facilities, relating to the parish. A copy of the survey form is attached as Appendix 1. 3.8 A reminder letter was sent to those Parish and Town Councils that had yet to respond, on 23rd April, asking them to complete their survey forms. 5 Area Action Plan - Statement of Consultation 3 Consultation Activity Results summary 3.9 Completed survey forms were received from 40 different Parish/Town Councils (out of 65 civil parishes). 5 of the 9 parishes falling within the Growth Triangle responded to the survey. 3.10 The completed survey forms highlighted a range of spatial development needs, across Broadland's parishes, which would need to be considered in more detail to see whether they could be addressed through the production of Development Plan Documents. 3.11 Although the needs and issues raised by each parish are different in a detailed and geographical sense, an analysis of the results highlights certain, general trends. The information below relates only to the responses received from those parishes based within the Growth Triangle. The most commonly identified area of particular environmental importance was local woodland. Other local, environmental assets which were highlighted included marshland, parks and allotments. Two of the five responding Parish/Town Councils from within the Growth Triangle stated that the current settlement limit, as defined in the adopted Local Plan, should stay as it is. One respondent stated they wished for the limit to be reduced. Two parishes left this question unanswered. Two of the Parish/Town Councils suggested areas of land for future market housing within their parish and one suggested there were no suitable sites. Two of the Parish/Town Councils left this question unanswered. One of the responding Parish/Town Councils identified a need/ exception sites for affordable housing.