The Area
Breckland is one of the largest district council areas in England, at 1,305 square kilometres; it is also one of the most sparsely populated, at 0.9 people per hectare. Much of the area is rural, given over to agriculture and heathland (mainly “The Brecks”, from which the district takes its name).
The nature of the district offers a high quality of life, as well as tourism opportunities, but at the same time presents challenges in transport and access.
49% of the population lives in the five market towns of Attleborough, Dereham, Swaffham, Thetford and Watton. The other 51% is spread across 107 rural parishes, varying in size from 20 to over 3,000 residents.
The Community
Breckland is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, with a population increase of 13.3% in the ten years to 2001, compared to a national average of 2.5%. The current population is estimated at 122,200. Growth is distorting the overall demographic make-up of the district, as people retire to the rural areas and young families move into the towns. Older people account for over 19% of the population, which is more than 3% above the national average. Thetford has twice as many young people as the other Breckland towns.
The population is mainly indigenous, although there is a growing Portuguese community, working in the agricultural, food processing and manufacturing sectors. Most people in Breckland work in retail / distribution (25%) and catering (over 23%), but there are big differences between the towns; in Thetford, nearly 50% of employment is in manufacturing.
52% of households earn less than £15,000 a year. The Office of National Statistics Index of Multiple Deprivation identifies pockets of deprivation in six of our 36 wards spread across the district, in terms of income, education, child poverty, employment, health and housing.
In summary, the picture of the area is one of rapid population growth, low pay, low rates of unemployment but with a trend for the overall number of jobs to fall, localised hotspots of deprivation and an increasingly elderly and younger population.
What we aim to achieve for the Community
We strive to make a valuable contribution to the quality of life of people who visit, live or work in Breckland; our vision is:
“To make Breckland a better place by listening to people’s needs and providing solutions that enhance their quality of life.”
Through an assessment of local needs and aspirations, balanced with an understanding of national policy objectives, we determined three priorities:
- a well planned place to live and encourage vibrant communities
- a safe and healthy environment
- a prosperous place to live and work
To achieve these priorities in a structured way, we set seven community objectives:
- to work towards a balanced appropriate housing market
- to make and keep Breckland a clean and tidy place to live and work
- working towards vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities
- to enhance the rural character and landscape of Breckland
- to build safer communities
- to promote healthier lifestyles and reduce health inequalities
- to foster a culture of learning and skills development, encourage existing business to flourish and grow, attract quality jobs to the area
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