05/04/22: Council announces call out to protect local green space and identify new development sites

We have started the first stage of the Breckland Council Local Plan update by inviting for sites to be identified as possible locations for a variety of different uses over the next 20-30 years. Residents and local groups are being invited to propose location suggestions, including opinions about which local green spaces need protection from future development.

This call for sites will cover uses such as residential, employment and leisure use. There will also be a second call for sites running alongside for local communities to put forward spaces that they wish to have protected as local green spaces.  

Our officers explained in a recent Cabinet meeting that this will not determine whether a site should be allocated for development or that planning permission would be granted but identifies a pool of sites for future consideration. Any sites previously proposed for the current, or earlier, versions of the Local Plan are currently not being considered and will need to be resubmitted for review. The consultation lasts for 6 weeks and is open now.

Cllr Paul Claussen, Executive Member for Economic Development and Growth at Breckland Council, commented: "We are providing an opportunity for individuals and organisations to suggest sites that they think have the potential to be developed for housing, economic development and other uses, as well as highlighting areas that are valuable to a local community and that require special protection from development in the future. This is an important first step in our ambitious plans to update our Local Plan for Breckland to ensure we locate the right types of development in the right places that meet the needs of our local communities."

Find out how to propose a site here or email the planning policy team for further information.