Local Plan Full Update 2024-2042

Breckland's new Local Plan will shape our district to 2042.

It will help ensure that planning decisions are made in the best interests of our communities.

Everyone with an interest in their village, town or local area can have their say. The more people that get involved, the better the aspirations of our communities will be reflected. 

Keep up to date with the latest news about the local plan by signing up to ourConsultee Database 

Call For Sites 2025

Between April and May 2022, the council undertook a formal Call for Sites consultation as part of the full update of the Local Plan. This was a way for landowners, developers, individuals, parish and town councils and other interested parties to suggest sites for development or for protection as Local Green Space. 

In December 2024 the Government published the revised NPPF alongside mandatory housing targets. For Breckland this increased the target from 625 dwellings per annum to 903. Given the significant increase in housing that is required by Government to be delivered a further call for sites is necessary in relation to sourcing additional housing land.  The call for sites also asked for potential sites for gypsy and traveller provision. Furthermore, the Government has committed to doubling onshore wind energy by 2030 and has removed the de facto ban on onshore wind in England, in place since 2015. Further, the NPPF states that the 'planning system should support the transition to net zero by 2050. The Call For Sites is therefore including a call for land for all renewable energy in order for the Council to consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and low carbon energy.

This 2025 Call for Sites ended on 28 April 2025. The results of this will be published on the website.

Regulation 18 Consultation (Preferred Options Draft Plan)

The Council has completed a public consultation on the Draft Plan. This ended on 15th July 2024. This stage of the local plan (known as Regulation 18) sets out the Council's draft policies and growth strategy and is an important stage in the plan-making process. It provides an early opportunity for our communities, businesses, landowners, developers, partners and stakeholders to 'have a say' and comment on the draft Local Plan before it is considered further.

All comments will be considered as part of the process of preparing the next version of the Local Plan.

On 30th July 2024 the Labour Government published a consultation on proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation ends on 24th September 2024 and it is understood the revised document will be issued towards the end of this year. The Council is considering the implications of this proposed change in national policy on the Local Plan and the timetable for production.

Once this is completed, the website will be updated.

The Consultation Document

Please take a look at our Preferred Options Document (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window) . You can view our Planning Policies Map on ARCGIS (opens new window).

Consultation description

The purpose of the Preferred Options Local Plan Document is to outline the Council's preferred policy direction on strategic issues, preferred development management policies and the range of emerging site options. To inform this, feedback has been used from previous phases of consultation covering matters such as growth scenarios, potential sites and sustaining rural communities alongside commissioned evidence. Through this  consultation, the aim is to seek stakeholder views around the preferred approach being proposed by the Council.

Please send any comments or responses on the Preferred Options Draft Local Plan to LocalPlan@breckland.gov.uk

Integrated Assessment 

Following publication in January 2024 of the IA Scoping Report and Initial IA of the Local Plan Alternative Development Options (available available on Commonplace (opens new window)), the Authority's consultants LUC are undertaking IA of the Local Plan Full Update.

The challenging timetable for completion and assessment of the draft Local Plan mean that a completed IA Report to the Preferred Options is not yet available for consultation. At this time, the Council expects this to be available towards the end of the current Local Plan consultation period.

As soon as the IA is available and published an additional notification will be issued to consultees for review and comment.

Evidence Base

• Adopted Interactive Breckland Design Guide (PDF, 33 MB)(opens new window)
• Breckland LGS Call Combined Assessments (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)
• Breckland Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment (PDF, 39 MB)(opens new window)
• Consultation Paper - A Review of Breckland Villages with Boundaries (PDF, 593 KB)(opens new window)
• Consultation Paper - A Review of Local Service Centre Parishes (PDF, 665 KB)(opens new window)
• Gypsy and Travellers Report (PDF, 916 KB)(opens new window)
• Health and Lifestyle paper Breckland 2023 (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
• HEDNA - Employment Site Assessments (PDF, 17 MB)(opens new window)
• HEDNA - Final Report (PDF, 6 MB)(opens new window)
• Issues and Options Feedback Report 2024 (PDF, 4 MB)(opens new window)
• Landscape and Character 2007 (PDF, 48 MB)(opens new window)
• Landscape and Fringe 2007 (PDF, 34 MB)(opens new window)
• Local Green Space Report (PDF, 201 KB)(opens new window)
• Norfolk Green Infrastructure and Recreational Impact Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy 2021 (PDF, 5 MB)(opens new window)
• Norfolk Study Older Person Housing (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)
• The Planning in Health Protocol (PDF, 781 KB)(opens new window)
• Breckland District Council Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Final Report (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Appendix B Data Sources (PDF, 591 KB)(opens new window)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Appendix C User Guide (PDF, 279 KB)(opens new window)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Appendix D Flood Alerts and Warnings (PDF, 155 KB)(opens new window)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Appendix E Breckland Flood Risk Summary (PDF, 418 KB)(opens new window)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Appendix F - Cumulative Impact Assessment (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)

Phase 2 Site Assessments 

• Interactive Map: Breckland Call For Sites (opens new window)
• Preferred Allocations and Strategic Options (PDF, 744 KB)(opens new window)
• Alternatives (sites not included in preferred options) (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window)
• Discounted Sites (PDF, 521 KB)(opens new window)

Previous consultation phases

Call for Sites

Between April and December 2022 the council undertook a Call for Sites consultation as part of the Update on the Local Plan. This is a way for landowners, developers, individuals, parish and town councils and other interested parties to suggest sites for development or for protection as Local Green Space. This is a normal part of plan making.  

We need to ensure that the sites eventually allocated within the Plan are deliverable. This means, among other factors, that the landowner is open to developing it within the required timescales. As such, a Call for Sites is an important part of finding out what land may be available.

Issues and Options

The Issues and Options consultation was an important part of the Local Plan process.

It was the first stage of public consultation, where the community was asked how they would like to tackle a range of planning issues and proposed options for the future development of the District.

The consultation did not identify potential development sites or draft policy working.

The Issues and Options consultation ran from March 10 to May 19 2023.

Regulation 18 Consultation (Development Options)

A 6 week period of public consultation on the Regulation 18 Local Plan: Full Update (emerging development strategy) was undertaken between 8th January 2024 and 19th February 2024. The feedback from this consultation has been summarised in the Issues & Options Consultation Feedback Report May 2024.