2.4 Spatial Strategy

2.4.1 The role of the Spatial Strategy is to provide a broad indication of the overall scale of development in the District. In preparing the Strategy the Council has sought to recognise the uniqueness of North Norfolk and the diversity of individual places within it. The Strategy has evolved from consideration of specific needs in different parts of the District and the capacity of places to meet these needs, as well as national and regional policy and local objectives identified through early consultation and the North Norfolk Sustainable Community Strategy. The 'settlement hierarchy' is designed to ensure that the type and quantity of development planned reflects the role and character of each settlement, and it is supported by the Strategic policies for each settlement and the strategic Housing and Economy policies. To ensure that the plan is truly spatial and reflects local needs the policies have all had regard to:

• settlement character;
• the role played by each settlement in meeting housing, employment, service and other needs;
• local housing need;
• the availability of employment opportunities, shops and commercial and public services;
• the capacity of utilities and other infrastructure including roads;
• the availability of previously developed land and buildings;
• the recommendations of the North Norfolk Retail and Commercial Leisure Study;
• the presence of environmental constraints;
• the potential for securing improvements to local services and facilities; and
• the priorities identified in the North Norfolk Sustainable Community Strategy

2.4.2 The Sustainability Appraisal Report provides information on the facilities, services and characteristics of each place and outlines the methodology that informed the selection of settlements and the scale of growth in each. The intention has been to use development to address the particular issues in each settlement in the context of infrastructure or environmental constraints.

2.4.3 The East of England Plan states that development in rural areas will be focused in market towns and thereafter in key service centres. The spatial strategy for North Norfolk therefore seeks to provide the 8,000 dwellings required in the most sustainable locations given the rural context of the district. 

2.4.4 The North Norfolk Sustainable Community Strategy identified that affordable housing, better jobs and more leisure opportunities are the priorities for the district. The spatial strategy therefore seeks to maximise housing allocations on large sites in the towns and larger villages, as these are most likely to deliver high proportions of affordable housing. Windfall development in many villages across the District is restricted, as allowing this would mean that a significant amount of the housing allocation would be provided in small schemes in dispersed rural areas which would be unlikely to provide affordable housing and would reduce the ability to make allocations in the main settlements. Larger allocations will enable affordable housing to be cross subsidised by market housing and also enable improvements to local infrastructure (such as roads, sewers, open space etc) to be secured. Affordable housing schemes will also be permitted in the Countryside on sites that would not normally get permission for housing - therefore enabling land to be purchased at lower cost.

2.4.5 Concentrating development in the towns will also boost employment opportunities, reduce out-commuting and reduce the need to travel. New leisure facilities will be close to existing centres of population and therefore easily accessible and new homes will also be built in locations that provide a range of leisure opportunities. The large scale housing allocations will also result in contributions towards, and provision of, open space.

2.4.6 The strategy seeks to achieve social, environmental and economic benefits, such as those outlined above. Further information on the background evidence gathered during Core Strategy preparation that informed the strategy and the methodology used that informed the selection of settlements and the scale of growth in each, and the results of the Sustainability Appraisal are contained in the Sustainability Appraisal Report. 

2.4.7 The strategy recognises the major role played by Cromer, Fakenham and North Walsham as larger service centres, and the complementary roles of Cromer, Sheringham and Holt in relation to the provision of employment, retailing and services for the central area of North Norfolk. The smaller settlements of Hoveton, Stalham, Sheringham and Wells-next-the-Sea also play a significant role as local centres within the rural area. Many of the villages and hamlets distributed across North Norfolk have very few or non-existent local services and are dependent on the larger settlements for everyday needs. Therefore in such small settlement and in the Countryside development will generally be constrained, except to support rural communities and rural economic diversification. There are however a number of villages that perform a limited role as local service centres that collectively help to sustain the wider rural community. In order to support these roles and help meet local employment and housing needs, sixteen Service Villages that are evenly distributed across North Norfolk have been identified as suitable for accommodating limited residential and other types of development. The Service Villages were selected on the basis of presence of a primary school, a level of public transport and a range of services (e.g. village shop) that can meet basic day-to-day needs. The Service Village methodology is explained fully in the Sustainability Appraisal report.

2.4.8 In order to address the issues facing coastal communities as a result of coastal erosion and flooding, resulting from changing Government policies toward sea defences, Coastal Service Villages are identified where a different approach may be taken to development so as to ensure the future well-being of these communities. Adaptation initiatives may be implemented to address the loss of properties and potential blight caused by erosion and provide for opportunities for relocation of property and services where appropriate.

2.4.9 The Appropriate Assessment which examines the impact of a strategy on wildlife designations (Natura 2000 sites) also informed the location and scale of future development and highlighted particular concerns such as water quality around the Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC) that have been addressed in the individual town strategies.

2.4.10 Within all of the selected settlements particular land uses will be designated and protected, such as Residential and Employment Areas, Open Land Areas and important car parks.  Policies for their protection are contained in the Development Control section of the Core Strategy.

2.4.11 The combined effect of the Strategic policies and the Development Control policies is to support the vitality and viability of town centres, protect the character of villages, maintain the vitality of rural communities, achieve sustainable development and minimise carbon emissions through a variety of measures including:

• reducing the need to travel, especially by car;
• improving access for all to housing, jobs and services;
• reducing energy use;
• reducing carbon emissions;
• promoting renewable energy sources; and
• promoting high quality and inclusive design, designed for the climate it is likely to experience over its intended lifetime

2.4.12 The North Norfolk countryside, and the many small villages and hamlets that are not selected settlements, are designated as Countryside. This countryside area is a principal element in the rural character of North Norfolk and is enjoyed by residents and visitors. The quality and character of this area should be protected and where possible enhanced, whilst enabling those who earn a living from, and maintain and manage, the countryside to continue to do so. Therefore while some development is restricted in the Countryside, particular other uses will be permitted in order to support the rural economy, meet local housing needs and provide for particular uses such as renewable energy and community uses.

2.4.13 New market housing in the Countryside is restricted in order to prevent dispersed dwellings that will lead to a dependency on travel by car to reach basic services, and ensure a more sustainable pattern of  development.  However affordable housing may be permitted.

 

Figure 3 Key Diagram (Popup full image)