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NORWICH
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City
Council
Statement of Community Involvement
for Norwich
A code of practice for involving the community in planning issues
November 2016 (amended September 2020)
Foreword
The coronavirus outbreak (Covid-19) has impacted on how we can currently
engage with the community, with several methods in the 2016 SCI not
possible under the current government guidelines on social distancing.
At the time of writing the government guidelines restrict some peoples’
movement and some workplaces remain closed. Places where hard copies of
documents were routinely placed are still impacted from the guidelines, with
local authority offices largely closed to the public and Norfolk libraries only
partially reopened. Government guidelines also advise that the virus can exist
on surfaces, such as hard copies of documents.
The impact of the coronavirus, and the advice from the government therefore
makes the physical inspection of documents more difficult for the following
reasons;
• Restrictions on movements may prevent people visiting the
location of the documents;
• May be impossible to provide an address for the provision of a
hard copy due to closures of offices/libraries; and
• Concerns regarding the public sharing hard copies.
New planning guidance (updates to the National Planning Policy Guidance)
has been published for Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) policies
which allows local planning authorities to review and update them accordingly.
This guidance allows for temporary alterations to be made where the current
policy cannot be complied with due to the current social distancing restrictions
in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The guidance advises that temporary
revisions to SCIs made under this guidance do not need to be publicly
consulted on.
The SCI published in November 2016 has been amended, as below, to allow
for the current restrictions. The changes to the SCI are anticipated to be
temporary and have been limited to those required as a direct result of the
coronavirus pandemic. The changes are proposed to ensure the safety of our
communities, key partners, businesses and council staff.
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Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................3
Why we are preparing the Statement of Community Involvement................3
Need for review ............................................................................................3
Planning and community Involvement..........................................................5
The Compact: Code of practice on involvement...........................................6
The Council’s commitment to equality..........................................................7
The role of councillors ..................................................................................7
RTPI Planning Aid England..........................................................................8
2. Consultations on planning policy documents ........................................9
National policy requirements ........................................................................9
What kinds of documents are consulted on?................................................9
The current local plan.................................................................................10
The emerging local plan .............................................................................10
Procedural Requirements...........................................................................11
Meeting the Duty to Cooperate...................................................................11
Consultation Methods.................................................................................13
How long will consultations last?................................................................15
Who will we involve, and how?...................................................................16
Public involvement in Local Plans (Development plan documents)............18
Public involvement in Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and
planning briefs............................................................................................20
Publicising Neighbourhood Plans...............................................................21
3. Consultations on planning applications................................................24
Introduction ................................................................................................24
Pre-application consultation .......................................................................24
Planning application consultation ...............................................................27
Material planning considerations................................................................28
4. Resources and management ..................................................................30
Appendix 1: Local plan consultees ............................................................31
Specific consultation bodies .......................................................................31
General consultation bodies - examples ....................................................32
Duty to Co-operate: consultees required under the 2012 Planning
Regulations ................................................................................................33
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1. Introduction
Why we are preparing the Statement of Community Involvement
1. The city council is always looking for ways for the community to become
more involved in its plan making and decision taking. We want to
encourage more people to be involved and to make that as easy as
possible. We hope that your local knowledge will help to make sure that
development in the city benefits everyone whilst protecting the special
qualities of the city. How we will ensure that you are part of this process is
set out in this statement.
2. Under Section 18 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, all
local planning authorities in England and Wales must prepare a Statement
of community involvement (SCI) and must carry out planning consultations
in accordance with it. The SCI is a ‘code of practice’ setting out how the
council intends to involve people in planning decisions. This can include
both decisions about planning policy (plan-making) and decisions on
planning applications.
3. This is the fifth edition of the Statement of community involvement. It
temporarily replaces the version published in November 2016.
Need for review
4. Due to the current coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak the government has
issued guidance regarding social distancing, some of which impacts the
range of methods of community involvement available.
5. New planning guidance has been published for Statement of Community
Involvement policies which allow local planning authorities to review and
update them accordingly. This guidance allows for alterations to be made
where the current policy cannot be complied with due to the current social
distancing restrictions in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The
guidance can be found here; https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-
making#covid19
6. The changes to this document, which are as a result of social distancing
requirements, are anticipated to only be temporary. The changes are
made to ensure the safety of our communities, key partners, businesses
and council staff.
7. SCIs are required to be updated every 5 years. It is anticipated that a more
thorough review of this document will occur next year, in 2021.
8. Under the national planning system, the council must prepare a local plan,
which will guide the city’s development and growth over the next 15 to 20
years. With an up to date local plan in place, it is clear how the council
intends to provide for new housing and employment in the city, how much
development will be planned for and where it will go. A local plan also sets
out clearly what will and what will not be allowed in certain areas and
which areas must be protected from development altogether. Local plans
must be reviewed regularly to remain up to date and respond to changes
in local circumstances. Plans must also be consistent with national
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planning policy and guidance. If this guidance changes, local planning
policy usually needs to change too.
9. Since we published the last Statement of community involvement in 2013,
there have been a number of important changes to the national planning
system which will affect how we prepare and consult on plans and
proposals in future. Further changes in national rules are expected in
coming years, particularly as a result of measures announced in the
forthcoming Housing and Planning Act.
10.In relation to plan-making, the government has made it clear that it expects
councils to prepare local plans and put them in place as quickly as
possible. Recent government announcements suggest that councils which
do not already have up to date local plans will be expected to prepare and
adopt them (that is, complete the legal process to bring them into force) by
the end of 2017. Councils which fail to produce timely local plans might
also face possible sanctions and financial penalties. Councils that have
adopted their plans recently must keep them up to date and review them
as soon as practicable. There will also be an increased role for
neighbourhood plans prepared directly by local communities.
11.Although Norwich’s main local plan documents were adopted as recently
as December 2014, the overall planning strategy for the Norwich area, the
Joint core strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk, is becoming
out of date and a new local plan needs to be prepared to manage and
shape longer term growth and development. At the same time, there is a
need for an overall planning framework to establish future needs and set
targets for housing and jobs in Norfolk and ensure that new local plans for
individual districts are consistent with those targets.
12.Accordingly, in partnership with Broadland and South Norfolk Councils and
Norfolk county council, we are starting work on a new Greater Norwich
Local Plan that will set out a development strategy for the wider Norwich
area between now and 2036, as well as a broader Norfolk Strategic
Framework to set overall planning targets.
13.In relation to planning applications, the government has made further
changes in national planning rules which mean that more kinds of
development can be carried out and more kinds of premises can change
their use without planning permission – called permitted development. As
part of the drive to encourage more housebuilding, the government will
also be changing and simplifying the planning process for housing,
granting automatic “permission in principle” for new housing development
on previously developed sites which councils have listed as suitable. Local
plans will also have to identify land for low cost starter homes on all
suitable housing development sites.
14.During this period of rapid change, we must strike a careful balance
between meeting our obligations to government to prepare plans and
decide applications as quickly as possible, and making sure that local
people still have a meaningful opportunity to comment on and influence
planning policies and proposals. In order to meet government directives
we will need to review some of the consultation arrangements for plan-
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making in the 2013 Statement of Community Involvement, particularly to
streamline certain procedures and (where this is unavoidably necessary)
to reduce the length of time we consult on key documents.
15.Taken together, the changes in the planning system will inevitably affect
the way that local plans are prepared and how planning applications are
made and dealt with. This means that the way we involve local people in
the planning process also needs to change. In cases where no planning
application is needed, the city council cannot always let people know
about all development which is happening in their area. In a very small
number of cases, the national rules have been tightened, for example
changing a shop to a betting shop now needs permission where it did not
before, as does changing the use of or demolishing a local pub which is
registered as an Asset of Community Value. The permitted development
rule changes are designed to speed up the planning process, get
development going and make smaller scale building projects and minor
changes easier. But they will sometimes mean that local people will have
less opportunity than before to have their say.
Planning and community Involvement
16.The council produced a Community engagement strategy (CES) in 2009
outlining the council-wide approach to community involvement. The
Statement of community involvement shows how this approach will be
applied to plan making and decision making on planning applications.
17.The Council developed the Community engagement strategy to support
the overall citywide vision and objectives in its corporate plan. The
priorities within the latest corporate plan (2015-2020) are shown in figure 1
on page 4.
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priorities
Our core values
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Figure 1: Extract from the Corporate Plan 2015-2020 (Norwich City Council)
18.In order to achieve the council’s vision and priorities through the planning
service, it is essential that there is effective public involvement in plan-
making and decision making on planning applications and that clear
standards are set for when and how involvement will take place.
The Compact: Code of practice on involvement
19.Norwich City Council is a signatory of The Compact. The Compact is a
national agreement between the government and community sectors,
which aims to improve the way voluntary and community sectors, and local
councils involve each other, including involvement in the planning process.
We will continue to provide a positive framework for productive working
relationships and will ensure that the guidelines set out in the Compact are
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met where possible. In some circumstances it may be necessary to depart
from the Compact should new legislation change the regulations for
involvement of others in plan-making and planning applications, or if full
compliance with the compact is likely to result in penalties or sanctions for
the Council through failure to meet prescribed Government targets for
plan-making or decision-taking.
20.Further details on consultation arrangements for planning policy are
provided in section 2 – Consultation on planning policy documents.
Consultation arrangements for development management are provided in
section 3 – Consultations on planning applications.
The Council’s commitment to equality
21.The council has a commitment to equality which is a statutory duty under
the Equality Act (2010). This is particularly relevant to planning which has
a role to play in promoting equality of opportunity and cohesion by
considering the needs of the community. The council recognises that
equality of opportunity in practice includes ensuring that vulnerable or
disadvantaged groups have their voices heard and their needs considered.
This statement supports that objective through providing guidance on how
to get people involved. The impact of planning activities and decisions will
be assessed in order to ensure that there are no unintended negative
impacts on vulnerable or disadvantaged groups. The assessments will
focus on the six protected characteristics of race, gender, disability, age,
sexual orientation and religion or belief, but will also consider the wider
implications of socio-economic inequalities on community cohesion. This is
normally carried out through an Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) which
takes place at the beginning of the plan-making process.
22.It is recognised that there may unfortunately be some impacts upon
vulnerable or disadvantaged groups as a result of the temporary changes
proposed to the SCI. However these changes are made in direct response
to the government’s guidelines on social distancing as a result of the
coronavirus outbreak and are intended to ensure the safety of our
communities, key partners, businesses and council staff, to include any
vulnerable or disadvantaged groups. As such the council will endeavour to
be as flexible as practicable during this time of social distancing to reduce
any impact upon vulnerable or disadvantaged groups. Individuals or
groups who would benefit from further assistance, such as hard copies of
papers, should contact the relevant officer.
The role of councillors
23.Councillors have three roles: as decision makers, as community
representatives and as communicators to exchange and share information
and discuss the issues and concerns of local electors with council officers
and other stakeholders. Members of the public can make their views
known to ward councillors, the relevant council executive member/portfolio
holder, or at planning applications committee in a number of ways; by
letter, email, or face-to-face discussion.
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24.However, it is important that the consultation process is used because this
is how views are registered in the plan-making or planning application
process. This ensures that while councillors hear what you have to say,
you will not miss the opportunity to be heard at committees or at any
subsequent appeal, inquiry, hearing or examination.
25.As permitted under the Coronavirus Act 2020, planning committee
meetings are not currently being held at the City Hall due to the current
guidance on social distancing. They are instead being conducted online
and made available to watch on the council’s Youtube channel. This will
continue to be reviewed, and options such as hybrid meetings will be
considered (where some attendees are in-person and some are remote).
Current information is available here;
https://cmis.norwich.gov.uk/live/Meetingscalendar.aspx
RTPI Planning Aid England
26.The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Planning Aid England offers
assistance and advice on the planning system to individuals and groups
who are unable to pay for independent professional planning advice.
Planning Aid encourages people to get involved in the planning system to
help shape their own environment. The council supports the work of
Planning Aid and will work with the service to provide independent advice
for some of the involvement procedures proposed in this document.
27.RTPI Planning Aid England can be contacted via planning aid advice line:
Tel: 0330 123 9244
Email: advice@planningaid.rtpi.org.uk
Web: www.rtpi.org.uk/planning-aid
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2. Consultations on planning policy documents
National policy requirements
28.National planning policy makes clear that local planning authorities must
seek the views of communities and other stakeholders from an early stage
in the plan-making process, stating:
‘Early and meaningful engagement and collaboration with
neighbourhoods, local organisations and businesses is essential. A wide
section of the community should be proactively engaged, so that Local
Plans, as far as possible, reflect a collective vision and a set of agreed
priorities for the sustainable development of the area, including those
contained in any neighbourhood plans that have been made.'
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), 2012; para 155.
29.The Localism Act 2011 has made a range of new powers available to
communities across the country to enable them to play a greater part in
planning for their future. One of these powers is neighbourhood planning,
which we discuss in more detail later in this SCI. The Localism Act also
introduced a Duty to Cooperate which is a legal duty on local planning
authorities, county councils and public bodies to engage constructively,
actively and on an ongoing basis to maximise the effectiveness of Local
Plan preparation in the context of strategic cross boundary matters. In
simple terms, this means that councils cannot plan for new development
within their areas in isolation, but must make sure that neighbouring
councils and other organisations which provide services across larger
areas participate fully in plan-making to ensure a co-ordinated, strategic
approach to development and growth across administrative boundaries.
What kinds of documents are consulted on?
30.Development plan documents or DPDs (now more usually called “local
plans”) are the formal policy documents which make up the statutory
development plan for Norwich. Once adopted, these have full legal weight
in decision making. The council’s decisions to approve or refuse any
development which needs planning permission must be made in
accordance with the policies in the development plan, unless material
considerations indicate otherwise.
31.Supplementary planning documents (SPD) help to support and explain in
more detail how the city council will implement particular policies and
proposals in the local plan. SPD can also take the form of master plans,
detailed design briefs or development briefs for sites identified for future
development (“allocated”) in the plan, as well as for other emerging sites.
SPD can be reviewed frequently and relatively straightforwardly to respond
to change, whereas a review of the policies in the plan is a longer and
more complex process.
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32.The planning policy documents to be prepared by the council are identified
in the Local development scheme (LDS). The LDS includes a timetable of
when we aim to produce the documents, and the various stages they must
go through to be adopted. The LDS is available on the Council’s website
and is reviewed and updated regularly (hard copies are available on
request):
https://www.norwich.gov.uk/downloads/file/1671/local_development_sche
me
The current local plan
33.The currently adopted development plan (the local plan) for Norwich
comprises the Joint Core Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South
Norfolk (the JCS) adopted in March 2011, amendments adopted January
2014; the Norwich Site Allocations and Site Specific Policies Local Plan
(the Site Allocations Plan), adopted December 2014; the Norwich
Development Management Policies Local Plan (the DM Policies Plan),
adopted December 2014; and the Northern city centre area action plan
(NCCAAP) for part of Norwich city centre, adopted March 2010. The
NCCAAP runs only to March 2016 and will expire during the currency of
this Statement of Community Involvement. The JCS will be replaced by
the emerging Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP), which is scheduled to
be adopted in 2020.
34.The table in figure 2 shows the relationship between these documents, as
well as the supplementary planning documents which are already in place
to support their policies. More details of supplementary planning
documents the council intends to prepare in future are in the LDS. Both
the LDS and this Statement of community involvement (SCI) are
procedural documents that support the production of the local plan setting
out what will be produced and explaining how people can get involved with
the process.
The emerging local plan
35.The proposed Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) will be a new statutory
local plan for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk to update the present
Joint Core Strategy (JCS). This will, similarly, set out a statement of
strategic planning policy for the wider Norwich area but, unlike the present
JCS, will also include policies and proposals for individual sites. As such,
the GNLP will eventually also replace separate site allocations plans for
individual districts. It is the only formal Development Plan Document in the
current Local Development Scheme programme.
36.The proposed Norfolk Strategic Framework (NSF) will be a non-statutory
strategic policy statement which will set broad strategic targets and
priorities for the next round of statutory local plans for individual local
planning authorities in Norfolk, facilitating joint working across district
boundaries and helping to fulfil the statutory Duty to Co-operate.
37.Both the above documents will cover the period to 2036. The work
programme for the preparation of the GNLP and NSF is set out in the
latest revision of the Norwich Local Development Scheme which was
10
published in March 2016. The programme is subject to review dependent
on the extent of evidence likely to be required.
Procedural Requirements
38.Local plan documents must be prepared in accordance with a nationally
prescribed procedure set out in the national Local Planning Regulations for
England, which were last reviewed in 2012. This procedure will be
followed in preparing the Greater Norwich Local Plan, but a more
streamlined and fast-track process will be used for the Norfolk Strategic
Framework, as this is not a local plan but an evidence framework to inform
other plans.
39.At key stages of plan-making there is an opportunity for the public to
comment on emerging planning policies and proposals in the documents.
At the end of the process, development plan documents must be
submitted to the Secretary of State and be independently examined by a
government appointed inspector to assess their soundness and legal
compliance before they can be adopted by the city council and come into
force.
40.Certain other documents must be published alongside each DPD,
including:
• the independently prepared sustainability appraisal (SA) report of the
DPD at each stage (a sustainability appraisal scoping report is
prepared and consulted on at the start of the process to set out what
sustainability issues and objectives the SA should cover and what
evidence it will use);
• a policies map, setting out the DPD’s policies and proposals on a map
base (if relevant);
• a statement of consultation summarising public representations made
to the plan and how they have been addressed (called the “Regulation
22(c) statement”);
• copies of any representations made;
• any other supporting documents considered by the council to be
relevant in preparing the plan; and
• an adoption statement and environmental statement (when the plan is
adopted).
41.The local plan is supported by a range of research reports, studies and
topic papers making up a detailed evidence base which informs and
justifies its policies.
Meeting the Duty to Cooperate
42.For many years Norwich City Council has worked in close cooperation with
its neighbouring councils Broadland and South Norfolk to plan for and
deliver major growth envisaged for the Norwich Policy Area. This work was
first undertaken as part of a formal Greater Norwich Development
Partnership (GNDP), whose responsibilities have since been inherited by
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its successor the Greater Norwich Growth Board (GNGB). The Joint Core
Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk was produced by the
GNDP, which includes the Broads Authority and Norfolk County Council
working in partnership with the three districts. Other documents produced
by the GNDP include the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging
Schedule for each district/authority area. The Community Infrastructure
Levy is a statutory charge on new development introduced by the CIL
Regulations 2010. It came into force in Norwich in 2013.
43.As noted above, the need for councils and other agencies to work together
in developing effective planning strategies for their areas is now a legal
duty. Councils must show that they have met this statutory Duty to
Cooperate in order for local plans to be accepted (found “sound” and
“legally compliant”) when those plans are independently examined by
government. Work on preparing the overall Norfolk Strategic Framework –
although it will not be a formal local plan – will involve the city council in
joint working with all the local planning authorities and other relevant
bodies across Norfolk.
44.The planning policy documents which have been (and will be) prepared
jointly by the Norwich area authorities are set out in the respective Local
Development Schemes for each authority. Public involvement in their
preparation is guided by the community involvement standards as set by
the partnership councils jointly in their respective statements of community
involvement. For the current round of joint local plan preparation,
consultation standards and consultation periods will be common across
the three local authority areas and all the participating authorities will work
to the same consultation timeframes for key documents in their SCIs.
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I
•
•
: -------------------------------------------------·-------------------------,
I
I
1_
I
________________________________________________________________________________________ :
Neighbourhood Plans
None yet prepared for Norwich
Plans prepared directly by the community to guide and manage change in local neighbourhood areas. Neighbourhood plans are prepared
independently of, but must be in general conformity with, the strategic priorities of the local plan. Neighbourhood plans may take
precedence over local plan policies for the same area where these are in conflict.
Supplementary planning documents
(SPD)
to support and interpret policies in the local plan
Affordable Housing SPD (Adopted March 2015, amended July 2015)
Main town centre uses and retail frontages SPD (Adopted December 2014)
Open Space and Play SPD (Adopted October 2015)
Heritage Interpretation SPD (Adopted December 2015)
Landscape and Trees SPD (Adopted June 2016)
Annual Monitoring
Report
setting out how the JCS and
individual local plans in
Greater Norwich are
performing against their
objectives and targets
Statement of
community
involvement
(this document)
Statement setting out how
we will involve local people in
planning and plan making
Local development
scheme
The programme and
timetable for preparing the
documents making up the
local plan
The Local Plan for Norwich (as at April 2016)
Joint core strategy for Broadland, Norwich and
South Norfolk (The JCS)
Adopted March 2011, amendments adopted January 2014
Strategic planning policy and principles applying across the wider Norwich
area 2008-2026
Norwich Local Plan Policies map
Map showing the areas of Norwich where particular policies and proposals apply
Norwich development
management policies local
plan
(The DM policies plan)
Adopted Dec 2014
General planning policies and
requirements applying to all new
development in the city of Norwich
in the period to 2026
Norwich site allocations
and site specific policies
local plan
(The site allocations plan)
Adopted Dec 2014
Individual policies and proposals
for 73 specific sites in the city of
Norwich where change is likely to
occur by 2026
Supporting
documents
Figure 2: Documents making up the adopted local plan
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Consultation Methods
Please note that due to the Government’s guidance on social distancing in
relation to the coronavirus outbreak not all of the consultation methods
listed below may be possible at present. We will continue to utilise
electronic means of communication but may not be able to engage in face
to face events or provide hard copies in a manner in which we have
previously done so. We will continue to monitor Government guidance and
tailor our consultation methods appropriately. We may use alternative
approaches to consultation.
45.The council has a well-established procedure for involving people in plan-
making. We will continue to develop our understanding of different
consultation techniques over time and learn from what works, and what
doesn’t. A variety of methods have and will be used during consultations,
taking into consideration issues being consulted on and the needs of the
audience. These include the use of appropriate locations, and/or the use
of particular presentation media for presentations to blind people, people
with impaired hearing, and people with mental health issues or learning
difficulties.
46.Consultation is carried out increasingly by electronic means but is still
rapidly evolving in the digital age. Although almost all the documents we
consult on are made available electronically, the challenge remains as to
how information can be publicised effectively to attract the widest
audience. The council is steadily expanding the use of interactive web
technology to enable direct access to its services across a range of
devices and allow local people to make payments, submit comments and
report issues and problems direct via online forms. We will endeavour in
future planning consultations to integrate these mechanisms where
possible and extend the use of social media to help access “hard to reach”
groups, especially younger people. We will also continue to use more
traditional methods of consultation to include those without access to the
internet or social media.
47.Based on our current success and lessons learned from previous
consultations, we will endeavour to use a range of consultation
approaches, as necessary and where permitted by the current guidance
on social distancing. These are set out in the following list:
• Letters/emails to groups and individuals
• newspapers and Citizen magazine
• paper documents
• council’s website
• “planning for real”
1
type events
1
“Planning for Real” is a nationally recognised planning process where residents take a hands-on role
in registering their views, identifying priorities and suggesting solutions for development in their area
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• presentations to community groups
• public meetings
• focus groups
• exhibitions
• local councillors
• social media
• local radio
48.We acknowledge that it is important to make public consultation
arrangements as extensive as possible to make sure the public can get
their voice heard. However, it is not always possible or appropriate to
consult using all the methods listed above. We will make sure that
consultations are tailored appropriately to the kind of plan, policy or
proposal being consulted on and the stages it has reached. We will ensure
that people with no access to the internet, email, text or social media are
kept informed by traditional, non-electronic means.
How long will consultations last?
49.At all consultation stages the Council will comply with the minimum legal
requirements. The National Compact (see paragraph 15 above) states that
local authorities should “…where it is appropriate, and enables meaningful
engagement, conduct 12-week formal written consultations, with clear
explanations and rationale for short timeframes or a more informal
approach.”
50.In most circumstances a 12 week consultation period will not be needed to
respond to emerging plans and policies. This is because
• In future, the need to expedite the production of statutory local plans to
meet more rigorously enforced government targets for speedy plan-
making and timely review mean that an extended period of public
consultation may not always be achievable within the timeframes
available. In these circumstances the reasons for reducing the
consultation timescale will be clearly set out.
• the council’s programme for preparing planning policy documents must
be set out in the statutory Local Development Scheme (LDS) and this
gives details of forthcoming documents and expected timescales well
in advance;
• The council’s forward agenda gives advance notice of documents
which will be considered by council committees.
51.The following timescales will be adhered to for documents consulted on:
using 3D models, plans and maps. Sessions are usually facilitated by an independent organisation
such as Planning Aid England.
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Document type Normal period for consultation
Circumstances in which the
consultation period will be
extended
Development
plan documents
(DPDs)
We will consult for at least the
minimum statutory period of six
weeks (42 calendar days) on
DPDs
Where a normal period of
consultation would take in all or
part of the Christmas/New Year
holiday, the Easter holiday or the
July/August summer holiday period
in addition to bank holidays, extra
days will be added to allow for this,
up to a maximum of 14 calendar
days over and above the statutory
minimum.
At its discretion, and only in the
early, informal stages of DPD/SPD
production, the Council may allow
additional time for representations
to be made in circumstances where
there is a justifiable reason for not
responding within the deadline.
Neighbourhood
development
plans
(“Neighbourhood
plans”)
We will consult for at least the
minimum statutory period of six
weeks (42 calendar days) when
proposals for neighbourhood
plans prepared by designated
neighbourhood planning bodies
are published
Future reviews
of this Statement
of Community
Involvement
(SCI)
We will consult for at least six
weeks (42 calendar days) on any
future reviews of this SCI
Supplementary
We will consult for at least the
planning minimum statutory period of four
documents weeks (28 calendar days) on
In accordance with the Code of
(SPD) including SPD and on planning briefs which
Recommended Practice on Local
planning briefs
have the status of SPD
Authority Publicity, we will not
normally run consultations on
planning documents in the six
week period immediately before
local council elections. (“Purdah”).
Non-statutory
planning
documents and
informal advice
notes
We will consult for a period
appropriate to the coverage and
content of the document
concerned
52.For supplementary planning documents (SPDs) and planning briefs, the
Local Development Regulations specify a minimum four week consultation
period, although the period for legal challenge after adoption is longer than
it is for DPDs. Because supplementary planning documents typically relate
to small geographical areas or subjects of specialist interest, shorter
consultation periods are justified, particularly as similar lead-in times and
reporting arrangements exist for SPD as they do for development plan
documents.
53.For neighbourhood plans a separate period of public consultation by the
neighbourhood planning body proposing the plan is required before a draft
plan can be formally submitted to and accepted by the council, although at
the time of writing no neighbourhood plans have been prepared or
proposed in Norwich.
Who will we involve, and how?
54.The Council’s Community engagement strategy (CES) “Working Better
Together” identifies five levels of involvement:
16
• Keeping you informed;
• Asking what you think;
• Deciding together;
• Acting together; and
• Supporting independent community initiatives.
55.Different types of policy documents need different levels of involvement,
depending on factors such as how many people would be affected by the
proposed policy and the type of impact it would have. Detailed guidance
on who we will involve, how, and at what level at the various stages of the
plan making process is given in the tables on the following pages.
17
Public involvement in Local Plans (Development plan documents)
Key stages
Involvement Level
Public/stakeholder involvement arrangements
1. Pre-production/evidence
gathering
The information needed for
the plan is prepared and
potential issues identified.
• Asking you what
you think
• Deciding
together
• Writing to statutory environment bodies to initiate Sustainability appraisal screening
• Early involvement of relevant stakeholders
• Hold focus group sessions where necessary to help decide issues to be included in the plan
(where possible and subject to social distancing guidance)
2. Draft Local plan
The information gathered at
first stage is taken into
account in the drafting of
detailed policies and
allocations. Depending on
the level of complexity, the
draft local plan stage may
involve more than one period
of consultation.
• Asking you what
you think
• Publish draft documents for consultation for a minimum of six weeks, and, at the start of the
consultation period,
publish the Sustainability scoping report or appraisal as appropriate;
inform specific consultation bodies (this will be done by email where possible: postal mailing
will be used where there is no email address on the database);
inform relevant consultation bodies , other interested bodies and individuals on the
consultation database, as above;
publish electronic copies of the consultation documents on the Council’s website;
make hard copies of consultation documents available for inspection at the Council’s office
and the Millennium library (where possible and subject to social distancing guidance);
issue press release in local papers;
add consultation information on Council’s social media sites.
• Arrange public meetings, exhibitions, focus groups as appropriate (where possible and subject
to social distancing guidance)
3. Publication of the Local
plan
The Local plan is finalised
and published for a last stage
of consultation. Comments at
this stage will only be sought
on soundness and legal
compliance of the plan.
• Asking you what
you think
• Publish the Local plan and relevant documents for consultation for a minimum of six weeks,
and, at the start of the consultation period,
publish a statement of the representations procedure;
publish the Sustainability appraisal report for consultation;
publish a consultation statement summarising all comments received from the previous
stages and how the comments have been considered and taken into account;
publish relevant supporting documents;
inform specific consultation bodies, as above;
inform relevant general consultation bodies , other interested bodies and individuals on the
consultation database, as above;
publish electronic copies of all the documents on the Council’s website;
Key stages
Involvement Level
Public/stakeholder involvement arrangements
make hard copies available for inspection at the Council’s office and the Millennium
library(where possible and subject to social distancing guidance);
issue public notice in local newspapers;
issue press release in local newspapers;
add consultation information on Council’s social media sites.
• Arrange exhibition or presentation to interest groups if necessary, and where possible and
subject to social distancing guidance.
4. Submission
• No involvement
The draft Local plan, and all supporting documents and the comments received from public
consultation are submitted to the Secretary of State, who appoints an independent planning
inspector. The hard copy documents are made available at Council’s offices and the Millennium
library (where possible and subject to social distancing guidance).
5. Public examination
• No involvement
The Local plan and the comments received are examined by the planning inspector, followed by
the inspector’s report.
6. Adoption
The Local plan is adopted
following the consideration of
the recommendations in the
• Keeping you
informed
• Make the inspector’s report available for inspection on the Council’s website and at the Council’s
office (hard copies will be made available where possible and subject to social distancing
guidance)
• Inform consultees who previously made representations about the availability of inspectors
report
Following adoption of the Local plan, we will:
• Publish the Local plan, make electronic copies available on the Council’s website and hard
copies available at the Council’s office (hard copies will be made available where possible and
subject to social distancing guidance)
inspector’s report.
• Publish adoption statement in Local newspapers
• Send adoption statement to specific and general consultees and those who made
representations at previous stages or those who have asked to be notified of the adoption
• Make the Sustainability appraisal and other supporting documents available for inspection for six
weeks after adoption
• provide information about the adoption of the plan on Council’s social media sites
19
Public involvement in Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and planning briefs
Key stages
Involvement Level
Public/stakeholder involvement arrangements
1. Pre-production/evidence
gathering
The information needed for
the plan needs to be
prepared and potential
issues need to be identified.
• Asking you what
you think
• Deciding
together
• Engaging relevant stakeholders in deciding the level of detail to be included in the plan and to
identify key issues that need to be addressed
• Where necessary, preliminary consultations will be carried out prior to the publication of draft
SPDs
2. Draft SPDs/ Planning
briefs
A Draft SPD/planning brief is
prepared following the initial
evidence gathering stage.
Consultations at this stage
• Asking you what
you think
• Publish the Draft SPD/planning brief for consultation for a minimum of four weeks, and, at the
start of the consultation period,
make electronic copies of the plan and supporting documents available on the Council’s
website;
make hard copies of the plan and supporting documents available at the Council’s office and
Millennium library for inspection (where possible and subject to social distancing guidance);
inform relevant specific and general consultees and those on the consultation database who
may have an interest on the issues (this will be done by email where possible: postal mailing
will involve publishing a draft
of the SPD/ planning brief for
comment.
will be used where there is no email address on the database);
issue a press release for the matters concerned if appropriate;
provide consultation information on Council’s social media sites.
• Arrange exhibition or presentation to interest groups if appropriate (where possible and subject
to social distancing guidance)
3. Adoption
The Council will consider the
representations received
through the consultations
and make any amendments
necessary before adopting
the SPD/ planning brief.
• Keeping you
informed
• Publish the SPD/planning brief – make electronic copies and any supporting documents
available on the Council’s website and hard copies available at Council’s office (hard copies will
be made available where possible and subject to social distancing guidance)
• Publish a consultation statement summarising all comments received from the previous stages
and how the comments were considered and taken into account
• Send an adoption statement to those who have made representations during the previous
consultations and those who have asked to be notified of the adoption of the SPD/planning brief.
• provide information on Council’s social media sites
20
Publicising Neighbourhood Plans
Neighbourhood plans are prepared independently by the local community. As such, deciding how to involve people about what
should be in a neighbourhood plan and determining what issues it will cover is the role of the neighbourhood forum or other
designated body
2
actually proposing the plan. The council does not itself have a direct role in preparing a neighbourhood plan but
must provide technical advice and support to any group proposing one, to ensure that it will be broadly consistent with the existing
development plan for the area. The council is only required to consult formally at key stages, following the legal procedures as
described below. The neighbourhood planning body must abide by the neighbourhood planning regulations and must consult
“meaningfully” about a proposed plan, but is not bound by this Statement of Community Involvement.
Key stages
Involvement Level
Public/stakeholder involvement arrangements
1. Neighbourhood Area Application
A neighbourhood forum or other
prospective neighbourhood planning body
applies to the city council to designate a
Neighbourhood Area for which they
propose to prepare a Neighbourhood
Plan. The city council publicises the
application and invites representations
over a minimum 6 week period.
• Keeping you
informed
• Asking you what
you think
• Supporting
independent
community
initiatives.
Publish the Neighbourhood Area proposal and invite representations for a minimum
of six weeks, and, at the start of the period,
• make electronic copies of the proposal documentation available on the Council’s
website;
• make hard copies of the proposal documentation available at the Council’s office
and Millennium library for inspection (where possible and subject to social
distancing guidance);
• inform relevant specific and general consultees and those on the consultation
database who may have an interest in the proposal (this will be done by email
where possible: postal mailing will be used where there is no email address on
the database);
• issue a press release relating to the proposal if appropriate;
• add information about how to respond to the proposal on the Council’s social
media sites.
2
In areas without a parish or town council (such as Norwich), local people will need to decide which organisation should produce a neighbourhood plan. These can be
existing community groups or local people forming a new group. In both cases they will need to be formally designated and must meet the basic conditions set out in the
Localism Act. This includes having at least 21 members and being established to promote the wellbeing of the neighbourhood area. It must be open to new members and
have a written constitution and have taken reasonable steps to secure membership from residents, business and local elected members across the neighbourhood area.
21
Key stages
Involvement Level
Public/stakeholder involvement arrangements
2. Submission of a Neighbourhood
Plan
The neighbourhood forum submits the
Neighbourhood Plan to the city council.
The council invites representations on the
submitted plan over a minimum 6 week
period.
• Keeping you
informed
• Asking you what
you think
• Supporting
independent
community
initiatives
Publish the submitted plan and invite representations for a minimum of six weeks,
and, at the start of the period,
• make electronic copies of the submitted plan available on the Council’s website;
• make hard copies of the submitted plan available at the Council’s office and
Millennium library for inspection (where possible and subject to social distancing
guidance);
• inform relevant specific and general consultees and those on the consultation
database, as above;
• issue a press release relating to the Neighbourhood Plan if appropriate;
• provide information about how to respond to the plan on the Council’s social
media sites.
3. Publication of examiners report
The city council publishes the report of
the examination into the submitted
Neighbourhood Plan and the decision of
the council as to whether or not it accepts
the examiner's recommendations.
• Keeping you
informed
• make electronic copies of the examiner’s report and decision statement available
on the Council’s website;
• make hard copies of the examiner’s report and decision statement available at
the Council’s office and Millennium library for inspection (where possible and
subject to social distancing guidance);
• inform relevant specific and general consultees and those on the consultation
database, as above;
• Provide information about the examiner’s report and decision on the Council’s
social media sites.
4. Referendum information statement
The city council publishes the
Referendum Information Statement and
specified documents, setting out the date
and procedure for the Neighbourhood
Plan referendum. A minimum of 28
working days’ notice will be given.
• Keeping you
informed
No less than 28 working days before a Neighbourhood Plan referendum:
• make electronic copies of the referendum information statement and
documentation available on the Council’s website;
• make hard copies of the referendum information statement and documentation
available at the Council’s office and Millennium library for inspection (where
possible and subject to social distancing guidance);
• inform relevant specific and general consultees and those on the consultation
database, as above;
• Provide information about the referendum on the Council’s social media sites
22
Key stages
Involvement Level
Public/stakeholder involvement arrangements
5. “Making” of the neighbourhood plan
The city council confirms that the
Neighbourhood Plan has come into effect
(has been “made”)
3
.
• Keeping you
informed
• Supporting
independent
community
initiatives
•
Publish the neighbourhood Plan – make electronic copies and any supporting
documents available on the Council’s website and hard copies available at
Council’s office
• Notify those who have asked to be informed about the making of the
neighbourhood plan.
• Provide information about the made plan on Council’s social media sites.
3
Under planning legislation, neighbourhood development plans prepared by the community are referred to as being “made” when they take legal effect. This is distinct
from local plans prepared by a council or other local planning authority, which are “adopted”.
23
3. Consultations on planning applications
Please note that due to the Government’s guidance on social distancing in relation
to the coronavirus outbreak not all of the consultation methods listed below may be
possible at present. We will continue to utilise electronic means of communication
but may not be able to engage in face to face events or provide hard copies in a
manner in which we have previously done so. We will continue to monitor
Government guidance and tailor our consultation methods appropriately. We may
use alternative approaches to consultation.
Introduction
56.Planning applications are considered through the development management
process. It is important that the views of the general public and stakeholders are
taken into account to inform decisions.
57.The legal minimum requirements of publicity on planning applications are set out
in legislation. These requirements include publication on the Council’s register,
notices displayed near the site and/or neighbours being notified directly. For some
applications, an advertisement is required in a local newspaper. Similar
requirements apply to applications for listed building consent.
58.This section sets out the council’s approach to encouraging, and requiring where
necessary, developers to undertake pre-application consultations and for the
involvement of the community in commenting on planning applications.
59.The Planning service standards outline how people can expect to be involved in
planning applications and the service they can expect to receive including
response times to letters, emails and phone calls. The most up-to-date Planning
service standards are available on our website at www.norwich.gov.uk; these will
be updated when appropriate to reflect any future changes in legislation or
internal processes.
Pre-application consultation
60.The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that local planning
authorities should encourage other parties involved in the development process to
take maximum advantage of the pre-application stage, so that prospective
developers and applicants who are not already required to do so by law may
engage effectively with the local community before they make a planning
application. This should improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning
application system for all parties.
61.The city council strongly encourages developers and agents of all application
types to engage with the community at the earliest opportunity. For major
schemes this is a requirement. This will give the best information on which to
base proposals and enable any planning application that is subsequently made to
have the best chance of success.
62.Early involvement between developers, the community, consultees and the local
planning authority allows issues and concerns to be discussed before planning
proposals are formally submitted for assessment and decisions are made. Pre-
application involvement by all parties allows issues and concerns to be raised at
24
an early stage, potentially enabling them to be addressed and giving communities
the opportunity to shape or influence the development proposals.
63.There are several levels of pre-application service available, depending on the
type of development proposed. A fee will be charged for this service. Further
guidance can be found on the Council’s website at the following link
http://www.norwich.gov.uk/Planning/PlanningApplications/Pages/PreApplicationA
dviceService.aspx.
64.The Council strongly encourages applicants to consult the local community before
submitting a planning application for significant development, in particular:
• Housing developments of 10 or more dwellings;
• Any other development with a floor area of 1,000 square metres.
65.The Validation requirements produced by the Council provide details of the pre-
application consultation requirements for applications. These will be regularly
updated in accordance with legislative requirements. The validation requirements
can be accessed from the Council’s website:
https://www.norwich.gov.uk/downloads/file/1558/validation_requirements.
66.The figure on the next page gives some basic advice on how involvement and
consultation would be expected to be conducted. If community consultation is
impacted by the Government’s guidance on social distancing, for example
preventing large public meetings, developers and agents will be expected to
consider alternative methods of effective consultation and explain their approach.
25
volveme
nt
Pr
og
ra
mm
e
At an earl y stage
in
th
e developme
nt
process,
th
e applica
nt
sho
uld
set o
ut
who
w
ill
be
in
volved and when, and how people, groups and o
th
er organisations can
expect to be reached, and what
th
ey
can
in
f
lu
ence
in
th
e process.
1
Applica
nt
Co
mmunit
y
in
volveme
nt
sho
uld
tell
th
e facts, avoids bias, and manage potential
conflic
tin
g opinions. The
in
volveme
nt
process sho
uld
in
c
lu
de one or all of
th
e
follow
in
g:
NB The details on how this w
ill
be clone sho
uld
be
ag
reed
in
advance w
ith
th
e
I ocal pi anni ng a
uth
o
rit
y.
--+
--+
--+
--+
Le
tt
ers to local residents/ bus
in
esses/ occupiers, giv
in
g
in
formation
on where and when
th
ey can get more
in
formation.
Ad
ve
rt
s/ press releases
in
local newspapers, giv
in
g
in
formation on
where and when people can get more
in
formation.
Co
nt
act co
mmunit
y groups,
int
erest groups and ward counc
ill
ors to
a
rr
ange mee
tin
gs w
ith
represe
nt
atives, if appropri ate.
Hold an exhib
iti
on/ planning for real' type eve
nt
sta
ff
ed by
th
e
developer. The
in
volveme
nt
eve
nt
sho
uld
:
- be pub Ii ci
secl
on or near
th
e application s
it
e for at I east 5
cla
ys
before any eve
nt
;
- have one
cla
yti me and one eve
nin
g session, and;
-
in
c
lu
de displays giv
in
g
in
formation on how
th
e public can get
in
volved, how to make co
mm
e
nt
s, and what happens next.
Stateme
nt
of co
mmunit
y cons
ult
ation
W
ith
any application a stateme
nt
of co
mmunit
y cons
ult
ation shoul
cl
be submi
tt
ecl
o
utlinin
g
th
e
in
volveme
nt
me
th
ods used and how any co
mm
e
nt
s have been taken
int
o account.
Figure 3: An example of how a pre-application community consultation could be
conducted
26
Planning application consultation
67.It is important that the community have suitable opportunities to be involved in
commenting on planning applications and that those comments are taken into
account when the decision is made.
68.The council has a well-established process of consultation on planning
applications. The main way to find out information on planning applications is
through the Planning Public Access service
4
on our website:
http://planning.norwich.gov.uk/online-applications. You can also sign up to receive
e-mail alerts of proposed developments in your area through this service. Other
methods currently include:
i) letters and emails to statutory consultees, other organisations and interest
groups;
ii) letters and emails to residents, businesses and properties within 10 metres of
the boundary of the site;
iii) the display of site notices (for some applications);
iv) publication in local newspapers (for some applications);
v) viewing of all comments received on our website;
vi) viewing of all decision reports on our website;
vii) presentations at committee (for some applications) (in accordance with the
requirements of the Planning Service Code of Conduct);
viii) committee papers – available a week before each meeting (on the website,
and in paper form where possible and subject to social distancing guidance),
and;
ix) committee minutes – available 7 days prior to the next meeting.
NB: The methods listed at ii), iii) and iv) above will be carried out in accordance
with at least the minimum requirements of Section 15 of The Town and Country
Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (or any
updated version thereafter). The above list is not exhaustive and may be
amended in response to future changes in national planning legislation or
regulation. Full details of the consultation methods on planning applications can
be found at the following links:
https://www.norwich.gov.uk/info/20017/planning_applications/1201/april_2009
https://www.norwich.gov.uk/info/20017/planning_applications/1202/june_2013
NB2: As permitted under the Coronavirus Act 2020, at present planning
committee meetings are not being held at the City Hall due to the current
4
The Planning Public Access website allows you to search for details of planning applications, plans and
supporting documentation that have been submitted to Norwich City Council's planning service.
27
guidance on social distancing. They are instead being conducted online and
made available to watch on the council’s Youtube channel. This will continue to
be reviewed, and options such as hybrid meetings will be considered (where
some attendees are in-person and some are remote). Current information is
available here; https://cmis.norwich.gov.uk/live/Meetingscalendar.aspx
69.If any planning application is amended during the process of its assessment and
the amendment would be likely to have a significant adverse impact on
neighbouring properties, then the occupiers of properties affected will be re-
notified. All revised or additional documentation or plans will be published on the
website. If necessary, the case officer for the application will agree a new
determination deadline with the developer/agent as required.
70.The Planning Portal (www.planningportal.gov.uk) provides information on
planning in general, with Norwich City Council’s website providing more specific
information relevant to Norwich. Public Access contains details of all planning
applications and comments of consultees and the consideration of the application
by officers from December 2005 onwards, with some information on applications
from January 1988 to November 2005.
Material planning considerations
71.In the process of assessing an application the planning officer must have regard
to material planning considerations. Some examples of material considerations
and non-material considerations can be found below (please note, this list is not
exhaustive). For example, the loss of property value is not a material planning
consideration and will not be taken into account in the assessment of an
application.
72.More advice on material planning considerations can be found via the Planning
Portal and Planning Aid England by following the links below:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/general/faq/faqapplyprocess%20-
%20Whatarematerialconsiderations#Whatarematerialconsiderations
http://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/686895/Material-Planning-Considerations.pdf
Material planning considerations
Non-material considerations
National and local policies
Issues considered under Building
Regulations
Planning history and previous appeal
decisions
Land/boundary disputes, including
rights of access
Case Law
Opposition to business competition
Impact on sunlight, outlook, privacy and
amenity
Loss of property value
Highways issues (e.g. increased traffic
movements)
Loss of view (NB this does not
include ‘outlook’)
Effect on a Listed Building or
Conservation Area
Opposition to the principle of a
development if permission has been
granted by an outline application or
appeal decision
28
Figure 4: Examples of material and Non-material considerations
(Source: RTPI/Planning Portal/ Planning Aid England)
29
4. Resources and management
73.This section discusses the management of the involvement process and the
resources available to the council. The local plan is managed by the council’s
planning policy and projects team and supported by officers from other council
departments who will provide expertise, support and advice during the process.
The resources are designed to ensure that the Local plan, Sustainable community
strategy and other council strategies are linked and that all local community
involvement events are coordinated.
74.The council will aim to make the most efficient use of limited staff time and
resources to prepare local planning documents and involve people throughout the
plan-making process. We will work closely with those involved to understand and
agree policies and proposals at an early stage so that outstanding issues can be
resolved where possible, meaning that fewer resources are needed at the
examination stage to debate outstanding objections. From previous experience of
consulting on planning policy documents, using time and resources efficiently to
involve the public, developers and other stakeholders at the earliest stage can
greatly shorten the length of examination time and reduce unnecessary delays in
the plan production process. This helps to ensure that emerging policies and
proposals have a broad consensus and will be appropriate and effective in
bringing forward sustainable development.
75.The council may engage specialised agencies or consultants for specific parts of
the planning policy framework such as master planning and evidence studies.
They will be expected to undertake public participation and involvement on their
proposals and results which will be consistent with this document.
30
Appendix 1: Local plan consultees
In the planning policy making process, the Council is required to consult
organisations which are known as either ‘specific’ or ‘general’ consultees. In addition
the government has introduced a ‘Duty to co-operate’ in the 2012 planning
regulations
5
; many of the consultees required under the Duty to co-operate are
already included in the list of ‘specific consultees’ below, but for completeness they
are all listed separately on page 25. As the legislation and regulations are frequently
updated, the lists of consultees below may change over time and must be checked
against the requirements set out in any new regulations.
The recent planning regulations set out the specific consultation bodies. Along with
relevant government departments, the list contains the bodies below.
Regard will also be had to the consultation requirements indicated in the
Neighbourhood Plan Regulations (2012 as amended).
Specific consultation bodies
• The Coal Authority
• The Environment Agency
• The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (Historic
England)
• The Marine Management Organisation
• Natural England
• Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
• The Highways Agency
• Norfolk County Council
• Broads Authority
• Adjacent local authorities
• Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Clinical Commissioning Bodies (or
successor health care bodies)
• NHS England Midlands and East (East)
• Norfolk Constabulary
• Police and Crime Commissioner
• Relevant telecommunications companies
• Relevant electricity and gas companies
• Relevant water and sewerage undertakers
• The Homes and Communities Agency
• Local nature partnerships
5
The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012
31
General consultation bodies - examples
Through this Statement of community involvement, we are committed to involving a
wide range of other groups, organisations and interested individuals in the planning
process. This will ensure that as many people as possible who are interested are
involved in the future development of Norwich.
The list below provides some examples of general consultation bodies:
• Community groups (area based and topic based)
• Parish councils in Norwich policy area
• Housing organisations
• Housebuilders
• Residents and tenants groups
• Business and commerce organisations
• Economic development agencies
• Educational bodies
• School councils
• Community safety bodies
• Environmental and heritage organisations
• Equal opportunities bodies
• Ethnic minority groups
• Disabled people’s organisations
• Older people’s groups
• Faith groups
• Health and social care groups
• Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Trust
• Youth organisations
• Agents/developers
• Landowners
• Regeneration bodies
• Tourism bodies
• Transport bodies
• NCC Public Health
• Community centres
• Volunteer development organisations
• Sports and recreation organisations
• Health and Safety Executive
32
• Royal Mail
• Emergency services.
• Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show people
• Design Review Panel
• Norfolk Historic Environment Service
• Local Enterprise Partnerships
• Interested individuals
Duty to Co-operate: consultees required under the 2012 Planning Regulations
(as amended by the National Treatment Agency (Abolition) and the Health and Social
Care Act 2012 (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2013)
• The Environment Agency
• The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (Historic
England)
• Natural England
• The Civil Aviation Authority
• The Homes and Communities Agency
• Clinical Commissioning Groups (established under section 14D of the National
Health Service Act 2006);
• The National Health Service Commissioning Board
• The Office of Rail Regulation
• Integrated Transport Authorities
• Highway Authority (Norfolk County Council)
• The Marine Management Organisation
Note that consultees specific to London are not included in this list.
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