Object

Representation ID: 24406

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: Trustees of Richard Gurney Children's Settlement

Agent: Mrs Nicole Wright

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

This policy does not address the need to allow room for change in existing businesses affected by the recent and current issues such as the pandemic. It is not effective, positively prepared or justified given the evidence base of the plan. As such, it is not consistent with paragraph 11 a) of the NPPF requiring plans to be positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area, and be sufficiently flexible to adapt to rapid change.

Paragraph 71 of the GNLP Pre-Submission Draft Strategy states that: “The GNLP should support the growth of a wide ranging and changing economy, ranging from high tech businesses with the capacity for major growth through to smaller rural enterprises.”

Paragraph 127 states that: “Generating the right level of growth in the right places will help our local economy by stimulating economic investment, new infrastructure, new technologies and environmental improvements. This will improve access across Greater Norwich to services and jobs, and lead to better environmental quality.

As per paragraph 35 of the NPPF, local plans are required to be consistent with national policy. Paragraph 80 of the NPPF states "Planning policies and decisions should help create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand, and adapt. Significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development. The approach taken should allow each area to build on its strengths, counter any weaknesses and address the challenges of the future." Businesses, such as the Sprowston Sports and Social Club face an uncertain future and there should be policy considerations to address these concerns for local businesses to allow for diversification, or at least policy support that sees local businesses that are forced to closed to be replaced in part with new assets that serve local communities, such as a new Park and Garden that addresses a local deficit.

The failure to address these issues directly conflicts with paragraph 35 of the NPPF .