Five Year Land Supply Position
Due to the changes in the December 2024 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) the Greater Norwich authorities are not currently claiming a 5-Year Housing Land Supply. Previously, under the provisions of the December 2023 NPPF, Greater Norwich had the protection of a local plan adopted in March 2024 which demonstrated a 5.77-Year Supply. As such, a detailed 1 April 2024 land supply position was not produced. As a consequence of not having a supply figure, the requirements of NPPF paragraph 11d), known as the ‘tilted balance’, will be applied to planning applications for housing.
Since the adoption of the Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) in March 2024, the supply of new deliverable housing sites has continued to be challenging, with a significant contributory factor being the availability of measures to address Nutrient Neutrality. The GNLP projected delivery of 12,592 homes between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2028; however, this supply has diminished as completed units have not been replaced by new deliverable permissions, and the delivery of some sites has been pushed back to later years.
Under NPPF paragraph 78, housing land supply in Greater Norwich would currently be tested against the GNLP annualised requirement, adjusted for past over delivery since 1 April 2018, plus a 5% buffer. This equates to 2,034 dwellings/year. Over coming years Greater Norwich’s housing requirement will increase because of the new NPPF. From 1st July 2026 the Greater Norwich authorities will need to add a 20% buffer, which would currently make the requirement 2,324 dwellings/year, and for the purposes of reviewing the GNLP, the Local Housing Need (LHN) is currently 2,590 dwellings/year.
The Greater Norwich authorities are continuing to monitor housing completions during 2024/25, and work is commencing on a new 5-year housing supply statement to cover the period 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2030. This work will require landowners, agents, and developers to agree forecasts for all major residential sites; and this ongoing support in forecasting housing land supply is appreciated by the Greater Norwich authorities. It is anticipated that an up-to-date land supply position will be published in July 2025.
Monitoring reports and the five year land supply
The annual monitoring report (AMR) reviews the progress and implementation of policies in the Joint Core Strategy and the Local Plan. It also outlines the five year land supply position across the Greater Norwich, provides an update with regard to the Duty to Co-operate as introduced by the Localism Act 2011 and updates the Sustainability Appraisal baseline data.
The monitoring year runs from 1 April to 31 March in any year.
From monitoring year 2010-11, the AMR has been prepared at Greater Norwich level which includes Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk districts. See the AMRs on the Norwich Growth Board website.
The AMR for monitoring year 2021-22 can temporarily be found here until it is provided on the Greater Norwich Growth Board website
For the monitoring years 2004-2010, the AMR was prepared by Norwich City Council. To view these reports, please email LDF@norwich.gov.uk
Retail monitoring
Norwich is an attractive and diverse retail and visitor destination of regional significance and, in terms of ‘Top Shopping Venues’ maintains its place among the top fifteen nationally. The city centre is the most accessible and sustainable location for retail, leisure, office, cultural and tourism related development.
Retail uses are critical in underpinning the city centre’s continued vitality and viability; however an appropriate diversity of other town centre uses such as restaurants, cafes, financial services, leisure and cultural uses, residential and office based employment help support the economic vitality and health of the city centre, for people of all ages throughout the day and evening.
Regular monitoring of change in retail frontages ensures that any thresholds applied in policy remain relevant and necessary. Conclusions and main issues will also form part of the Annual Monitoring Report published by the Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP).
Norwich city centre shopping floorspace monitor
Please note: the city centre retail monitor and the local and district centres briefing note have been amalgamated into one report from 2013 onwards.
