Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain
From 12 February 2024 developers must deliver 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) on major development applications made under the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 1990 subject to exemptions. This requirement applies to small sites from 2 April 2024.
BNG means a development will result in more, or better quality natural habitat than there was before development.
Norwich City Council has produced a Biodiversity Net Gain Planning Guidance Note which was adopted at Cabinet on 11 December 2024. The note signposts to the relevant government guidance, includes a local methodology for assigning strategic significance and provides additional information about BNG in the planning process. You can also find information on BNG, including application and development types exempt from the mandatory BNG requirement on the Government’s Biodiversity net gain webpage.
Biodiversity Net Gain Planning Guidance Note 2024
Purpose-built student accommodation in Norwich: evidence and best practice advice note
Norwich has seen a significant rise in numbers of proposals for new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) over the past few years. In order to provide guidance for applicants and decision-makers in the absence of a specific policy in the Local Plan, the council has produced the ‘Purpose-built student accommodation: evidence and best practice advice note’ (the advice note) with the aim of ensuring delivery of high quality PBSA in Norwich. The advice note was adopted by cabinet on 13 November 2019.
The advice note includes an assessment of the need for purpose-built accommodation and guidance on a range of issues including the location, scale, external and internal design and management of PBSA, and how to encourage an accommodation mix for a wide range of students. By encouraging good quality and appropriate student accommodation in Norwich, this advice note helps to support the success of the city’s higher educational institutions and the city’s economic prospects.
PBSA evidence and best practice advice note
Anglia Square policy guidance note
A policy guidance note (PGN) for Anglia Square has been adopted by the city council to guide emerging development proposals for this key regeneration site. Its comprehensive redevelopment has the potential to radically transform both the site and the wider northern city centre area.
The Anglia Square site was purchased by Columbia Threadneedle in 2014 and the new owner is currently working with its development partner, Weston Homes, to develop proposals for its comprehensive development.
The PGN responds to the developer’s emerging proposals, and sets out the relevant planning policy and broad principles for development of the site and surrounding area. A draft PGN was consulted on between November 2016 and January 2017. Consultation responses are included in a report to Sustainable Development Panel on 22 February . The revised PGN was approved for adoption by Cabinet on 15 March 2017.
The adopted PGN will be a material consideration in the determination of forthcoming planning application, or applications, for the site.
Prospect House development brief
A brief has been prepared that provides site specific policy for the development of the Prospect House site, which is located between Rouen Road, Golden Ball Street, Ber Street and Thorn Lane.
The brief was approved by planning applications committee on 11 October 2018 and will be a material planning consideration when any planning application is submitted for the site.
Prospect House development brief
Other advice notes
Informal advice notes have been prepared jointly by the greater Norwich local authorities to support strategic policies in the adopted Joint Core Strategy in relation to water efficiency and the health impacts of new development.
In addition, the city council has produced good practice advice for householders on the design of house extensions, to support the local plan’s policies on design quality, in particular policy DM3.
Although these do not have the status of formal supplementary planning documents, they may be relevant to development proposals in the city.
Attention is also drawn to the following advice on new national technical standards which should be referred to in place of local standards and advice in the local plan in relation to the design of homes.
- Internal space standards information note
- Accessible and adaptable dwellings standards information note
University of East Anglia and its surrounding area
The University of East Anglia (UEA) has produced a series of planning documents to identify how it will grow over the next 30 years. These have helped to inform the specific policies for the UEA in the Site allocations Local Plan and Development Management Policies Local Plan and are also used in the assessment of applications.
Note that the UEA Conservation Strategy was updated in 2020. The classification of levels of significance has been revised compared to the 2006 Strategy. This is noted at page 3-3 of the new document. The changes are reflective of updated current guidance but the degree of importance and protection of each level of significance remains essentially the same. The 2006 version is held here for cross reference purposes.
