The Neighbourhood Plan was adopted by Acle residents. There was a turnout of 16.2% with 85% of those who voted, voting in favour of the plan. Thank you to everyone who voted...

Acle Neighbourhood Plan – Summary

2014- 2026

The Vision is to ensure that Acle continues as a flourishing village and gateway to the Broads that maintains a strong sense of community whilst embracing a sustainable and prosperous future as a place where people choose to live, work and visit.

The Objectives are:

Community and leisure
O1: To improve the ability of the village centre to be used for community events
O2: To support enhanced education facilities for all age groups
O3: To improve access to formal and informal sports and leisure provision.

• Policy 1 – support improvements to the area at Acle Bridge

• Policy 2 – reduce extent of highway in village centre, increase width of narrow pavements  and increase green space

• Policy 3 – support upgrade and growth of Acle Academy and the provision of new sports facilities for students and the wider community

• Policy 4 – encourage provision of an enhanced replacement pre-school facility, containing two classrooms, better integrated with the primary school

Movement and transport
O4: To improve conditions for walking and cycling from the village centre to the surrounding
       countryside
05: To reduce the dominance of the highway in the village centre
O6: To support enhanced public transport infrastructure.

• Policy 5 – encourage new and improved footpaths, footways, cycleways and bridleways connecting Acle with surrounding villages and the countryside, including the improvement of the footway between Norwich Road and Mill Lane/ Acle Academy and improved footpath and cycleway adjacent to A1064 between Acle Bridge and the village

• Policy 6 – improve access to Wherry Line – encourage improvements to pedestrian and cycle access to the station and facilities at the station. Better signage, improved lighting and footpath surfacing, improved parking

• Policy 7 – reduce severance effect of A1064. Reduce speed limits and install pedestrian crossing

Business and employment
O7: To protect and enhance provision of small traditional retail in the village centre
O8: To ensure that employment sites are developed for an appropriate mix of employment
        uses
O9: To improve the attractiveness of Acle for inward investment

• Policy 8 – encourage sensitive development of under-used brownfield sites for small scale mixed use activities such as retail, office and residential. Layout and design should enhance appearance of village centre, with adequate parking provision

• Policy 9 – encourage high quality, flexible employment space

Housing
010: To make sure any new housing development has an appropriate mix of affordable units
O11: To make sure any new housing development includes an appropriate mix of units of
        different sizes for both young and old households
O12: To make sure any new housing development is of the highest quality and reflects local                            and traditional architectural styles. This includes a requirement in all new housing      developments for a minimum of one off-road parking space for one-bed homes and a       minimum of two spaces for two- and three-bed homes.

• Policy 10 – new housing expected to integrate with existing areas and have regard to character of adjoining areas. Developers should design inclusive and mixed communities and consult and engage with local communities

• Policy 11 – in any new development, off road parking spaces shall be provided at a minimum of one space for one-bedroom dwellings and a minimum of two spaces for two-bedroom dwellings

You can see the Plan at Acle Library or at BDC's offices in Thorpe St Andrew.

Or at BDC's website at

http://www.broadland.gov.uk/housing_and_planning/6136.asp

Acle Parish Council has prepared a Neighbourhood Plan, funded by grants from the Community Development Foundation and Broadland District Council.

A Neighbourhood Plan establishes general planning policies for the development and use of land in a neighbourhood, such as:

• where new homes and offices should be built
• what they should look like

The plan can be detailed or general, depending what local people want.

Neighbourhood plans allow local people to get the right type of development for their community, but the plans must still meet the needs of the wider area. This  means that neighbourhood plans will have to take into account Broadland District Council’s assessment of housing and other development needs in the area.

Acle's Neighbourhood Plan was prepared by planning consultants Ingham Pinnock Associates, together with a working party comprising local parish councillors, members of local groups, churches and schools and officers from Broadland District Council, the Broads Authority and Norfolk County Council.

The objectives for the draft Plan are designed to address issues identified as specific to Acle and issues identified by the local community. They provide a starting point for the development of policies and a framework for the future, which if fulfilled, can help to achieve the vision for Acle.

Community and leisure
O1: To improve the ability of the village centre to be used for community events
O2: To support enhanced education facilities for all age groups
O3: To improve access to formal and informal sports and leisure provision.

Movement and transport
O4: To improve conditions for walking and cycling from the village centre to the surrounding
countryside
05: To reduce the dominance of the highway in the village centre
O6: To support enhanced public transport infrastructure.

Business and employment
O7: To protect and enhance provision of small traditional retail in the village centre
O8: To ensure that employment sites are developed for an appropriate mix of employment
uses
O9: To improve the attractiveness of Acle for inward investment

Housing
010: To make sure any new housing development has an appropriate mix of affordable units
O11: To make sure any new housing development includes an appropriate mix of units of
different sizes for both young and old households O12: To make sure any new housing development is of the highest quality and reflects local and traditional architectural styles

The Plan was reviewed by an Inspector as part of the final formal process. The next part of the process is the local public referendum on the Plan when every Acle elector will get the opportunity to vote on adopting the Plan.

Acle Neighbourhood Plan

Press release, March 2014

Acle Neighbourhood Plan – Pre-Submission Consultation period complete

The Pre-Submission Consultation stage for the Acle Neighbourhood Plan has now closed.  Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the document and provide us with valuable feedback.  A number of useful comments were received from local residents and agencies such as English Heritage, Norfolk County Council and Natural England.

The document will shortly be submitted to Broadland District Council and the Broads Authority who will arrange for an independent examination and finally a local referendum.

Building on extensive research and consultation with the local community, the vision for the Acle Neighbourhood Plan is to ensure that Acle continues as a flourishing village and gateway to the broads that maintains a strong sense of community whilst embracing a sustainable and prosperous future as a place where people choose to live, work and visit.

The draft Acle Neighbourhood Plan contains twelve policies which are intended to add detail to policies provided in other strategic documents and reflect unique local issues and characteristics.  All of the policies contained in the draft Plan have been developed through consultation with local residents and tested to ensure they are sustainable.

Particular policies that have been driven by local residents include:

• Reducing the severance effect of the A1064 by seeking to introduce a new crossing and lowering speed limits
• Improving footpaths and pedestrian links to local villages and the Broads
• Supporting the delivery of improved pre-school facilities and improvements to Acle Academy
• Providing more space for local jobs and businesses.

The Neighbourhood Plan is currently being finalised and submitted to Broadland District Council and the Broads Authority.  Following that the document will be examined by an independent specialist.  Finally, Broadland District Council will arrange a local referendum where residents will have the chance to vote on whether or not they want the plan to become adopted.  Further publicity and information on the referendum will be provided in due course.