Consultations

Current consultations

Local Cycling Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for the Broads National Park

The Broads Authority seeks the views of members of the public (residents / visitors) businesses, charities, groups and other interested parties, as part of a consultation to develop a Local Cycling Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for the Broads National Park.

This initiative is funded by Active Travel England's National Parks Capability Fund. The objective of this consultation is to gather input from the community on potential improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure both to and within the Broads Authority Executive Area.

This consultation commences on 26 June and closes on 31 October 2024.

We encourage people to provide their feedback during this period. Your contributions are essential in identifying priority areas for infrastructure enhancements and will play a critical role in shaping the future of walking and cycling infrastructure in the Broads.

The Final Plan (LCWIP) will be delivered in March 2025. This plan will integrate with recently completed plans in Norfolk and Suffolk, emphasising increased access to the landscapes of the Broads National Park.

For further information and to take part in the consultation, please visit this website: https://arcg.is/1TWvDv0

For further information about this consultation, please contact: info@broadsactivetravel.com

Recent consultations

Neatishead Conservation Area Appraisal

Due to its special architectural and historic interest, Neatishead village centre was first designated as a conservation area in 1975, with some small extensions to the area in 2011.

Conservation Area Appraisals are documents produced by the Local Planning Authority that set out what is special about a conservation area and provide management and enhancement proposals for it. The document should help to inform those carrying out development in the area and inform planning decisions.

It is good practice to review Conservation Area Appraisals on a regular basis and so the Broads Authority, as the local Planning Authority for part of the conservation area, reviewed this document in September/November 2024.

The deadline for submissions was Thursday 14 October 2024.

Body Worn Camera (BWC) trial for front-line staff

The Broads Authority sought the views of members of the public and interested parties on the principle of front-line staff (Rangers, Quay Rangers and Planning Enforcement Officers) wearing body-worn cameras (BWC) to provide digital audio and images, for law enforcement purposes and potential prosecutions when staff have faced aggression and violent behaviours.

Information such as videos and audio recordings that can identify an individual are classified as personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). Under the UK’s implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), personal data must be processed with the seven data protection principles (lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity & confidentiality, and accountability).

Additionally, data processed for law enforcement purposes must be processed in accordance with the principles set out in Section 35 of the DPA 2018:

Law enforcement purposes are defined in DPA 2018, section 30, Part 3 as “prevention, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences, or the execution of criminal penalties, including safeguarding against threats to public security”.

The Broads Authority is a competent authority consistent with section 30 (b) of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) “any other person if, and to the extent that, they have statutory functions to exercise public authority or public powers for the law enforcement purposes

Under Part 3 Section 35(8) of the DPA 2018 there is another set of principles to be complied with:

a) The processing is strictly necessary for law enforcement purposes and

b) the processing meets at least one of the conditions in Schedule 8, and

c) at the time when the processing is carried out, the controller has an appropriate policy document in place.

The Broads Authority is a data controller and has in place policies and procedures concerning the UK GDPR.

To launch the pilot for BWCs, the Broads Authority has conducted (as per section 35 of the DPA 2018) a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA).

The purpose of the DPIA is to ensure proper consideration has been given to introducing this new technology because it will infringe on an individual’s data privacy rights, but the DPIA helps data controllers identify the risks and put actions in place to minimise them, for example, training or processes and procedures.

The Broads Authority's use of the BWCs is deemed necessary for the exercise of a function conferred on a person by an enactment or rule of law, as described in the DPA 2018 Section 8.

The Broads Authority will be launching a pilot scheme and consultation on Monday 8 July 2024 to test the effectiveness of body-worn camera technology in achieving law enforcement objectives.

The pilot will end on 30 August 2024 and the consultation will close on 13 September 2024.

Reporting Timetable

• 7 November Navigation Committee – consultation on the principle and effectiveness of BWCs
• 29 November Broads Authority – decision on whether to proceed with the use of body-worn cameras

Supporting Documentation

• Draft Policy on Body Worn Cameras (PDF)
• Questions and answers (PDF)
• Data Protection Impact Assessment (for the trial period) (PDF)

The deadline for comments was 4pm on 13 September 2024.

Geldeston and Gillingham Neighbourhood Area Application Consultation

In accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended), Geldeston Parish Council is making an application as the relevant body (Parish Council) on behalf of both Geldeston and Gillingham Parish Councils for the purposes of section 61G of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to designate a Neighbourhood Area. This is required in order for both Parish Councils to produce a joint Neighbourhood Plan.

As the proposed Neighbourhood Area covers two civil parish boundaries, South Norfolk Council and the Broads Authority are undertaking a period of consultation on the proposed Geldeston and Gillingham Neighbourhood Area.

The deadline for comments was 5pm on 29 May 2024.

The Local Plan for the Broads – Preferred Options Consultation

The Broads Authority has started the review of the Local Plan for the Broads. This is the second round of consultation and is called the Preferred Options. This version of the Local Plan includes draft policies for comment. Most of the policies are already included in the currently adopted Local Plan, albeit with some amendments. Some policies are new. We also talk about potential alternative options to the policies that are drafted. Finally, there is a call for sites for gypsy and traveller sites, residential moorings and residential dwellings.

The deadline for comments was 4pm on 17 May 2024.

Validation Checklist

These are requirements that may be needed to validate a planning application and has been updated to reflect the need for Biodiversity Net Gain.

The deadline for comments was 4pm on 17 May 2024.

Supplementary information

The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 Section 9 (1) appoints the Authority’s Navigation Committee as the statutory consultee for matters concerning the use or enjoyment of the navigation area, including the annual process of determining navigational charges.

The Broads Act 2009 amends the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988.

To see the full content of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 as written please use this link Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 (legislation.gov.uk)

To see the full details of the Broads Authority Act 2009 amendments to Section 9 please use this link Broads Authority Act 2009 (legislation.gov.uk)