Rural constituencies such as Mid Norfolk are facing unprecedented pressure from aggressive ‘out of town’ developers intent on using the Five Year Land Supply Rule (which was designed to prevent ‘Nimby’ Councils from ignoring the housing requirements in their own Local Plans) to railroad inappropriate development through – against the wishes of the local councils and communities. As we know, so often these unsustainable developments are to the detriment of local infrastructure and services, and the people who depend upon them.

That’s why I have long had an interest in this matter – raising it regularly in Parliament and supporting our towns and villages as they look to put together Neighbourhood Plans. Communities that have such Plans have a stronger voice in determining how they develop over the next two decades and I have worked with the likes of Attleborough, Dereham, Watton, Yaxham, Saham Toney, Swanton Morley and Mattishall as they work on theirs.

The consultation for the New Buckenham Neighbourhood Plan comes to an end THIS Friday (14th February), so if you are resident in New Buckenham, please make sure you make your views heard.

A Neighbourhood Plan is only as good as the content of it. To make sure it accurately reflects the views of the local community, it must contain the comments and suggestions of those that live there.

To have your say, please visit the Neighbourhood Plan for New Buckenham website here.