Norfolk Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2023-2038 (web version)

3. Norfolk Spatial Portrait

3.1 The purpose of this chapter is to set out the spatial context for the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Review by providing a summary of the characteristics of Norfolk that have an influence on waste arisings, how and where waste can be managed, the need for minerals and where minerals can be extracted and processed.

3.2 Within the County of Norfolk, the two-tier administrative system includes seven District Council areas, each of which is a Local Planning Authority. Overlaying parts of five of these areas is the Broads Authority, which is also a Local Planning Authority. Norfolk also contains 535 parishes. Norfolk adjoins the County of Suffolk to the south, and Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire to the west; whilst Norfolk's north-west, north and eastern boundaries border the North Sea.

Population

3.3 The population of Norfolk was estimated to be 916,120 in the 2021 census, compared with 857,888 in the 2011 census. Its area is 5,370 km² and the population density was 171 people per km² in 2021. Around 43 per cent of the County's population live in the four main urban areas of Norwich (233,023) Great Yarmouth (74,236), King's Lynn (48,301) and Thetford (27,010) (2020 ONS population estimates). Norfolk's population has a relatively elderly age profile; compared to England and Wales it has higher proportions of people aged 50 and over, and lower proportions in all the younger age groups.

3.4 By 2038 the population of Norfolk is expected to grow to over 1.009 million (ONS). Much of this growth is driven by net inward migration and an increase in the ageing population.

3.5 Issues which could affect Norfolk's population from mineral extraction and associated development and waste management activities, include amenity problems such as noise, dust, odour, birds, litter and visual intrusion. Therefore, the location, design and operation of minerals and waste management development is an important way to avoid and mitigate potential amenity impacts to local residents.

Households

3.6 The Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) for new housing in Norfolk (based on the standard national methodology in the National Planning Policy Framework 2023) for the 21 years from 2015-2036 is calculated to be over 87,000 homes. This equates to a need for over 4,100 new homes to be built each year in Norfolk. In addition to this OAN, Broadland, Norwich City and South Norfolk Councils will seek to deliver an additional supply of homes within the Greater Norwich Local Plan to ensure the housing needs arising from the City Deal are met in full.

3.7 The settlement hierarchy is defined by the Local Planning Authorities in Norfolk. The settlement hierarchy ranks settlements according to their size, range of services and facilities, and their capacity for growth. The highest levels of housing growth are planned to be located in the settlements at the top of the hierarchy (urban areas and main towns). The urban areas in Norfolk are Norwich, King's Lynn, Thetford, Attleborough, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea. The Norwich urban area consists of Norwich and the built-up parts of the urban fringe parishes of Colney, Costessey, Cringleford, Easton, Trowse, Thorpe St Andrew, Sprowston, Old Catton, Hellesdon, Drayton, Taverham and the remainder of the Growth Triangle. The main towns in Norfolk are Aylsham, Cromer, Dereham, Diss, Downham Market, Fakenham, Harleston, Hunstanton, Long Stratton, North Walsham, Swaffham, Watton and Wymondham.

Economy

3.8 Overall Norfolk has a relatively high level of self-containment as the vast majority of the resident workforce stay in Norfolk for work, although there are some strong functional cross-boundary linkages, in particular between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and between King's Lynn and the Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire Fens. Norfolk is a rural county and agriculture is the dominant land use. However, the majority of jobs in Norfolk are located in urban areas, with agriculture only accounting for less than 1 percent.

3.9 Overall Norfolk's economy is growing, although growth is stronger in some parts of the County than others. This growth is driven by certain sectors of the economy, mostly concentrated in specific geographic areas, where there are particular strengths and expertise, for example, offshore energy, advanced engineering, tech/digital, financial services, food, life sciences and tourism. Norfolk's overall employment rates have consistently remained above national levels over the past 10 years. However, this disguises substantial variation as the county includes some of the most deprived communities in the country.

3.10 In December 2013 the Greater Norwich City Deal was signed. The City Deal was expected to see 300 new businesses supported and secure an additional £100 million of private investment. The deal was also expected to create more than 19,000 jobs, including 6,000 construction jobs.

3.11 The minerals industry in Norfolk provides raw materials for the construction of buildings and roads and for glass manufacture. The provision of the steady and adequate supply of minerals and the management of waste produced by businesses and communities constitutes essential infrastructure to support the economic development of the County.

Transport

3.12 Norfolk contains three trunk roads, the A11, A47 and A12. Norfolk's transport infrastructure has benefited from a number of significant improvements in recent years, including the dualling of the A11 which was completed in 2014. The Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Broadland Northway) opened in 2018 and is a key part of the Norwich Area Transport Strategy. The National Highways Delivery Plan 2020-2025 contains a number of improvement schemes for the A47 to take place by 2025. Construction of the Long Stratton bypass on the A140 is expected to be underway during 2024. However, the majority of Norfolk's roads are B class or below and therefore it is important that minerals and waste management development are located in places where there is appropriate and safe highway access. Norfolk has two ports, at Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn. These ports can be used for the import and export of minerals and waste. Norfolk's railway lines can also be used for the movement of minerals and waste to and from the county. At the current time waste is not transported by rail in Norfolk, but silica sand is transported out of the county to glass manufacturers by rail and hard rock is imported to Norfolk by rail.

Environment

3.13 Norfolk is a county rich in important wildlife and designated landscapes. Norfolk contains a wide range of habitats including grasslands, woodlands, heathland, rivers and wetlands, farmland and coastal waters. The wider countryside also supports a considerable number of sites of local importance and has potential for habitat creation. Norfolk is home to numerous local, national, and international biodiversity designations and is an area of high landscape quality. There are nine Special Protection Areas (SPAs), twelve Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and 163 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), as well as over 1,360 County Wildlife Sites (CWS). Significant habitats include the Wash, the Broads, The Brecks and the Fens.

3.14 Norfolk has 90 miles of coast and the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) runs, with a few breaks, from King's Lynn in the west along the coast to Winterton in the east, and covers 450 square km. Part of the Norfolk coast is also defined as a Heritage Coast which means that it is one of the best stretches of undeveloped coast in England. The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads covers 303 km² of Norfolk and Suffolk and has the status of a National Park.

3.15 Norfolk is nationally important for its geodiversity, particularly sites and features relating to the story of environmental change (including fauna, flora, climate and early human occupation) over the last two million years. Norfolk has important sites and features dating from the Cretaceous period, including the youngest chalk strata in Britain. It also has spectacular geomorphology, including the 40km stretch of coastal landforms on the north coast. Many of these sites and features have been designated as geological or geomorphological SSSIs.

3.16 Norfolk's countryside is predominantly agricultural in character. The areas to the east and north of Norwich contains generally excellent to very good soils. The area known as the Brecks surrounding Thetford contains generally poor or very poor soils. The Fens, to the west of King's Lynn contains virtually entirely excellent or very good soils. The majority of the remaining soils in Norfolk are moderate to good quality.

3.17 Minerals extraction and associated development and waste management facilities should be located, designed and operated to ensure no unacceptable adverse impacts to the natural environment.

Air quality

3.18 Air quality throughout Norfolk is generally good and problems arise only on a localised basis. In 2023 Norfolk contains four Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs), one in Norwich, one in Swaffham and two in King's Lynn, which have all been declared for exceeding limits of nitrogen dioxide from traffic sources. Mineral extraction and associated development and waste management facilities should be located, designed and operated to ensure no unacceptable adverse impacts to air quality.

Historic Environment

3.19 Norfolk is an area of historical importance and has a rich and diverse history. Norfolk has over 280 conservation areas, more than 10,900 listed buildings, more than 430 scheduled monuments and more than 50 Registered Parks and Gardens. Norfolk also contains a large number of areas in which either undesignated heritage assets or archaeological assets occur. Archaeological assets may either be known or unknown where the potential for assets is high, but no field studies have been carried out. The Drainage Mills in the Broads and Fens are particularly important in these areas and the Broads Authority Executive Area is identified as an area of Exceptional Waterlogged Archaeology. Harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset should be avoided in the design and location of new minerals or waste management development.

Climate and Flood Risk

3.20 As Norfolk is low-lying, coastal and has a series of inland waterways and the Broads, flood risk is of particular concern throughout the county. Land within the fens area in west Norfolk and the Broads Authority Executive Area are at greatest risk of flooding from rivers and the sea. The effects of climate change are likely to increase these risks. Norfolk's Local Planning Authorities have produced Strategic Flood Risk Assessments for their areas, to assess the risk of flooding from all sources, now and in the future, taking account of the impacts of climate change. Sand and gravel extraction and silica sand extraction are 'water compatible' land uses which are appropriate in all flood zones. Carstone extraction and the majority of waste management facilities (except landfill and the management of hazardous waste) are 'less vulnerable' land uses and may be suitable in all flood zones except flood zone 3b (the functional flood plain), however, a sequential approach to the location of minerals and waste development should be taken to steer new development to areas with the lowest probability of flooding.

Minerals

3.21 It is a matter of fact that minerals can only be extracted where they are found. Therefore, it is important to understand the geology of Norfolk and the distribution of mineral across the county.

3.22 The structure of Norfolk geology can be split into two broad groups, Bedrock and Superficial deposits. The bedrock geology dips as you move eastwards towards the North Sea basin, and the oldest bedrock deposits are found in the west with the deposits becoming more recent as they dip towards the North Sea. The far west of the county has bedrock composed of Kimmeridge and Ampthill clay formations, these give way to relatively narrow north-south bands of Silica sand, Carstone, Gault clay and Red Chalk deposits, some of which are partially overlain by each other, and which represent an ancient cliff line which has been significantly eroded by more recent geological events.

3.23 These give way to white chalk deposits which form the bedrock across the central third of the county before giving way to Crag (Norwich and Wroxham) deposits generally to the east of Norwich. The bedrock deposits in the west of the county were laid down in the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous periods (160 - 100 million years ago), with the central chalk deposits being Upper Cretaceous deposits (99 - 65 million years ago).

3.24 The Crag deposits by contrast only date from around 2 million to 0.5 million years ago. They were formed in a shallow marine environment and their westward extent indicates the coastline at that time. While the interpretation of the bedrock deposits is straightforward this is not the case for the superficial deposits which overlie the majority of the County and are a rich source of sand and gravel. These have all been deposited within the Pleistocene (last 800,000 years), with the Hunstanton Till being the youngest of these at 20,000 years old. These superficial deposits are the result of the complex interaction of marine, fluvial and glaciofluvial deposition events. The youngest superficial deposits are the Holocene peat beds in the far west and east of the County which have been laid down in the last 10,000 years. In the far west of the county peat deposits have formed over parts of the western clay deposits, as a result of the embayment of the Wash due to changes in relative sea and land levels since the end of the last Ice Age, to create the Fens. In the east, peat deposits formed around the basins of the various river systems as they meandered over the relatively flat landscape towards the North Sea. These deposits were extensively extracted in the Medieval period for fuel, and the subsequent flooding of these workings led to the formation of the Norfolk Broads.

3.25 Ancient fluvial and glaciofluvial events have also provided rich deposits across the County in the form of outwash features and terraces which have been subsequently overlain by more recent deposits. Parts of the Superficial deposits have provided rich deposits of sand and gravel. Historic mineral workings in the river valleys have caused extensive landscape change through the formation of a large amount of open water in the former pits. Extraction in the widespread glaciofluvial deposits is generally above the groundwater level, which is often in the Chalk.

3.26 In terms of hydrocarbons, Mineral Planning Authorities (MPAs) are only required to include policies on hydrocarbon extraction if they are within a petroleum licence area and there are no petroleum licences currently (June 2024) in Norfolk. In addition, British Geological Survey research does not identify Norfolk as being potentially viable for the commercial extraction of shale gas.

3.27 Carstone is a type of sandstone that is quarried in west Norfolk. It has traditionally been used as a vernacular building material (referred to as dimension stone), although it is no longer used to any significant degree. However, continuation of this supply is important for conservation work. Although it is classed as a 'hard rock' it is not used as a hard rock (e.g. road dressing), instead it is used primarily as fill (to raise the levels of land prior to construction) or in the formation of embankments. Therefore, it is often used in the construction of roads. Carstone requires a certain proportion of iron and level of consolidation to enable it to be suitable for producing dimension stone. If Carstone, of sufficient quality to be suitable for use as dimension stone, is found during extraction then it is important that it is not crushed for use as fill material but remains in a suitable form to be used as dimension stone to support conservation work and maintain the local building vernacular.

3.28 Carstone deposits are located in very limited areas of west Norfolk. In 2022 there were three carstone extraction sites in Norfolk, two were located at Middleton and one at Snettisham.

3.29 Carstone production in Norfolk was 100,278 tonnes in 2022. The 10-year rolling average of carstone sales was 80,984 tonnes in the period 2013-2022. The 3-year rolling average of carstone sales was 98,321 tonnes in the period 2020-2022. The permitted reserves for carstone extraction sites in Norfolk were 1.423 million tonnes at the end of 2022. Based on the 10-year sales average, the permitted reserves provide a carstone landbank of over 17 years which would last until 2039.

3.30 Silica sand deposits are located in very limited areas of west Norfolk, a relatively narrow band which runs north to south just to the east of King's Lynn. The northern extent of the silica sand resource is at Heacham, and the southern extent around Hilgay. In Norfolk the silica sand resource is split into two broad categories, the Mintlyn Beds and the Leziate Beds; historically the Leziate Beds have been used principally for glass sand and the Mintlyn Beds for the production of foundry sand. Processing of sand for foundry use has stopped at Leziate and those parts of the process plant dedicated to their production have been removed. This reflects a general decline in the demand for foundry sand in England.

3.31 The deposit which is being worked at Leziate is one of two in England where silica sand of sufficient purity and grade for the manufacture of colourless flint (container) and float (window) glass is extracted. The other extraction site of silica sand of comparable quality is in Surrey.

3.32 Silica sand which is to be used for glass manufacture requires a significant amount of processing prior to being suitable for onward shipment to the glass manufacturers. This processing requires large and capital-intensive plant such as the one operated by Sibelco UK Ltd which is located at Leziate. Consistency of material is an important consideration, and this requires blending of sand from different areas of the working. The processing plant site includes a rail head to export the processed mineral for use by glass manufactures elsewhere. Norfolk is one of the most important sources of silica sand in Britain, accounting for over 15 per cent of total output and approximately 60 per cent of silica sand production used for glass manufacture sourced in Great Britain in 2014 (the most recent available data by end use).

3.33 Due to the cost and largely fixed nature of the processing plant and railhead, silica sand working has historically taken place in close proximity to the Leziate processing plant. However, this now means that the most accessible areas have either been worked or are in the process of being worked.

3.34 The 10-year rolling average of silica sand sales in Norfolk was 0.826 million tonnes in the period 2013-2022. The 3-year rolling average of silica sand sales was 0.792 million tonnes in the period 2020-2022. The permitted reserves for silica sand extraction sites in Norfolk were 3.08 million tonnes at the end of 2022. Based on the 10-year sales average, the permitted reserve provides a silica sand landbank of over 3.7 years, which would last until 2026.

3.35 Sand and gravel resources are located throughout the County (with the exception of the Fens area in the far west and south-west of Norfolk). Sand and gravel are used in the construction of roads and buildings and it is a key ingredient in the production of concrete and mortar, asphalt coating for roads, as a drainage medium and in the construction of embankments and foundations. The distribution of sand and gravel sites throughout Norfolk is widespread with a relatively large number of small operators. In 2022 there were 22active permitted sand and gravel extraction sites in Norfolk operated by 14 different companies. There are, however, particular clusters of sand and gravel workings near to King's Lynn, in the north of Breckland District and around Norwich.

3.36 Sand and gravel production in Norfolk was 1.367 million tonnes in 2022. The 10-year rolling average of sand and gravel sales was 1.41 million tonnes in the period 2013-2022. The 3-year rolling average of sand and gravel sales was 1.39 million tonnes in the period 2020-2022. The permitted reserves for sand and gravel extraction sites in Norfolk were 17.954 million tonnes at the end of 2022. Based on the 10-year sales average, the permitted reserve provides a sand and gravel landbank of over 12 years which would last until 2034.

3.37 Secondary and recycled aggregates are also sourced within Norfolk. The annual average quantity of inert and construction/demolition waste recovered at waste management facilities over the ten years from 2013 to 2022 was 291,320 tonnes, however, some parts of this waste stream are unsuitable for use as a recycled aggregate (such as soil or timber). The data is not comprehensive because many operations, such as on-site recovery, are not recorded.

3.38 Marine aggregate dredging is carried out by companies on behalf of the Crown Estate and the sites are licensed by the Marine Management Organisation; therefore, Norfolk County Council does not have any planning involvement in marine aggregates and they do not form part of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan. The East Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plans and the UK Marine Policy Statement, as well as the NPPF, inform and guide decisions by regulators managing the development of industry in marine and coastal areas, while conserving and enhancing the environment and therefore are relevant to Norfolk.

3.39 Aggregates from marine dredging are not currently received at any ports of wharves in Norfolk. No marine sourced aggregates were consumed in Norfolk in 2019 (the most recently available data).

3.40 Clay and chalk are also extracted in Norfolk. The superficial clay deposits in Norfolk consist of Kimmeridge, Ampthill, Gault and London Clays; as well as 'boulder clays' such as the Lowestoft Till, and Hunstanton Till. The Kimmeridge Clay deposits occur in West Norfolk, and the locations for the clay working occur within this area. London Clay occurs in a small area within the Yare Valley and there have not been recent workings. The various Till deposits have been subject to historic workings for various uses, including chalky boulder clay as 'marl' (used in agriculture as a soil conditioner and at one time in the production of mortar), and sandy boulder clay for brickmaking. However, there have not been any workings for these uses in many years.

3.41Information from planning applications for the clay extraction sites in Norfolk state that the clay is currently used in connection with flood defence works, lining of various types of lagoons and reservoirs and lining and capping landfill sites. The clay extracted in Norfolk is not currently used for brickmaking purposes, and there are no operational brickworks within Norfolk.

3.42Chalk occurs at the surface in several locations across the county; principally as a plateau in West Norfolk, around Norwich where the river valleys have exposed outcrops, and along the North Norfolk Coast. The chalk strata in Norfolk can be of significant thickness, in some cases approximately 500m. The chalk extracted in Norfolk is primarily used as agricultural lime, with some small-scale production of heritage mortar at one site. In 2022 there was one active clay working at Middleton, and three active chalk workings located at Castle Acre, Caister St Edmund and Hillington. The existing chalk workings all have permission for extraction until 2042. However, the resource for these minerals is considered to be abundant in Norfolk relative to the demand.

Waste management facilities

3.43 There are a number of waste management facilities within Norfolk (data from Environment Agency's Waste Data Interrogator 2021 and 2022). They include:

• Twenty Household Waste Recycling Centres, provided by Norfolk County Council, accepted over 50,000 tonnes of waste in 2021 and over 62,000tonnes of waste in 2022.
• Five commercial composting facilities which received over 112,000tonnes of waste in 2021 and over 94,000tonnes of waste in 2022;
• There are large metal recycling facilities at Lenwade, Great Yarmouth, and King's Lynn docks and a large number of small sites accepting scrap metal or end-of life vehicles. The metal recycling facilities received over 238,000 tonnes of waste in 2021 and over 216,000 tonnes of waste in 2022;
• 88 operational sites for the treatment and/or transfer of waste (including municipal, commercial and industrial, hazardous, clinical, construction and demolition), which received over 2.248 million tonnes of waste in 2021 and over 2.188 million tonnes in 2022. Of these totals, over 0.583 million tonnes in 2021 and over 0.640 million tonnes in 2022 was received at Anglian Water Services Ltd sewage sludge treatment facilities at Thetford, King's Lynn and Whitlingham;
• There are two non-hazardous landfill sites (Blackborough End and Feltwell) in Norfolk, but and only Blackborough End landfill site received waste in 2021 (over 131,000 tonnes) and 2022 (over 156,000 tonnes). As at the end of 2022, Blackborough End landfill site has a permitted void capacity (remaining landfill space) of 2.325 million m³ in total, however, 2.225 million m³ of this voidspace is expected to be used for inert waste only, leaving 0.1 million m³ voidspace for non-hazardous waste. The remaining voidspace in Feltwell landfill site at the end of 2022 is 1.204 million m³. Therefore, the total landfill voidspace for non-hazardous waste disposal in Norfolk is 1.304 million m³.
• In 2021 over 301,000 tonnes of inert waste was received at inert landfill sites or used in the restoration of mineral workings, which decreased to over 262,000 tonnes in 2022. There is an estimated void capacity at inert landfill sites and for quarry restoration of at least 3.5 million m³ in Norfolk at the end of 2022 plus the 2.225 million m³ in Blackborough End landfill site. A further 0.97 million m³ of inert restoration void capacity was permitted in 2023.
• There is a renewable energy plant operated by Melton Renewable Energy at Thetford which received over 497,000 tonnes of waste in 2021 and over 212,000 tonnes of waste in 2022. The waste received at this facility is poultry litter which is burned to produce energy.
• There is a wastepaper reprocessing facility operated by Palm Paper Ltd at King's Lynn which received over 515,000 tonnes of waste paper and cardboard in 2021 and 506,000 tonnes in 2022 to produce newsprint.

3.44 Further detail on waste management capacity, movements, arisings and forecasts is provided in a separate Waste Management Capacity Assessment report.