Building enough houses to make sure everyone in our area has the chance for a roof of their own, while also making sure we protect our rural landscape and heritage, is often a difficult balance.
That’s why I set up my Norfolk Way Project to promote a new model of rural development, protecting our heritage AND driving a ‘Rural Renaissance’ in our towns and villages with improved transport links and new businesses and opportunities.
Since becoming MP for Mid Norfolk back in 2010, I have worked with local community groups and councillors to promote a more local and organic model of development and make sure everyone’s voice is always heard on planning issues. Whether on protecting the Lizard or saving the Tiffey Valley, where there is a danger of large-scale over-development I will always speak out to make sure we protect our landscape and heritage.
What we need is a long-term local plan. That’s why I will continue to work with local councils over this Parliament to make sure they get proper Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans in place, ensuring development is always in keeping with our area’s traditions and heritage.
Please see my latest updates on my work on this issue below.
In recent years, rural constituencies such as Mid Norfolk have been facing unprecedented pressure from aggressive ‘out of town’ developers intent on dumping copious amounts of houses on the edges of our towns and villages – creating several issues, not least with infrastructure and services.
The Mid Norfolk Railway is an incredible, local tourist asset which brings joy to so many. Over the years, their team of staff and volunteers have grown the MNR into one of the best such railways in the country and it’s wonderful to see them continue to go from strength to strength.
I have often described what I call the “Norfolk Research Triangle” – the space between Norwich-Dereham-Wymondham/Attleborough that will see much of the growth and development associated with the likes of the Norwich Research Park, the Hethel Engineering Centre, the Easton Food Enterprise Park and the A11 Tech Corridor in the years come.
