Best Plan of the Year
Holme-next-the-Sea Neighbourhood Plan nominated by Holme-next-the-Sea Parish Council
This community-led plan provides a route to a sustainable future for Holme-next-the-Sea, a small parish in the Norfolk Coast AONB. Holme faces significant and complex challenges. The resident population is under severe pressure from external competition in the housing market, and the natural and built environments face threats from climate change and sea-level rise.
Traffic, pollution, noise and declining biodiversity are all linked to these trends, and mounting visitor pressure jeopardises the environment, which underpins the tourist-based economy. An innovative, zone-based approach that recognises the importance of natural capital and ecosystem services offers a solution.
Judges' comments: The steering group's level of research and engagement during the plan's production is impressive. The interrelated drivers of the AONB, Flood Zones and Biodiversity loss have shaped a forward-looking plan that includes innovative policies on matters such as natural capital and ecosystem services. The plan benefited from the positive participation and endorsement from statutory consultees, including the Environment Agency.