Your Norfolk county NFU update

As an early stage in preparing a new Local Plan, the Council has launched a ‘Call for Sites’. This invites landowners, developers, agents, organisations, and individuals to submit land to be considered for future development.

Sites can be proposed for a range of uses, including housing, employment, infrastructure, local green space, community and other uses. It is important to emphasise that submitting a site does not mean it will be allocated for development. All submitted sites will be assessed alongside other evidence and considered as part of a wider process to determine the most appropriate locations for future growth through the Local Plan.

The Call for Sites runs from Monday 1 June to Monday 13 July 2026. Submissions will only be accepted where they have capacity to accommodate at least 5 dwellings or represent a site area of 0.25 hectares or more. Each site must be submitted individually (multiple parcels cannot be submitted together).

Further information on the Call for Sites including how to respond, is available at: www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/callforsites

If you wish to seek general advice around this from the NFU prior to submitting a proposal please contact NFU Environment Adviser Rob Wise: [email protected] or 07880 385684.

As spring work begins to slow down ahead of this year’s harvest, now is a good opportunity to get trailers into the workshop and ensure braking systems are fully checked and serviceable.

Under Regulation 18 of the Construction and Use Regulations, every part of every braking system must be maintained in good and efficient working order and correctly adjusted.

This applies to all braking components fitted to the trailer. If a trailer is equipped with both air and hydraulic braking systems, both must be properly maintained — not just the system currently in use. Handbrakes must also be kept fully operational and correctly adjusted.

Norfolk Police continue to find issues with trailer brake compliance during roadside checks, particularly with handbrakes, and are reminding operators to carry out regular inspections and maintenance to keep equipment safe and roadworthy.

Wildfire risk is increasing across Norfolk due to drier conditions and changing weather patterns. Farms are often among the first areas affected, and early access to water can be critical in controlling fires and reducing damage.

NFU members are encouraged to consider what water sources are available on their land that could support Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) during a wildfire or large rural fire. Suitable sources may include static tanks, bowsers, reservoirs or other fixed or mobile supplies.

All Norfolk fire appliances carry 2‑inch male and female banjo couplings, allowing crews to connect quickly when suitable access is available.

Please notify our NFRS Water Officer of any water supply over 8,000 litres so it can be recorded for operational planning purposes.

[email protected]

Farming in Protected Landscapes is a grant programme for farmers, land managers and people in the Broads National Park and Norfolk Coast National Landscape, as well as surrounding catchments.

The programme supports projects that enhance the natural environment, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide public access opportunities or support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses.

Grants of up to £75,000 are available for a flexible range of projects that may not be eligible for funding from traditional Defra agri-environment schemes. The programme welcomes farmer-led ideas that would benefit from short-term investment.

It is open to all farmers and land managers from the private, public and charity sector. You must manage all the land included in the application and have control of all the activities you’d like to undertake.

The programme runs until March 2029, with all projects and activities being completed by this date.