Broadland News
The latest Broadland news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Broadland Food Hygiene: All 44 September Ratings Were 5s
All 44 Broadland food hygiene ratings dated September were 5s. Late August results added since include a 1 for a Taverham takeaway and two 2s in Drayton.
More stories
Air quality
Broadland Air Quality: Cromer Road Tops 24 Monitoring Sites
Cromer Road in Hellesdon had Broadland's highest nitrogen dioxide reading in 2025, at 26.4 against a legal limit of 40. Readings rose at 18 of 23 sites.
Planning
Sprowston Plan to 2040: 51 Green Spaces, Comments to 11 Nov
Sprowston's new plan to 2040 protects 51 green spaces and admits Wroxham Road traffic never fell. Comments open on 30 September and close at 5pm on 11 November.
Community
Broadland Winter Grants: Up to £500, Bids Close 30 October
Broadland community groups can bid for up to £500 for warm spaces and hampers until 30 October. Last winter 12 groups shared £5,118, down from £12,851.
Planning
Broadland Local Plan: 165 Sites Offered, Views Close 28 Sep
Owners have offered 165 Broadland sites, 1,971 hectares, for the next Greater Norwich plan. Acle has the most land. Plan comments close at 5pm on 28 September.
Blofield
Blofield Community Hub: Council Backs Loan for £1.2m Build
Broadland's Cabinet has agreed a loan for Blofield's new hall, cafe and preschool on the old school site. What is being built, and when it should open.
Council
Broadland Broadband Hits 87.4% Gigabit, Mobile Lags
Gigabit broadband now reaches 87.4% of Broadland premises, up nearly 12 points in a year. A bin lorry survey found O2 usable on 68% of Norfolk roads.
Council
Broadland Country Park Cafe Opening Slips to October
The visitor centre and cafe near Horsford was due to finish on 30 September. Delayed timber shingles pushed it to late October, and the budget is up £200,000.
House prices
Broadland House Prices Flat at £313,407 as Rise Halves
The average Broadland home was £313,407 in July, up 2.9% in a year. The annual rise has more than halved since May, and prices have barely moved since December.
Events
Marriott's Way 10K: Reepham Market Place Shut Sunday
Reepham Market Place closes to traffic and parking on Sunday morning for the Marriott's Way 10K. Four of the five start waves are already full.
Business
Broadland Food Innovation Centre Breaks Even, 85% Let
The £11.4m council-owned centre near Honingham covered its costs in 2025/26 with 11 of 13 units let. A large unit is due back on the market after an eviction.
Council
Broadland Country Park Visitor Centre £207k Over Budget
The café and visitor centre between Horsford and Felthorpe is due to finish at the end of September. The council now forecasts £1.386m against a £1.179m budget.
Housing
Broadland Housing Register Hits 1,043, Up 11% in 8 Months
Sixty-two per cent of households waiting need a one-bedroom home. Only 5.6% of Broadland's homes have one bedroom. Cabinet sees the evidence on 15 September.
Reedham
Reedham Swing Bridge Fixed Early, Big Boats Passing Again
Network Rail has finished replacing the 123-year-old bridge's central bearing ahead of its mid-September target. Only 30 boats got through all summer.
Planning
Broadland Planning: 10 Homes Recommended Despite Objections
Officers back all three schemes at the 9 September committee, citing Broadland's missing five-year housing land supply. Speaking requests close 5pm Friday.
Business
Broadland Business Grants: £1,000 to £5,000, First Come
The council's new two-year Business Builder fund is worth up to £250,000. Build Up grants pay half your costs up to £1,000, Development grants up to £5,000.
Council
Broadland Taxi Age Limit May Go Before It Ever Starts
The 10-year age cap due to hit Broadland's 682 private hire cars in April 2027 would be replaced by a Euro 5 test. The zero emission target slips to 2035.
Food hygiene
Broadland Food Hygiene: 24 of 28 Scored 5 in August
Twenty-eight Broadland venues had hygiene ratings published in August and 24 took the top score. One pub got a 3. Every result, with the date it was inspected.
Heritage
Wroxham's Trafford Mausoleum Upgraded to Grade II*
Historic England raised the Trafford Mausoleum to Grade II* on 17 July, the only one of Broadland's 1,021 listed buildings amended this year. What tipped it.
Community
Broadland Community Awards: Nominations Close 27 August
Nominations for the Broadland Community Awards close on Thursday 27 August. Each winner picks a local charity to receive £250. Judging follows on 3 September.
House prices
Broadland House Prices Up £21,083, Steepest in Norfolk
The average Broadland home hit £315,128 in June, up £21,083 in a year. That 7.2% rise is four times England's rate and the steepest of Norfolk's districts.
Travel
Reedham Swing Bridge shut to boats, trains off 29-30 Aug
Reedham swing bridge cannot open for larger boats until mid-September, and Norwich to Lowestoft trains become buses on 29 and 30 August. The dates in full.
Planning
Acle Neighbourhood Plan now needs a village referendum
Acle's rewritten plan must go to a village vote, the examiner has ruled. Its 23 new green spaces tipped it over, and a developer wants three views deleted.
Housing
Thorpe St Andrew: work starts on 87 social rent flats
Building has begun on the old Griffin pub site: 87 flats for over-55s, all at social rent. Permission took four and a half years, and the planning file shows why.
What's On
Aylsham Show 2026: £22 advance tickets end 30 August
The 78th Aylsham Show fills Blickling Park on Monday 31 August. Advance tickets £22 until midnight on 30 August, £26 on the gate; under-16s and parking free.
Food hygiene
New China in Thorpe St Andrew rated 0 for food hygiene
New China on Thunder Lane was given the lowest possible rating on 14 July. It is the only zero among the 960 food businesses on Broadland's hygiene register.