Views of the Broads

Here’s news of a small selection of Broads Authority partnership projects. To find out more about all our projects go to

broads-authority.gov.uk

Celebrating difference

The Broads has some buildings whose wider significance has only become apparent in recent years. There are many listed buildings, protected for their special architectural or historic interest, but there are many more buildings that contribute to local character through their appearance or historical associations. The Broads Authority records these in a Local List of Heritage Assets. You can read more at

broads-authority.gov.uk/planning/other-planning-issues

In autumn 2024 we were delighted that a number of buildings on the local list were given listed building status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, on the advice of Historic England. The newly listed buildings are among those often known as waterside chalets, and even their name suggests that their longevity and significance, beyond the personal, was not foreseen. They were mostly built in the first decades of the 20th century, as part of the growing development of the Broads for tourism and leisure. If you know the Broads you may well know them. They are often very distinctive, with whimsical design elements, adding to their appeal. Here are some of those that have been listed.

Dutch Tutch began life as a helter-skelter at the end of the Britannia Pier in Great Yarmouth. In 1909 the pier caught fire and the remains of the helter-skelter were transported to Potter Heigham. In 1910 the lower section was used to create a holiday cottage, while the top of the structure was used as an outbuilding.

Tower View was erected at Potter Heigham in the early 20th century. It was created using prefabricated materials produced by Boulton & Paul Limited, a Norwich-based company, which also created the huts for Scott’s Antarctic expedition.

The Holt and its boathouse, Potter Heigham were also built in the early 20th century, for Mr W Boning, who had a furnishing business in Great Yarmouth. Much of the furniture still present in the Holt was originally from his shop. The Holt is probably also a Boulton & Paul prefabricated structure.

Staithcote at Wroxham was built in 1911 as a boathouse and was extended with residential accommodation above by 1913. The chalet is timber-framed with weatherboarded walls to the boathouse and a roof thatched with Norfolk reed, in the tradition of cottage orné (a rustic building of picturesque design).

Finally, and perhaps most significant of all, there’s The Eel Sett near Potter Heigham. It’s on the Weavers’ Way, beside Candle Dyke, which leads to Hickling Broad. An eel sett was where eel catchers would put out their nets at night to catch eels, with a little hut for accommodation. The sett at Candle Dyke is thought to be the last in England. It dates from the early 20th century and was in commercial use until it was purchased by a trust in 1992.

norfolk.gov.uk/article/42976/Weavers-Way-Cromer-to-Great-Yarmouth

Recreation and tourism

2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the start of UK national parks, with the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. Summer 2024 also saw the launch of our Broads Recreation and Tourism Strategy 2024-29. It assesses where we are now and looks ahead. It sets out actions to enhance, manage and promote recreation and sustainable tourism in the Broads, and looks at further development of sustainable tourism, attracting wider audiences and destination management. The five-year action plan focuses on greening the Broads, valuing the national park and a landscape for all. But what does a landscape for all mean? Essentially it’s about making the Broads and other protected landscapes more welcoming to wider audiences. You can read the strategy at

broads-authority.gov.uk/about-us/how-we-work

Generation Green 2

One of the wider audiences referred to above is young people without easy access to places like the Broads. Generation Green 2, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is one of the national initiatives to address this lack of access. It stemmed from an aspiration in a 2019 Government report, to enable young people to have ‘A night under the stars’ – an overnight stay in protected landscapes. This translated into the first phase, Generation Green, co-ordinated by YHA (the Youth Hostels Association), which worked with young people living in England’s most socially disadvantaged areas, with the aim of connecting them to nature, many for the first time.

Fortunately, the Government funding continued and the second phase, Generation Green 2, ran until March 2025. In the Broads, Generation Green 2: ‘A night under the stars’, managed by our education staff, was able to build on experiences, activities and engagement gained with schools and partners during the first phase. The funding for the second phase delivered 300 discovery days, 60 nights under the stars and 300 residential visits for young people. Activities included days at Barton Turf Adventure Centre, where young people went pond dipping for dragonfly larvae, learnt about peatland soils by using peat corers, made charcoal, enjoyed boat trips, went on night walks with torches, tried geocaching and encountered wildlife from a canoe.

The two phases of Generation Green have shown us how close encounters with wildlife – usually for the first time – cultivate a sense of care for nature and the Broads, and how a connection with nature improves mental and physical well-being. This in turn benefits protected landscapes for the future, by increasing their relevance to a wider audience, and we hope to continue with similar projects.

yha.org.uk/generationgreen

Young advisers

Young people are already helping us to ensure that we include their views in our planning policies. Youth Advisory Boards (YABs) support many organisations and in the Broads they have been working in particular with our planning service, most recently as part of consultations on the latest Broads Local Plan, the planning policy document for the Broads, which we expect to be adopted during 2025. You can read more about it at

broads-authority.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies

In the Broads we have a great example of how early interest gained through things like YABs can make a big difference to the individuals and organisations involved. Our Assistant Planning Officer, Callum Sculfor, was part of a YAB back in his teenage years. Now he’s participating in YABs as a member of Broads Authority staff, together with other planning and education staff.

What happens at a YAB?

“I give an introduction to what the Broads is, what’s special about it and what the Broads Authority does. Then I do an overview on planning, with brief discussion about why we need planning. I do an exercise with the participants where we discuss good and bad planning and some historically significant planning decisions.

“For recent YABs, Natalie Beal, our Planning Policy Officer, then introduced a discussion about the Broads Local Plan – why we have it and why it’s important. We talk about how the world was 20 years ago and how it could be in 20 years’ time, from things that affect everyone day-to-day, such as housing, to things that are part of the wider environment, such as wind turbines, asking what the young participants would like to see improved.

“We did a similar session with a special educational needs group. All the events are very engaging for us as well as the groups and we get a lot of positive feedback.

“I first got involved in my younger days when I was 15 and at Long Stratton High School. I joined the YAB, which was looking for students interested in making a difference in our area. I remember feeling that I had ideas worth sharing and a natural drive to lead, so I put my name forward and was selected.

“Taking part in the board became a real turning point for me. We often met at South Norfolk Council, and it was there that I began forming connections with people from various backgrounds, relationships that later helped me navigate into a career in planning. My goal back then was to gain experience and insight into how decisions affecting communities are made. I learned so much about working collaboratively and working as part of a board. Almost a decade on, I still work in planning and have moved authorities to the Broads Authority and love what I do every day.”