Purpose

In 2024 and 2025 the council published and consulted on Local Plan Options documents each of which set out a series options for meeting the need for housing, economic space and supporting infrastructure, as well as a range of approach options for District-wide Development Management policies to be used in determining planning applications. Following consideration of the issues raised in comments submitted on the Options documents and further technical work the Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan has been prepared. The Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan sets out the council’s proposed spatial strategy, site allocations to meet development needs and Development Management policies. This report seeks approval of the Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan for public consultation commencing in June this year.

Decision

1. To approve the Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan (Attachment 1) for public consultation commencing in the week of 14th September 2026 for a period of six weeks.
2. To agree and authorise the Executive Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development and Communications and Community, to issue communications relating to the Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan and to undertake consultation as summarised in this report.
3. To delegate authority to the Executive Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, to agree textual, presentational, typographical and factual changes to the Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan and supporting consultation material prior to publication, provided that such changes do not materially alter the strategy, site allocations or policy approach approved by Cabinet.
4. To note that following the Regulation 19 consultation, the representations received, together with the Local Plan, will be reported to Cabinet and Full Council to decide whether to submit the Local Plan for independent examination.

Reasons for the decision

Having a Local Plan in place means that the council is better able to influence and shape future development, ensuring it is of higher quality, that much needed affordable housing is provided and that the delivery of housing is supported by the co-ordinated provision of the necessary supporting infrastructure in a timely manner.

Alternative options considered

The main alternative options considered were to:

a) not prepare and adopt a Local Plan; or

b) to not progress the Local Plan 2025 – 2043 under the legacy system and to prepare a new-style Local Plan to conform with the West of England Spatial Development Strategy.