Housing in South Gloucestershire

Until the 2010 General Election there were targets for housing provision set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), a 20 year plan for the South West 2006-2026. However the RSS was never ratified and the Coalition Government has now revoked RSSs nationally. The local spatial plans, or Development Frameworks of the local authorities in the Avonside area, which were supposed to reflect the RSS proposals, are all currently being produced. While the new planning system places the responsibility for determining housing provision in the hands of local authorities, it is still not entirely clear how the new system will work. Bristol’s Core Strategy is currently being examined for soundness by a Planning Inspector and we expect his decision in the autumn on Bristol’s proposals for a lower figure than that in the RSS.

We strongly opposed the RSS levels of housing growth and continue to argue for housing provision according to evidenced local need.

The Draft RSS included proposals for 23,000 additional houses in South Gloucestershire. The Secretary of State increased this figure to 32,800, including 3,000 north of Yate, 17,500 within the existing urban area of Bristol and a further 10,000 in 2 urban extensions on the Green Belt along the M32 and south of the M4.

We were extremely concerned about the proposals and our comments about the threat to South Gloucestershire were included in the CPRE South West Response to the latest consultation on the Strategy. To read the section of this Response relating to housing plans for South Gloucestershire read this document:
Regional CPRE Proposed C response Oct 08 – Section 4(2)HMAs

We are currently responding to South Gloucestershire Council’s Pre- Submission Publication Draft Core Strategy which proposes 21,500 homes

Developers have been targetting the Greenbelt, with applications being submitted for housing on land at Oldland Common and at Stoke Gifford. We have objected to these proposals.