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Planning consultation: Local Plan partial update and Statement of Community Involvement

This consultation ran from 6 April to 1 June 2020

We currently at the next stage of consultation with our Local Plan. An Options consultation is running from 7 January to 18 February 2021. You can view the Local Plan Partial Update Options consultation on our consultation pages.

We started development of our new Local Plan in 2018, linked to the wider West of England Joint Spatial Plan, a shared strategic plan for the local authorities which make up WECA (The West of England Combined Authority: B&NES, Bristol and South Gloucestershire). However, the Joint Spatial Plan was halted at the Examination stage, and the Plan was withdrawn earlier this year.

We are launching a revised timetable for updating parts of our current Local Plan, and associated planning documents. This page sets out the key documents, and how the process has been open to public comment.

Key documents

Select the key documents below, to read online or download a copy, to view at your leisure.

  • The Local Plan partial update Commencement Document. This document sets out our proposed scope for the review of current local planning policies (together with the Local Plan Policies Review - see below). It is available for you to make comments on.

  • The Local Plan Policies Review. This document lists the particular policies which we are planning to update or revise. It is available for you to make comments on.

  • Our new Statement of Community Involvement. This document sets out how we will consult with residents and stakeholders and how you can get involved in local planning issues, from planning applications through to new planning policies. It is available for you to make comments on.

Why we are updating our Local Plan

The Local Plan is made up of the Core Strategy (adopted in 2014) and the Placemaking Plan (adopted in 2017), both of which cover a period from 2011 to 2029. We had already started work on a new Local Plan, to cover the period 2016 to 2036; however, the withdrawal of the Joint Spatial Plan means that we cannot currently continue that work. The partial review we are now consulting on will update some policies within the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan. This partial update is not a new Local Plan, and will not roll forward or change the plan period of the adopted Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan. 

The partial update will address important issues including the following:

  • The need to update our housing land supply 

  • The need to update particular policies, where circumstances have changed since our Core Strategy was adopted in 2014, particularly the Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency 

What did the consultation cover?

In our online survey, we asked the following four questions:

  • Do you have any comments on the proposed scope and content of the Local Plan Partial Update, and the policies to be updated? 
  • Do you have any comments on the programme for the preparation of the Local Plan Partial Update? 
  • Do you have any other specific observations to make on the Local Plan Partial Update?
  • What are your views on the new Draft Statement of Community Involvement?

How can I take part?

This consultation was held online only, via online commenting and email.

Due to the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19, we were not able to follow our normal processes for public consultations. There will be opportunities to contribute ideas and comment on the emerging content of the Local Plan partial update, when we consult on options and policy approaches later in the year.

View the consultation comments we received

Other things you can do

We are also calling for sites which may be suitable for development. We will review submissions in our regular assessment of land supply for housing and economic development (HELAA) and a review of renewable energy development proposals. The results will inform our Local Plan and West of England SDS.

Propose a site for development (HELAA)

If you would like to receive updates on the Local Plan and other planning policy news as it happens, please sign up to our planning policy mailing list.

Join the local planning policy mailing list