Growth happens all the time within our urban areas, and market towns, as individual sites and buildings are redeveloped. This is allowed for in national planning policy and in our current Local Plan. There are existing policies to manage these developments to avoid negative impacts on neighbours and harm to the environment, and to achieve high-quality design.
In our new Local Plan we will continue to manage this type of development. However, national policy now says that in the most sustainable locations, around town centres, high streets and public transport hubs, we must make the best use of brownfield land by optimising the density of new development.
The new Local Plan needs to make sure we do this without compromising quality of life for existing and new residents. To do this we need to set a new approach called ‘urban lifestyles’ that will make the most effective use of our urban land when planning applications are submitted.
Our new Local Plan, can also ‘allocate’ areas of land for new development. And set out areas where the use and nature of development needs to be protected such as employment areas.
This land would still need to obtain planning permission , but allocating sites for development in a Local plan helps everyone understand that the principle of a type and scale of development would be acceptable. Or that a particular use should be safeguarded from change, such as in an employment area.
In our Phase 2 consultation we want to share a first look at potential site allocations and areas for continuing employment safeguarding in our urban areas and market towns.
These potential site allocations could provide some of the homes we need by making the best use of land in the most sustainable locations. We need to understand how much development might be possible in our urban areas before suggesting growth and changes in other parts of South Gloucestershire in later stages of our new local plan. We set out in our Phase 2 consultation how many new homes we need to find – click here to find out more.
In this Phase 2 Local Plan consultation we are
You can also view the potential site allocations and safeguarded employment areas in our consultation document, by urban area here.
This map shows all of the currently safeguarded employment sites in the urban areas. Should these all continue to be protected for employment?
Also shown on the map are the potential site allocations to deliver homes and other uses over the plan period. We would like your views on these site allocations at this early stage preparing our new local plan.
Some of the potential allocation sites are on the safeguarded employment areas – here we are asking you about which option might be best. Continuing to protect part or all of the employment area, or allow change to homes and other uses as part of a second option.
Click on the map below to get started. You can look at any of the safeguarded employment sites and potential site allocations on the map.
You can select each individual site by clicking on it on the map. You can then find further information by clicking the green tab ‘Find out more and have your say’.
When you click on a ‘potential site allocation’ it will give you an option of finding out more about the potential use and scale of development. And allow you to give your views.
You can also click on the safeguarded employment areas and let us know whether you support its safeguarding for employment uses and development.
Please note the site proposals here are to inform allocations and safeguarding in the new Local Plan. It is not the final chance to comment and is separate to a formal planning application!