South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 14/11/2013

The decision by Inspector Paul Crysell, subject to a number of modifications being made by the council, follows last summer’s detailed public examination in which Mr Crysell considered the views of hundreds of local people, organisations and community groups.

His approval is a significant milestone for the strategy and means that councillors can now consider whether the plan should be formally adopted for implementation, at the next full Council meeting to be held on 11 December.

As South Gloucestershire’s main long-term planning document, the strategy represents the outcome of extensive consultation and engagement with the local community and sets out the area’s agreed overarching development vision until 2027.

This ‘plan-led’ approach to development will enable the council to work with developers and the local community to deliver the new jobs, homes and infrastructure South Gloucestershire will need in the coming years, while protecting the area from development in less appropriate locations.

Economic measures set out in the strategy include the creation of three new Enterprise Areas focused on Filton, Severnside and Emersons Green, with the potential to deliver thousands of new jobs over the plan period.

The strategy also makes provision for a total of 28,355 new homes, including affordable housing, with the majority of development located near major employment areas in the North Fringe to reduce the need for lengthy commuting.

Proposed housing development will be accompanied by new public transport infrastructure and community facilities such as schools, community centres and open spaces, to enable the new and existing communities of South Gloucestershire to prosper.

The Inspector’s report will be published online at www.southglos.gov.uk/corestrategy later today.