Work starts on a new Local Plan for Stroud District
Stroud District Council is starting work on a new Local Plan that will set out how the district could grow and develop over the coming years.
The Local Plan guides decisions on homes, jobs, infrastructure and the protection of the district’s landscapes and environment, helping to ensure that development meets local needs while supporting thriving communities and tackling the climate and nature emergency.
It is a mandatory Government requirement and marks the beginning of a new plan‑making process, reflecting significant changes in national planning policy.
Updated government methods for assessing housing need indicate that the district’s minimum local housing need will increase, meaning the council must plan for a higher level of housing provision than previously required. Indicative estimates suggest a minimum requirement of 840 dwellings per year, compared with the 620 dwellings per year used in the submitted Local Plan review 2021.
Work on the new Local Plan will take place over several years and will include engagement with residents, communities, parish and town councils, businesses and other organisations across the district. Starting a new plan now will allow the council to respond proactively to rising housing need, while ensuring that growth is planned in a sustainable and locally‑appropriate way. By setting clear, locally agreed priorities for growth, a new Local Plan empowers local people to shape the future of their communities in a fair and transparent way.
The new Local Plan will consider:
- What types of homes and jobs are needed in the district and where they should be located, including meeting the increased minimum housing requirement
- How to support sustainable transport, renewable energy and low‑carbon development
- How to protect and enhance Stroud district’s countryside, biodiversity and built heritage
- The infrastructure required to support healthy, inclusive and resilient communities
Council Leader, Councillor Chloe Turner said: “The Local Plan shapes the future of our district, so it’s important we take the time to get it right. Government changes mean we now face a higher minimum housing need, and this new plan will help us address that challenge in a way that reflects local priorities, protects our environment and supports strong communities.”
Early work will focus on updating the council’s evidence base and setting out how and when people can get involved. Public engagement will begin at the earliest stages, with opportunities for local people to help shape the issues and options the council will consider.
Full Council decision
At its meeting on 30 April, Full Council was asked to resolve to approve the start of work on a new Stroud District Local Plan, authorising officers to begin the statutory plan‑making process and to carry out early evidence‑gathering and engagement in line with national planning requirements.
The unanimously-backed decision ensures the council can plan positively for future housing and development needs while shaping growth in a sustainable way.
Further details, including timescales and how to take part, will be published on the council’s website as the new Local Plan programme develops.
ENDS
|
