Here is a media release from Bath & North East Somerset Council.
Thousands of responses received to Local Plan Options consultation
The council has received more than 7,500 comments on the proposed
options for future development needs across Bath and North East
Somerset.
The Local Plan Options consultation gave people the opportunity to add
their comments about where Bath & North East Somerset Council should
plan for the delivery of new homes and jobs and what policies are needed
for addressing the climate and ecological emergencies.
The options were approved by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s
cabinet earlier this year and support the council’s Corporate
Strategy and Economic Strategy, which aim to deliver a fairer, more
prosperous and sustainable economy.
A key objective for the Local Plan is to maximise the delivery of
housing that is more affordable and the government’s standard
assessment suggests an estimated need for 14,500 additional homes up to
2042. Of those, more than 6,000 will be built on sites, mainly
brownfield sites in Bath, which are already committed for development
via planning permission or allocated in the current Local Plan.
With the council keen to reach as many people as possible and give them
the opportunity to have their say, the nine-week consultation period
included extensive communication with communities and stakeholders
across B&NES and a series of in-person events that were attended by more
than 600 people.
The website included links to a series of videos, explaining the process
and giving guidance for commenting or outlining the proposed options in
each of the locations that could be developed in Keynsham and Saltford,
Hicks Gate, Whitchurch, Bath and the Somer Valley.
Councillor Mathew McCabe, Cabinet Member for Built Environment and
Sustainable Development, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took
the time to respond and comment on our proposed plans and policies.
Although we had some software teething problems at the start, we
received nearly 7,000 responses online. That’s three times more than
any previous planning consultation and in total is double the number of
comments we have received for any of the previous planning policy
consultations. The planning team will carefully consider the issues
raised in the comments and feedback and they will help to shape the
Draft Local Plan.”
The council will work closely with key stakeholders on the Draft Local
Plan which will be produced and subject to full public consultation
early next year giving residents another opportunity to have their say.
It will then be submitted to the Secretary of State and examined by an
independent planning inspector. Once approved by the inspector, it will
be adopted by the council. When adopted, the Local Plan will guide
planning decision until 2042.