Stroud is an interesting district to work in and we have been providing planning consultancy services on residential, commercial and householder development projects in the area for over 15 years.
Undoubtedly a beautiful location, in planning terms it has unique challenges; over 50% of the District’s total land area is covered by the Cotswolds National Landscape (previously Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)); the western half is bounded by the Severn Estuary with associated flooding issues; furthermore there are several internationally important wildlife sites.
This article seeks to provide an overview of the latest planning issues and considerations for Stroud District.
Stroud District Council – adopted local plan position
Stroud District Council adopted their Local Plan in November 2015. This plan provides the planning framework for the District for the period up to 2031.
However, in line with a government requirement for Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to review their plans every 5 years, a Local Plan review is currently underway. Consultation was undertaken during 2020 and 2021 and we wrote about these consultations at the time and looked at Stroud District’s need to increase housing supply by 40%.
Day to day, the LPA continues to use their adopted Local Plan (2015) as the primary framework for consideration when deciding applications.
Stroud District Council – latest emerging local plan position
On the 29th August 2023 Stroud District Council published the Inspectors response to their draft local plan review. The letter, dated the 4th August, states that:
‘… whilst we recognise the need for pragmatism in the examination of local plans and the desirability of an up-to-date plan for Stroud District being found sound as soon as possible, we think it only fair to advise you that we currently consider that withdrawal of the Stroud District Local Plan Review from this Examination may well be the most appropriate way forward.’
The key concerns raised by the Inspectors, related to the impact on the Strategic Road Network, specifically Junctions 12 to 14 of the M5 motorway, which will need to be improved in order to facilitate a number of housing allocations. Following their detailed analysis of the situation, the Inspectors felt that they had no confidence that the necessary improvement to the M5 Junctions could be funded and delivered during the plan period and as such, they could not conclude that there would be any reasonable prospect that the relevant site allocations would be delivered. As a result, the spatial strategy as a whole cannot be found sound.
The Council wrote to the Inspectors to request a 6 month pause in the Examination proceedings. On the 5th February 2024 the Inspectors wrote to Stroud Council to confirm that they agreed to pause the Examination for a period of 10 months, to provide time to complete the work set out in the Joint Action Plan, followed by a public consultation.
The public consultation into this technical evidence ran from Monday 9th September to Wednesday 23rd October. Only parties who submitted representations at the Regulation 19 consultation stage of the Plan were eligible to respond. Now the consultation has concluded, the Council will summarise the consultation comments, provide responses to any issues raised and submit these documents to the Inspectors on the 5th December 2024. At that date, the EiP will be considered to have re-started and the pause will be complete. The Inspectors have indicated that hearing sessions will then recommence in spring 2025.
5-year housing land supply and housing delivery in Stroud
Relatively recent planning appeal decisions dating from October 2023 confirm that Stroud can demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply. The 2023 NPPF introduced the concept of LPA’s needing to only demonstrate a 4–year housing land supply (those with a published emerging local plan). The Council published its latest assessment of housing land supply in November 2024 and this report demonstrated 4.33 year supply, meaning their current policies carry full weight. As for their housing delivery test, results published by MHCLG for 2022 showed Stroud District meeting 136% of their target.
Developments in Stroud – what this means for landowners and developers
However, there is potentially a window of opportunity about to open. Amendments to the NPPF as proposed by the Labour Government seek to withdraw the 4-year housing land supply (HLS) provision. In addition, proposed changes to the way that HLS is calculated could see Stroud’s required housing supply figures increase by over 30%. This would leave the authority unable to demonstrate a 5YHLS unless, and until, its emerging plan is adopted which contains large site allocations to deliver the needed supply of homes.
As we have outlined above, the examination of that emerging plan has been stalled, and we will wait to see in early 2025 whether the Inspectors believe that their concerns have been suitably addressed by Stroud.
Furthermore, rumours in our industry are that the amended NPPF could be published at the end of December, and if it remains as drafted in the consultation version, then Stroud will not be able to demonstrate a 5-year supply of homes and the presumption in favour of sustainable development in the NPPF will be triggered.
That will be the time to progress with an application – and swiftly.
In regard to the current 4-year housing land supply position, it is worth remembering that this is just a minimum figure. Indeed, an appeal decision from July 2020 usefully supports this point, with the Inspector stating:
The Council claim that there is no overriding need for further residences, but the Framework’s five-year housing land supply target is expressed as a minimum and there is no policy that precludes additional development over this figure.
It will be interesting to see how well the housing land supply position stands up to the examination of the Local Plan and the publication of the revised NPPF. In the meantime our planning consultants will keep a close eye on the progression of both Stroud’s Revised Local Plan and the revised NPPF.
How we can help you
Our team regularly help landowners and developers promote land as potential strategic development sites and we can assist in a variety of ways, including:
- Provide planning consultancy assistance with planning applications and planning appeals;
- Strategy advice; and
- Local plan representations.
We are Plainview Planning, now part of McLoughlin Planning – a solutions orientated, experienced and knowledgeable team of planning consultants. If you need professional and informed planning support with your development project, then contact our team via enquiries@plainview.co.uk, or call us on 01242 501003, providing the site address and a brief overview of your project. We look forward to helping you.
We value your privacy and any information which you provide will not be shared outside of our company and will only be used in relation to your enquiry.
The content of this article is accurate at the time of writing, but do contact our team for the most up to date information.
A planning consultant in Stroud – our experience
With upwards of 15 years’ experience in the area, a snapshot of some of our favourite projects can be seen below:
This inspiring 3 bed dwelling in Stroud replaced a large ancillary outbuilding. Our planners secured approval for this exciting development, located in the AONB and outside the settlement boundary. Our analysis of policy and case law were key to securing a positive outcome for this project.
Planning approval for stunning contemporary dwelling nestled into landscape of Slad Valley. Our strategic involvement turned a potential refusal into an approval for this exciting scheme located on agricultural land and outside the settlement boundary.
Successful conversion of several agricultural barns into 3 x 2 bed live work units in rural Stroud. A rewarding but challenging project set in the AONB and outside the settlement boundary. Our negotiation, analysis of policy and planning strategy were key to success.
Our planning team successfully secured planning approval for a stunning single dwelling in a challenging location, where previous residential development applications had been refused. Our strategic approach and effective engagement with the LPA were key.
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*The content is correct as at the date of the article*
INFORMATION SOURCES:
House of Commons Library, Housing: How is need assessed? October 2020
Stroud District Council, Consultation: Additional Housing Options Consultation – 21st October 2020 to 16th December 2020
Housing Delivery Test Gov.uk
Stroud District Council Monitoring