About Planning Policy
Planning Policy shapes the places where people live and work in
Bath & North East Somerset.
The Planning Policy Team produces planning policy documents to
guide and encourage future development in the District, while
ensuring that the character of places that are valued is preserved
and enhanced.
Planning policy also plays a vital role in supporting social,
environmental and economic objectives for the district and in
supporting the creation of sustainable communities.
Local Plan
Bath & North East Somerset’s Local Plan including minerals
and waste policies is the primary basis for deciding planning
applications in the district. It sets out policies which guide how
and where development should take place up to the year 2011. The
Local Plan was adopted on 18th October 2007.
Local Development Framework
The Local Development Framework is the portfolio of local
development documents that provides the framework for delivering
the spatial strategy for the district over the next 20
years. Work is underway on documents which will make up
Bath & North East Somerset's Local Development Framework.
Regional and
Sub-Regional Planning Policy
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has
announced her response to the Examination in Public recommendations
on the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). The RSS contains
housing targets for the west of the England area up until 2026 as
well as the planning policies needed to respond to the challenge of
climate change.
The main findings that effect Bath and North East Somerset are
as follows:
- Increase in the overall housing requirement for Bath &
North East Somerset for the period 2006 to 2026 from 15,500 new
homes in the draft RSS to 21,300
- Expansion of Keynsham to strengthen its role as a service
centre through the provision of 3,000 additional homes
- Increase in the size of the urban extension to south east
Bristol from 6,000 new homes in draft RSS to 9,500 homes (8,000
within Bath & North East Somerset and 1,500 within Bristol City
Council area)
- Increase in the size of the urban extension to Bath from 1,500
new homes in draft RSS to 2,000 homes
- Need to plan for employment growth of about 20,200 additional
jobs within the Bath Travel to Work Area including the provision of
about 39 hectares of employment land
- The Council needs to identify sites to meet the specific needs
of different groups of gypsies and travellers and travelling
showpeople by providing pitches and plots as follows: Gypsies &
travellers – 19 residential pitches and 20 transit pitches by
2011; and Travelling showpeople – 51 plots across the West of
England area comprising the unitary authorities of Bath
& North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South
Gloucestershire.
Bath & North East Somerset Council Cabinet Member for
Planning, Councillor Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham
North), said: “We understand completely the need for more housing
in our area, especially affordable housing, however, we are
disappointed with this news as it represents a significant increase
in our housing targets. With our West of England partners we
proposed a target of 15,500 houses in Bath & North East
Somerset; this was increased by over 3,000 following the
“Examination in Public” panel Chair’s report and now the Secretary
of State has announced a further increase of 2,500 houses. We
have real doubts over capacity to deliver such an increase over and
above the reasonable projections. We also have concerns about
the reality of the proposed rate of growth of employment in the
Bath travel to work area. The current state of the housing market,
coupled with our particular heritage and environmental constraints,
means that we will find this target unsustainable and will require
significant infrastructure developments to be well coordinated with
housing growth”
Local residents can read the full announcement by the Secretary
of State by visiting the
Government Office for South West website
Planning Policy Research- Evidence Base
The Council has a responsibility to manage, develop and analyse
comprehensive survey and monitoring information, covering a wide
range of social, economic and environmental matters that affect the
district. Key studies which have been undertaken are listed.
For information about studies which have been commissioned or are
underway contact the Planning Policy team.
Adopted Supplementary Planning
Documents
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) and Supplementary
Planning Guidance (SPG) that have been adopted by the Council are
listed.
Public
Consultations
Sign up to the Council's e-consultation facility to be
notified of any upcoming consultations and to respond to
consultations online.
Links
Transport Policy
Find out more about transport policy in the district.
National Planning
Policy
Set out in the governments Planning Policy Statements, and
Planning Policy Guidance.
Planning Portal
The government’s online service for planning. The website can be
used to learn about the planning system or research the latest
government policy.
The Planning Pack
Produced by Planning Aid and provides 17 information sheets on
different aspects of planning. The pack is designed to provide
knowledge of how the planning system works to enable individuals
and groups to participate in the system.
South West Planning Aid
Provides free, independent and impartial advice on town planning
matters to community groups and individuals who cannot afford
professional fees.
