Contact:
  • Planning Policy
  • Address:
    Planning Policy,Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP
  • E-mail:
    planning_policy@bathnes.gov.uk
  • Telephone:
    01225 477548
  • Fax:
    01225 477641
  • Minicom:
    01225 477535
  • Page Updated:
    27/06/2009
  • Author:
    Planning Policy
A to Z Index
Other Websites
National Planning Policy 
The Planning Portal
Plan Making Manual
The Planning Pack
 South West Planning Aid

Links to external sites will open in a new browser window. Bath & North East Somerset Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

My House...


Subscribe to Inform Subscribe to Inform and get local news for free

and get local news for free.

Planning Policy

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.

Purchase Documents

All Planning Policy publications are available free of charge on our website. Hard copies are available for purchase, and can be ordered by either calling 01225 477548 or E-Mailing planning_policy@bathnes.gov.uk .