Development Strategy, Vision and Objectives (2026 - 41)

The document below contains all comments that were received on the consultation on the Development Strategy, Vision and Objectives. This includes comments that were submitted online, by email, letter, and from completed comment forms.

You can view the comments by clicking on any yellow speech bubble in the margin of the document. The entire set of comments are also available to download via the links below, along with a summary report of the feedback that was received.

The entire set of comments are also available to download via the links at the bottom of this page.

Please note the following text was live on the site during the consultation and remains for information only.

Development Strategy

Before responding to this section, it is first important to note that the council is partially updating its adopted Local Plan to make it “Green to the Core”. The adopted Local Plan covers a period from 2011 to 2031. At the same time, the council is also considering development needs up to 2041 and options for how these may be delivered as part of a new Local Plan (2026-41).

The consultation proposals being discussed here include both minor updates to the adopted development strategy as part of the Local Plan Partial Update (2011-31) and a new development strategy for the period up to 2041.

What is a Development Strategy?

The development strategy of the Local Plan identifies the requirements for different types of development over the Local Plan period. It also includes policies that set out how and where the development requirements will be delivered.

Proposed minor changes to adopted Local Plan Development Strategy (achieved via an update to the adopted Local Plan 2011-31; see draft policies)

The adopted Local Plan development strategy, which is located at Chapter 6 of the adopted Local Plan, has successfully delivered the district's development requirements from 2011 up to this point. Some minor improvements to the adopted development strategy are proposed within the partial update of the adopted Local Plan. These improvements do not fundamentally alter the adopted development strategy (e.g. they do not update the development requirements up to 2031).

The proposed updates include:

• Reconfirming the five year housing land supply position (currently 7.2 years as of December 2023).
• Specifying that, in the absence of a housing requirement for the period from 1 April 2031, the housing need figure calculated using the government’s standard methodology will be used to measure the five year housing land supply for that period.
• Updating the overall number of additional new homes expected to be delivered between 2011 and 2031 (now expected to be 9,700 C3 use class dwellings).
• Clarifying that the housing requirement will be monitored against a residual ‘stepped’ requirement, which factors in the number of dwellings completed since the beginning of the plan period.
• Making minor updates to policies DS2, DS3 and DS4, including some changes to the development boundaries of Principal Settlements and confirming how accessibility to services, facilities and employment should be measured in policy DS3.

Proposed new Development Strategy (achieved via a new 2026-41 Local Plan)

There are now just over seven years remaining until 2031 when the adopted Local Plan period ends. The council is required to plan for the delivery of development needs and continually maintain a five year housing land supply. Whilst the adopted Local Plan development strategy is expected to continue to work successfully for a few further years, the council needs to ensure that the Local Plan continues to do so in future. It is therefore proposed to proactively address this issue now before a problem arises. Consideration is therefore being given to development needs for the period 2026 to 2041 and options for how these needs can be delivered.

Based on current estimations:

• The local housing need for this period is around 7,400 dwellings [1]. This would reduce to 6,330 dwellings if past over delivery is deducted from the number that needs to be planned for (note, the government has said it will provide clarity on how the over-delivery issue should be dealt at a later date).
• The local housing need is the starting point for determining the housing requirement. The housing requirement may be higher or lower than the local housing need. For example, more homes may be required to increase affordable housing delivery or fewer homes may be required to protect assets or areas of particular importance (e.g. the Cotswolds National Landscape). The requirement would be determined further down the line and the local housing need is used as the basis of this analysis for indicative purposes.
• Around 5,150 dwellings’ worth of housing land supply has already been identified for the period 2026 to 2041.
• Sites capable of delivering around 2,250 additional dwellings would be needed to fully deliver the local housing need or around 1,180 dwellings if past over delivery is deducted from the number that needs to be planned for.
• The adopted Local Plan includes 14% more housing land supply than the housing requirement to provide flexibility in case any sites were not delivered as expected. If the same flexibility were to be provided in the housing land supply up to 2041, around 3,290 additional dwellings would be needed or 2,070 additional dwellings if past over delivery is deducted.
• The number of homes that need to be planned for may increase or decrease as further evidence comes to light (e.g. the housing need is updated annually). However, these figures provide an indication of the scale of development that may be needed up to 2041.
• The needs / requirements and land supply for other types of development would be further assessed and will form part of the updated development strategy.

Eight development strategy options have been identified to accommodate additional development up to 2041. These include:

• Scenario 1: Additional non-strategic site allocations: This option would roll forward the adopted Local Plan development strategy of focussing the majority of additional growth at Principal Settlements, including allocating some sites outside existing development boundaries. The supporting evidence for identifying Principal Settlements would be updated. This may result in some settlements no longer being a Principal Settlement and / or other settlements becoming a Principal Settlement.
• Scenario 2: Main service centre focus: This option would focus the majority of future development (beyond existing commitments) at main service centres. The main services centres have not yet been determined but they would offer the greatest range of services and facilities, public transport accessibility and employment provision.
• Scenario 3: Dispersed growth: This option would disperse development across the district across larger and smaller settlements.
• Scenario 4: Village clusters: Like Scenario 3, this option would also disperse growth. However, settlements would be considered collectively in small groups or ‘clusters’ based on their combined offer of services, facilities, employment provision and transport accessibility. Each village ‘cluster’ would then be the focus for an appropriate and proportionate amount of growth. 
• Scenario 5: New settlement(s): This option would initiate the development of one or more new settlements in the district. The new settlement(s) would grow to include all the services, facilities, employment provision and accessibility standards found within a Main Service Centre. The size criteria of the new settlement and the potential location are yet to be determined.
• Scenario 6: New strategic site(s): This option would deliver one or more new strategic sites at a Principal Settlement(s) at a level that meets Main Service Centre expectations. As with a new settlement, strategic sites have a long lead in time from conception of the idea to the first spade being put in the ground. A new strategic site(s) would therefore be expected to deliver housing towards the mid to end of the updated Local Plan period and would likely continue delivering into the following Local Plan period.
• Scenario 7: Focus growth around transport nodes: This option would focus future growth (beyond existing commitments) along key public transport corridors and around public transport hubs (e.g. rail stations). In so doing, people would be less likely to use their car, helping to reduce congestion and carbon emissions.
• Scenario 8: Request neighbouring authority to deliver some of the housing need: If it is not possible to deliver the full local housing need within the district, it would be necessary to enquire with neighbouring Local Planning Authorities whether they could accommodate some of the district’s need. It has not yet been determined whether this option is necessary.

A combination of Scenarios 1, 2, 6 and 7 would be proposed to accommodate the bulk of additional development needs up to 2041. The adopted development strategy of identifying Principal Settlements would continue where the principle of development is supported. However, the strategy would have a greater focus on reducing carbon emissions and focussing growth at locations with good transport connectivity and access to services, facilities and employment. Accordingly, some settlements may become a Principal Settlement and other settlements may have their Principal Settlement status rescinded.

Additional non-strategic site allocations would be made at the Principal Settlements whilst ensuring that the scale and extent of development within the Cotswolds National Landscape (formerly the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) remains limited and that development is directed away from areas with higher flood risk. In addition, given that Moreton-in-Marsh is a transport hub, which has a railway station; good provision of services, facilities and employment; and has various sites outside the Cotswold National Landscape, the town would become a focus for strategic-scale growth of over 1,500 additional dwellings up to 2041. A longer-term vision, including additional development, may be required to deliver some infrastructure items such as a secondary school.

The adopted development strategy of enabling small-scale residential development in Non-Principal Settlements (Policy DS3) would also continue, although it would have an increased emphasis on settlements that have better access to services, facilities and employment. Consideration may be given to whether some sites could be allocated in Village Clusters (Scenario 4). Together, development in Non-Principal Settlements, Village Clusters and windfall sites [2] would provide additional flexibility within the housing land supply should any site allocations not come forward as planned.

Market housing would continue to be prohibited outside Principal and Non-Principal Settlements (i.e. in open countryside) unless it is in accordance with other policies that expressly deal with residential development in such locations.

An assessment of potential broad locations for growth is provided in the accompanying document titled, ‘Cotswold District Local Plan Update: Integrated Impact Assessment’.

The feedback received on the development strategy options will be considered alongside relevant evidence as it emerges and used to refine the preferred approach.

Vision and Objectives

The adopted Vision is proposed to be updated to also include:

• Responding to the climate crisis;
• Providing more socially rented homes;
• Making the Local Plan Green to the Core;
• Supporting health and well-being; and
• Enabling a vibrant economy.

The adopted Objectives is proposed to be updated to also include:

• Zero carbon developments;
• Transitioning to a low carbon economy whilst maintaining a vibrant economy;
• Providing more opportunities to access affordable housing, particularly social rented housing;
• Delivering Biodiversity Net Gain;
• Ensuring that development supports positive health outcomes; and
• Reducing transport carbon emissions.

[1] Based on the Government’s ‘standard methodology for assessing housing need, although an alternative methodology may be used if there is an exceptional circumstance for doing so.

[2] Windfall sites are sites not specifically identified in the development plan. The windfall allowance for the new Local Plan period is based on the assumption that the current windfall allowance of 138 dwellings per annum will be rolled forward.

Following the Local Plan and Cirencester Town Centre Masterplan consultations, which closed on 7th April 2024, we are currently adding representations made by letter and email to the consultation website. We will then begin the process of analysing and responding to representations.

Comments made to the consultation will temporarily not be publicly viewable whilst we undertake this process. They will be available to view again soon!