Planning in Stroud District has become a case study in what happens when an ambitious growth strategy collides with infrastructure reality. For landowners, promoters and developers, the implications are immediate. 

Stroud District Council still relies on its adopted 2015 Local Plan, but the submitted Local Plan Review (LPR) remains under examination amid serious concerns about deliverability. At the same time, the Council has started work on a new Local Plan in response to changes in national policy and a higher housing requirement. The result is a planning landscape that is both uncertain and unusually fluid. 

For those bringing land forward, that affects timing, site strategy, infrastructure exposure and the weight to be given to development plan policies. In short, Stroud is a District where the policy position is unsettled, the housing land supply is weak and planning outcomes depend increasingly on strategic judgement. 

Stroud’s current planning position: adopted plan, failed review, fresh start

The Council’s adopted Local Plan, dating from November 2015, remains the statutory starting point for determining planning applications. Formally, that has not changed. Practically, the picture is more complicated. 

The submitted LPR has been in examination for years. In spring 2026, the Inspectors issued further questions to the Council and infrastructure bodies, underlining that concerns about deliverability remain unresolved. Meanwhile, the Council has begun work on a new Local Plan to reflect changes in national policy and a higher housing requirement—around 840 dwellings per annum, compared with the 620 used in the submitted review. The District is therefore operating in an awkward middle ground: an adopted plan that is ageing, a review that has not been adopted, and a new plan starting before the old examination has run its course. 

Why the Local Plan Review ran into trouble

The problem is straightforward. Stroud’s LPR placed a heavy bet on a small number of large strategic allocations and the infrastructure needed to unlock them—most notably improvements to M5 Junctions 12 and 14. The Inspectors’ concern has always been whether that infrastructure can be funded and delivered in time. 

That goes to the heart of soundness. A plan cannot sensibly rely on strategic sites if the transport interventions required to support them depend on a substantial funding gap, an uncertain delivery route and an increasingly stretched timetable. In Stroud’s case, the wider lesson is clear: strategic allocations are only as strong as the infrastructure assumptions beneath them. The LPR was not undone by lack of ambition, but by deliverability. 

Housing land supply: the immediate issue for decision-making

Recent material indicates that Stroud cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, with one late-2025 appeal recording supply at 3.24 years. Against the backdrop of the revised standard method and the Council’s higher future requirement, that shortfall is not a minor statistical wobble. It is a significant policy weakness. 

What this means for strategic land and development opportunities in Stroud

The most revealing feature of Stroud’s position is not simply that the LPR ran into difficulty, but why. The Examination has exposed the weakness of a strategy that leaned too heavily on a handful of strategic sites with majorinfrastructure consequences. That does not mean large-scale development has no future in the District. It does mean that strategic promotion now requires a harder-edged assessment of timing, infrastructure burden, policy fit and delivery confidence. 

Strategic plan-making risk: why the next phase matters now

The Council’s decision to begin a new Local Plan is more than an administrative reset. It reflects the fact that the old route may no longer be capable of carrying the weight placed upon it. 

For landowners and developers, the next phase matters because the housing requirement is rising, the Council will need a more credible delivery strategy, and the earliest stages of plan-making are when the biggest strategic choices are still open. The best moment to engage with a new plan is often before it looks like one. 

McLoughlin Planning’s experience in Stroud District

We have advised on a range of development opportunities across Stroud District, from immediate application strategy to long-term promotion, and from brownfield redevelopment to larger greenfield and edge-of-settlement housing land. 

Our work in the District includes the promotion of land for up to 80 dwellings, requiring a planning strategy grounded in the adopted settlement hierarchy, the direction of travel in the emerging plan and the wider housing land supply position. In Dursley, we have acted in relation to both plan promotion and strategy work, including representations on behalf of land interests seeking a stronger role for the town in the District’s housing strategy and more recent advice on how the weakening supply position affects the prospects of bringing land forward. 

In Stonehouse, our experience includes brownfield redevelopment and Permission in Principle work on previously developed land, as well as strategy advice on allocated and edge-of-settlement sites in the wider Stonehouse cluster. In Minchinhampton, we have advised on development strategy for land adjacent to the settlement boundary, balancing access, heritage, landscape and delivery considerations in a location where policy and place sensitivity are closely intertwined. 

Elsewhere in the District, our work has taken us to Painswick and Prinknash, where heritage, landscape designation, settlement strategy and housing land supply intersect in more complex ways. That breadth of experience matters. It means we understand how plan-making, development management, appeal risk and site-specific opportunity can be brought together into a workable commercial strategy. 

Bringing land forward in Stroud

Stroud is not an easy District. It is constrained, politically sensitive and caught between an ageing plan, a troubled review and a new beginning. But that combination creates opportunity as well as risk. 

For landowners, promoters and developers, the task is to identify sites that are in the right place, supported by the right evidence and being advanced at the right moment. That is where strategy counts, and where experienced planning advice can make a material difference. 

Working with McLoughlin Planning

At McLoughlin Planning, our objective is simple: to achieve results for our clients through high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of Chartered Town Planning Consultants provides strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales, working on projects ranging from strategic land promotion and commercial development to private residential schemes and rural diversification projects.  

Following the acquisition of Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group now combines the expertise of 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration enables us to deliver commercially minded, creative solutions to a wide range of planning challenges.  

For larger, strategic or complex projects, such as land promotions, multi-phase developments or aviation schemes, our McLoughlin Planning team can provide specialist advice.  

For householder projects, developments of 10 dwellings or fewer, or smaller independent commercial schemes, our dedicated Plainview Planning team offers tailored support.  

If you have a development proposal that could benefit from expert planning consultancy input, you can explore our team via our About Us page or contact us through the Arrange a Call option on our contact page, or via the email address and telephone number provided below.  

We value your privacy and any information you provide will remain confidential and used solely in relation to your enquiry.  

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date advice on planning policy and development opportunities, please contact our team.  

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director  

T: 01242895008  

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk 

If you read our previous update on the Wiltshire Local Plan Examination, you will be aware of the Inspectors’ concerns about the soundness of the Plan and their clear steer that withdrawal should be on the table. At the forthcoming Cabinet meeting on 6 May, Officers recommend, in no uncertain terms, that the Plan be withdrawn. 

The recommendation to withdraw a Local Plan is something which is not undertaken lightly but is a pragmatic acceptance of the hard facts facing the Council; the Plan is unsound, and the time and work required to make the Plan sound is simply unworkable. This is not a failure on a single point, but the culmination of a multitude of factors, some within the control of the Council (the time spent to prepare the Plan) and some outside of their control (various changes in planning policy). 

If the Plan is withdrawn: what it means in practice 

So, assuming that members follow the Officers’ recommendation, what will this mean? 

The consequences of the withdrawal are significant for those with development and land interests in the County.  

Housing land supply and the tilted balance 

Starting with the matter of housing land supply, it’s well known that the Council has a serious shortfall. The withdrawal of the Local Plan means that this will not be rectified any time soon. As a consequence, whilst the development plan is the starting point for planning applications, the presumption in favour of sustainable development (paragraph 11d) will also be engaged. This allows unallocated sites to come forward. 

The development plan position and policy ‘gap’ risk 

Moving on to the development plan itself, the current Core Strategy’s Plan period expires this year. So, technically, while there are policies governing directions and levels of growth across the county, these are framed by a Plan period which ends in 2026. Our view is that, whilst the principles of development strategy remain somewhat timeless (build in sustainable locations), the Plan does not have the policy tools in place to limit the quantum of growth to specific locations, going forward into 2027 and beyond. 

Neighbourhood planning and decision-making 

There are, of course, other consequences with Neighbourhood Planning and concerns from rural communities about what the above means for speculative development coming forward. Whilst the Cabinet Report does not acknowledge this directly, reference is made to “effective communications and robust decision-making”. 

Opportunities and next steps for promoters and landowners 

But it’s not all bad news. If the Plan is withdrawn, the Council will commence with Plan-making under the 2026 Regulations. Also, the new Plan gives the Council the opportunity to review the failings of the previous one. This, of course, gives landowners and developers a huge opportunity to promote and revisit sites, seeking their allocation through the new Local Plan. We have a track record in Wiltshire and it’s a county we know well.  

Working with McLoughlin Planning 

If you have a site which you believe may have development potential in Wiltshire, we would be pleased to discuss your proposals and explore how we can help bring them forward. 

At McLoughlin Planning, our objective is simple: to achieve results for our clients through high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of Chartered Town Planning Consultants provides strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales, working on projects ranging from strategic land promotion and commercial development to private residential schemes and rural diversification projects. 

Following the acquisition of Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group now combines the expertise of 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration enables us to deliver commercially minded, creative solutions to a wide range of planning challenges. 

For larger, strategic or complex projects — such as land promotions, multi-phase developments or aviation schemes — our McLoughlin Planning team can provide specialist advice. 

For householder projects, developments of 10 dwellings or fewer, or smaller independent commercial schemes, our dedicated Plainview Planning team offers tailored support. 

If you have a development proposal that could benefit from expert planning consultancy input, you can explore our team via our About Us page or contact us through the Arrange a Call option on our contact page, or via the email address and telephone number provided below. 

We value your privacy and any information you provide will remain confidential and used solely in relation to your enquiry. 

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date advice on planning policy and development opportunities, please contact our team. 

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk 

Wiltshire’s long-running Local Plan Review has reached a critical moment. In a letter issued on 2 March 2026, the Inspectors examining the Plan concluded that the Council faces a stark choice: withdraw the Plan or continue the Examination knowing it will likely be found unsound.

The Inspectors’ concerns centre on fundamental issues including insufficient housing allocations, uncertainty around the delivery of a proposed new community at Salisbury, and a timetable that would see adoption of the Plan pushed back to around 2028, leaving it with a lifespan of less than ten years. Against the backdrop of significant national planning reform and Wiltshire’s existing housing land supply shortfall, the Inspectors’ conclusion is clear: the Plan has effectively run out of time.

For landowners, developers and promoters operating in the county, the implications are significant. With the current Core Strategy period ending this year and no replacement plan in place, the policy vacuum is likely to open the door to increased speculative development proposals as the Council seeks to address a serious housing land supply deficit.

Wiltshire’s Local Plan Review – the story so far

For those with development interests in Wiltshire, Monday 2 March 2026 marks the latest episode in the Local Plan Review process, with the publication of a letter from Inspectors.

Essentially, the Inspectors presented the Council with an unenviable choice:

• Withdraw the Plan, or
• Have the Inspectors find that the Plan is unsound.

We have been involved in the Local Plan and the Examination in Public (EiP), promoting land for development. For those with land interests in the County and not familiar with the Local Plan process, the Wiltshire Plan has had a troubled development period, and the Examination has not exactly run smoothly. However, it culminated with the Inspectors writing to the Council in December 2025, setting out serious concerns about the Plan and seeking a response from the Council ascertaining what it was going to do to solve them.

To the Council’s credit, an action plan was promptly published at the end of January, outlining what the Council proposed. In effect, if the Council’s timetable was to be believed, all the necessary technical work for a Plan ending in 2038, could be wrapped up by the autumn of 2026. This, in turn, would allow the Examination to reopen before the end of 2026.

Unfortunately, the Inspectors are not convinced. The time estimate for concluding the technical work is too optimistic and would not see a Plan being adopted until early 2028 at the earliest, leaving a Plan period of less than 10 years.

The key issues: housing supply and time

At this stage, there is no need to dive into the forensic detail of it all. The Inspector’s letter is clear, but the key issues can be summarised in not allocating enough land, question marks over the delivery of a new community in Sailsbury, culminating in a Plan, which will have a shelf-life of just over 10 years from adoption. When this is added to the Government’s reform of the Local Plan system, launching this year, the conclusion is stark: the Inspectors have concluded that the Council has simply run out of time and, unlike Marty McFly, there is no DeLorean to allow them to revisit earlier mistakes.

Wiltshire’s housing land supply challenge

So, what does this all mean?

Like many LPAs, Wiltshire had a serious housing land supply problem going into the Examination and this is compounded by the NPPF revisions in December 2024. Currently, the Council’s own figures present a five-year supply figure of 2.42 years. Matters are amplified even more by the Plan period of the current Core Strategy, which expires this year. Given the failure of the Plan, the Council no longer has a Plan in place to resolve this undersupply.

Again, this raises the inevitable question of “speculative development” coming forward, and it is a simple, obvious fact that sites will be coming forward to meet its housing land supply requirements. While some will deride this, it has to be remembered that these sites will provide homes for all, including much-needed affordable housing. They will also create jobs and support local services and facilities. Housebuilding is a good thing. It also must be remembered that this is not just limited to housebuilding; employment development can also be viewed through a positive lens.

Wiltshire has a well-understood settlement hierarchy and makes extensive use of settlement boundaries. Neighbourhood Planning is also prevalent in the County, with several Parish Councils producing Plans which allocate housing sites (some of which we have secured).

Opportunities for landowners and the SME Housebuilding Sector

The current situation also represents a huge opportunity for the SME Housebuilding Sector. Now is the time to look seriously at smaller sites that can come forward and be delivered within five years. In looking at sites to come forward, I cannot stress enough that it’s a question of doing the basics right, ensuring the site is in a sensible location, deliverable, and free of genuine constraints. Writing this article in March, we are on the cusp of ecological survey season, so speculative applications this year are a realistic possibility.  Also, given the sheer size of the County, I would recommend that very careful attention is given to the sustainability credentials of a site, in terms of accessibility to services and facilities, not just in the settlement concerned, but also to major centres elsewhere in the County.

What next for planning and development in Wiltshire

The Inspectors’ latest letter effectively places Wiltshire’s Local Plan Review at a crossroads. Whether the Council ultimately withdraws the Plan or continues the Examination, the underlying issues remain the same: the county faces a significant housing land supply shortfall, and the current development plan framework is approaching the end of its life.

In the short to medium term, this creates a very different planning landscape. Without an adopted revised plan in place, and with national policy continuing to place strong emphasis on housing delivery, it is inevitable that new sites will come forward to help address the shortfall. While often labelled “speculative”, such development plays an important role in delivering homes, including affordable housing, supporting economic growth and sustaining local services.

How we can help you with your development aspirations in Wiltshire

For landowners and developers, the key will be identifying sites that are genuinely deliverable and well located in sustainability terms. Smaller sites capable of coming forward quickly – particularly those suited to SME housebuilders – may be especially well placed in the current context.

As ever, success will depend on careful site assessment, robust planning strategy and a clear understanding of the local policy landscape. With the right approach, the current uncertainty in Wiltshire’s plan-making process may present a real opportunity for landowners and developers to bring forward sustainable development.

Having recently secured permission on both allocated and unallocated sites in the County, we can advise you on how to make the most of the opportunity this presents.

Working with McLoughlin Planning

If you have a site which you believe may have development potential in Wiltshire, we would be pleased to discuss your proposals and explore how we can help bring them forward.

At McLoughlin Planning, our objective is simple: to achieve results for our clients through high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of Chartered Town Planning Consultants provides strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales, working on projects ranging from strategic land promotion and commercial development to private residential schemes and rural diversification projects.

Following the acquisition of Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group now combines the expertise of 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration enables us to deliver commercially minded, creative solutions to a wide range of planning challenges.

For larger, strategic or complex projects — such as land promotions, multi-phase developments or aviation schemes — our McLoughlin Planning team can provide specialist advice.

For householder projects, developments of 10 dwellings or fewer, or smaller independent commercial schemes, our dedicated Plainview Planning team offers tailored support.

If you have a development proposal that could benefit from expert planning consultancy input, you can explore our team via our About Us page or contact us through the Arrange a Call option on our contact page, or via the email address and telephone number provided below.

We value your privacy and any information you provide will remain confidential and used solely in relation to your enquiry.

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date advice on planning policy and development opportunities, please contact our team.

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

For our latest update on the Stroud Local Plan, see our latest article here: Planning in Stroud: local plan uncertainty, infrastructure risk and what it means for strategic land.

2025 has been a busy year for all things related to the Stroud Local Plan Examination in Public (EiP).

For those fellow Stroud watchers, the summer saw the Council submit to the Inspectors new Highway Evidence relating to the capacity of various motorway junctions, which had previously given the Inspectors serious concerns. Essentially, the Council’s position was that the new evidence prepared jointly with Highways England demonstrated that the capacity problems could be overcome. The latest evidence did not remove the requirement for Junction upgrades. Instead, it looked to delay the delivery of key strategic allocations to provide the necessary headroom to enable the Council to resolve serious funding deficits. On 9 October, the Inspectors issued their detailed verdict on the latest material issued by the Council.

Essentially, the Inspectors remain unconvinced about the evidence presented by the Council, and they are concerned about the need to delay the delivery of certain strategic allocations in the Plan. As a result, their position remains unchanged.

Away from the detailed technical arguments on motorway junction capacity, the Inspectors highlighted a more obvious concern, that of the length of time the EiP has taken. The Plan has been under examination since October 2021.  It has to be remembered that there are still issues to be addressed in the EiP process, which sit outside of the motorway junction capacity and funding debate. The need for additional work and reprogramming of the outstanding EiP sessions means, in the Inspectors’ view, that the Plan would not be adopted until 2027 at the earliest.

What does this mean for those with land interests in the District?

The position remains unchanged from my earlier articles this year. By their own admission, the Council does not and cannot demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply. This means that the presumption in favour of sustainable development should be engaged in most instances (except where the footnotes to paragraph 11 apply). To be fair to the Council, it has readily recognised this problem. It has been granting planning permission for greenfield development sites situated outside but adjacent to settlement boundaries at various locations in the District. However, given the current situation, it is reasonable to conclude that the Council will have to release more.

For those not already in the planning system but with aspirations to develop land, the remainder of 2025 through to summer 2026 represents a critical opportunity to undertake conceptual work on sites, conduct community consultation, and engage with the Council via its pre-application advice process.

How we can help

If you have a site which you think might have development potential in the Stroud District, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find out more about how we can best assist. 

At McLoughlin Planning, our simple objective is to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of chartered town planning consultants delivers strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales – from strategic land promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

Since joining forces with Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group combines expertise across 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration allows us to provide ingenious, commercially-minded solutions to a wide range of town planning challenges.

• For larger, strategic or complex projects (such as land promotions, multi-phase developments, aviation schemes), please contact our McLoughlin Planning team.

• For householder projects, developments of 10 units or fewer, or smaller independent commercial projects, our specialist Plainview Planning team can help.

Contact us

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.  

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. 

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication, but for the most up-to-date information on planning topics and policy queries, contact our team.    

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

We’re delighted to share that outline planning permission has been granted for up to 95 new homes on land west of Marlborough Road, Royal Wootton Bassett on behalf of Richborough.

The approval – which was unanimously supported by Planning Committee – marks the culmination of a long-term and positive collaboration between McLoughlin Planning, the Town Council, and the wider project team.

A collaboration journey since 2023

We’ve been working closely with Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council since 2023 to shape a development that reflects community priorities and the aspirations of the emerging Wiltshire Local Plan.

While the site sits outside the settlement boundary and was therefore not fully aligned with the adopted Development Plan, it is proposed for allocation in the emerging Neighbourhood Plan and tapped into a 200 home buffer for the Town Council to deliver via the Neighbourhood Plan. We successfully demonstrated that bringing the site forward now would support Wiltshire Council in meeting housing delivery needs locally and provide protection under paragraph 14 of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework).

Councillors and officers alike recognised the positive and proactive engagement from the developer and project team, acknowledging that the scheme aligns with the direction of the emerging Neighbourhood Plan and represents an inherently deliverable, well-considered proposal.

Planning balance and key benefits

The development will deliver:

• Around 95 new homes, contributing meaningfully to local housing supply;
• A mix of homes to meet local needs, including affordable housing;
• Publicly accessible open spaces and a new children’s play area;
• Pedestrian and cycle improvements linking to nearby amenities; and
• Significant biodiversity net gain through ecological and landscape enhancements.

Despite the site’s partial location within Flood Zones 2 and 3 and its proximity to a Conservation Area, detailed technical assessments – including flood risk, heritage, ecology and transport – confirmed that all potential effects could be successfully mitigated.

We also made a compelling case that the benefits of the proposal significantly outweigh any perceived harms, particularly in light of Wiltshire’s current housing land supply position.

A development with community at its heart

This approval reflects care planning, consultation, and collaboration; considerable efforts went into meeting the Town Council on a regular basis to discuss the Site and the application’s progress. The Town Council specifically commended the developer’s ongoing engagement and responsiveness to local feedback – an approach that helped secure broad community support and, ultimately, a unanimous decision.

We are proud to have played a key role in bringing this site forward and in helping to shape a development that will deliver much-needed housing, improve local amenities and enhance the landscape setting at the edge of this thriving market town.

How we can help

If you have a site which you think might have development potential, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find out more about how we can best assist. 

At McLoughlin Planning, our simple objective is to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of chartered town planning consultants delivers strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales – from strategic land promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

Since joining forces with Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group combines expertise across 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration allows us to provide ingenious, commercially-minded solutions to a wide range of town planning challenges.

• For larger, strategic or complex projects (such as land promotions, multi-phase developments, aviation schemes), please contact our McLoughlin Planning team.

• For householder projects, developments of 10 units or fewer, or smaller independent commercial projects, our specialist Plainview Planning team can help.

Contact us

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.  

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. 

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication, but for the most up-to-date information on planning topics and policy queries, contact our team.    

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

Polly Mason – Associate Director

T: 01242895008

E: polly.mason@mplanning.co.uk

Project Team:

Client: Richborough

Planning consultants: McLoughlin Planning

Architects: Thrive Architects

Transport Assessment & Travel Plan: Hub Transport

Ecology, BNG, LVIA: Tyler Grange

Acoustic, Energy, Flood Risk & Waste: MEC Consulting Group

Air Quality & Odour Assessment: Rappor

Geophysical Survey Report: Sumo Geo Surveys

Monday, 13 October, will see the Regulation 18 Cotswold District Local Plan presented to members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Cotswold District Council. This marks another critical step for the Council in preparing a new Local Plan for the District. 

For seasoned observers of all things CDC, the District is facing significant challenges, including an acute affordable housing crisis and a doubling of its annual housing requirement from 504 DPA to 1,036 DPA. Letters to the Government from the Council asking for this requirement to be reduced have been given short thrift. 

So, what does the new Local Plan mean for those with land and development interests in the District? 

What is the housing target for Cotswold District?  

The starting point is setting the housing target. The Plan sets the housing target at 18,650 homes and presents a series of scenarios outlining development strategies for how this could be met. Of the seven scenarios, only one proposes meeting and exceeding the target. All the others (including the Preferred Scenario set out in the Plan) do not meet the target. 

The Council’s Preferred Scenario is number 5, which proposes 14,660 or 79% of the standard method target.

What will this look like in practice? 

The Plan sets out a series of Maps which help visualise where growth will take place, supported by a table which provides indicative figures. For those who know the District well, the obvious conclusion is that development is being directed away from towns and villages situated in the Cotswold National Landscape (or AONB in old money). 

Interestingly, this manifests itself in the south with a new settlement at Driffield and strategic allocations at the settlements of Ampney Crucis, Cirencester, Fairford, Kemble, Preston and Siddington.

In the northern part of the District, Moreton-in-Marsh is identified as a location for significant extensions along with Mickleton and some additional development at Chipping Campden. 

In the middle (e.g., Stow on the Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water), development is proposed, but on a smaller scale than that found north and south of these locations outside the National Landscape. Critically, not at a strategic level (as the Plan sees it). 

What is the future of development in the Cotswold District?  

The Plan will go on consultation before the end of the year, and this document provides a clear statement on the District’s future. That future does not see significant growth in National Landscape locations. What is interesting is that, given the housing target and a self-declared affordable housing crisis, the Plan does not propose sites which could be seen as ‘major development’ in NPPF terms. That future does not see significant growth in National Landscape locations. Whether this is a sound future for the District will ultimately be the responsibility of a Local Plan Inspector to decide.  

Critically, the consultation will be aligned with a Call for Sites exercise (of any size), providing an opportunity for both landowners and developers to submit sites for the Council’s consideration. 

This is a District we understand; it is our home patch. Please make use of our knowledge to support your development goals in this area.  

How we can help

If you have a site which you think might have development potential in the Cotswold District, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find out more about how we can best assist. 

At McLoughlin Planning, our simple objective is to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of chartered town planning consultants delivers strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales – from strategic land promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

Since joining forces with Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group combines expertise across 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration allows us to provide ingenious, commercially-minded solutions to a wide range of town planning challenges.

• For larger, strategic or complex projects (such as land promotions, multi-phase developments, aviation schemes), please contact our McLoughlin Planning team.

• For householder projects, developments of 10 units or fewer, or smaller independent commercial projects, our specialist Plainview Planning team can help.

Contact us

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.  

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. 

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication, but for the most up-to-date information on planning topics and policy queries, contact our team.    

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

Image source: Cotswold District Council

Kent housing development: Reserved Matters planning approval secured for 32 new homes in Swanley. Our Group provided the planning strategy, prepared the outline planning application, secured approval at appeal and provided guidance on design, access, drainage and landscaping. 

What does the application deliver?

We have recently secured Reserved Matters planning approval for a development in Swanley, Kent, comprising 8 houses and 24 apartments – a total of 32 new homes. The submission addressed the reserved matters of layout, access, scale, appearance, landscaping and drainage, following the earlier outline consent. 

What to do when the planning policy landscape changes between planning application submissions

We secured outline planning permission for the site at appeal, which unlocked its development potential. Following the appeal win, the planning context in Sevenoaks has shifted considerably.  For example: 

• The District Council does not have an up-to-date Local Plan, relying instead on policies dating back to 2011 and 2015. 

• Following the revised NPPF (December 2024), the housing requirement rose from around 704 to 1,149 dwellings annually – an increase of 63%. 

• The Housing Delivery Test result stands at 44%, which means that the presumption in favour of sustainable development is engaged. 

• The Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, falling well short of national policy expectations. 

• While the district is significantly constrained by Green Belt, this site sits outside this designation, reinforcing its suitability for residential use. 

This evolving policy position places greater emphasis on the careful interpretation and application of the NPPF, particularly the presumption in favour of sustainable development. 

How did we respond to planning policy shifts post-submission?

We worked closely with the Case Officer to refine the proposals, incorporating: 

• Updated site plans to reflect urban design advice; 

• A drainage assessment note meeting relevant requirements; 

• An improved landscape plan following arboricultural input. 

This collaborative process helped to ensure that the submission met policy requirements and was positively received. We are delighted that the full development potential of this site has been unlocked and that a quality housing scheme can now be realised.  

What Ongoing Project Management Do We Provide? 

Our involvement extends beyond securing permission. For projects of this nature, we provide: 

• Pre-application advice to identify risks and opportunities; 

• Ongoing engagement with council officers and consultees; 

• Collaboration, review and submission of revised plans and supporting reports; 

• Full project management through to implementation. 

This approach supports clients in navigating the technical, design and policy challenges that arise from appeal-led and complex sites. 

How we can help

At McLoughlin Planning, our simple objective is to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of chartered town planning consultants delivers strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales – from strategic land promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

Since joining forces with Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group combines expertise across 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration allows us to provide ingenious, commercially-minded solutions to a wide range of town planning challenges.

• For larger, strategic or complex projects (such as land promotions, multi-phase developments, aviation schemes), please contact our McLoughlin Planning team.

• For householder projects, developments of 10 units or fewer, or smaller independent commercial projects, our specialist Plainview Planning team can help.

Contact us

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.  

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. 

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication, but for the most up-to-date information on planning topics and policy queries, contact our team.    

Polly Mason – Associate Director

• T: 01242 895008
• E: polly.mason@mplanning.co.uk 

Project team

• LPA – Sevenoaks District Council  
• McLoughlin Planning and Plainview Planning (Planning Consultants)
• Urban and Rural Ltd (Architect)  
• Motion (Highways and Transport) 
• Simpson Consulting Engineers (Engineering)  
• Furse Landscape Architects Ltd (Landscape) 

• LPA – Sevenoaks District Council  

Image source: Urban and Rural 

Today marks the next step in preparing the West Oxfordshire Local Plan, with the publication of the Draft Preferred Policy Options Paper. It is on consultation until 8th August, and looking at it from a housing standpoint, the key points of the Plan are set out below. 

Settlement hierarchy in West Oxfordshire 

For those familiar with the current Local Plan, it’s very much business as usual, with the settlement hierarchy from the current Plan carried forward into the new Plan. In terms of strategy, the Plan proposes to align growth with existing and planned infrastructure and seeks to sustain the vitality of local communities (amongst other things). In terms of scale, the terminology used in the Plan is as follows: 

• Small scale – 1 to 10 dwellings 

• Medium scale – 10 to 300 dwellings 

• Strategic scale – 300 plus dwellings 

This is deployed as follows: 

• Principal Towns will remain the focus for growth, looking to accommodate small, medium and strategic scale development sites. 

• Service Centres—The focus will be on proportionate growth appropriate to the size of the settlement, with a focus on small—and medium-scale development. 

• Villages – a focus on smaller levels of growth, looking for small and medium-sized sites which are of a more limited scale than Service Centre locations. 

• Small Villages and Hamlets – development is limited to those that require a rural location. 

This approach to settlement expansion is complemented by focusing growth along “key strategic corridors”, which in West Oxfordshire terms means the A40 and the A44 (Chipping Norton and Woodstock). 

Housing need – 16,000 homes for West Oxfordshire 

The new Standard Method calculation saw a dramatic increase in the District’s housing requirement, rising to 905 dpa, equating to 14,480 homes over the Plan Period. It is welcome that the Plan aims to meet this in full. In addition, the Plan looks to add an additional 10% buffer, taking the planned supply to 16,000 homes. There may be a need for further upward expansion to take account of Oxford City’s unmet needs following the recent failure of the Local Plan. In terms of supply composition, the following should be noted: 

• 11,700 to come forward from allocations (5,200 from the 2031 Plan and 6,500 new allocations from the 2041 Plan) 

• 1950 from windfall allowance (150 pa 2028 to 2041). 

Where are the new site allocations? 

The Reg 18 consultation does not contain any new site allocations, which is conspicuous by its absence. Instead, it is a demonstration of the Council’s emerging thinking on the overall direction of travel. The Plan makes clear that there will be another focused consultation on potential development sites towards the end of 2025. 

West Oxfordshire’s Local Plan update – what this means for developers and landowners

The plan clearly shows considerable stability in the development strategy approach and settlement hierarchy, which is to be welcomed. Given the lack of site-specific allocations and a high housing target, which will rise subject to understanding Oxford’s unmet needs, there is a clear opportunity to promote sites for development. We have extensive experience in the District and would be happy to discuss any future options with you. In the meantime, you can find out more about our relevant experience here.  

How we can help

If you have a site which you think might have development potential in the West Oxfordshire area, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find our more about how we can best assist. 

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk 

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy. 

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects. 

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. Find out more about us here. 

We recently obtained planning permission for a new leisure centre in Sandwell.  The application sought the demolition and redevelopment of the existing, closed leisure centre with a more modern facility.  The approved scheme represents a significant investment in Sandwell’s health and leisure facility infrastructure and accords with national and local policy.  The development will also increase access to sport and recreation facilities, including for people with disabilities.  

Demolition and replacement of an existing building – key planning considerations

It was an interesting project and as ever, not without its challenges. The 0.77 hectares site is located in a predominantly residential area.  The existing building stands adjacent to the historic landscape of Haden Hill Park (a Designated Landscape of High Historic Value) and is close to a cluster of Grade II listed buildings.  But clever design, which maximised the use of existing landscape gradients and topography, helped to ensure that there were no discernible detrimental impacts on the heritage assets or surrounding residential amenity as a result of the proposals.   

BNG, Flood Risk and Renewable Energy were also key areas for consideration.  Not only were we able to evidence that a gain of 18.6% BNG can be provided on site, which is well over the statutory requirement.  But the scheme will also generate 10% of its residual energy requirement from renewable means. 

The importance of good design on a sensitive site

Furthermore, the closed leisure centre had been expanded and added to over several years, leading to a confusing building which didn’t make best use of the space and detracted from user experience.  The team at Roberts Limbrick Architects responded by designing a building which seeks to make full use of the existing site, will adapt well to the existing topography and context, will enhance user experience not only in the state-of-the-art facilities provided but also in the considered site arrangement and building floor plans, which have been designed to be accessible, inclusive, and to provide a range of opportunities for users of all abilities to promote active lives.  Furthermore, this clever design will provide more facilities than were previously available whilst also improving the character and appearance of the street scene.  

Planning for public spaces and uses

It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in this scheme, and we are so pleased with the positive outcome for our client.  This development seeks to replace the existing leisure centre which closed in March 2024, with a modern, accessible and inclusive new leisure centre.  The considered design and layout will help to ensure best use of a challenging topography, provide state of the art facilities for the local community and improve the local street scene.   

We are experienced in providing full planning consultancy services for public sector projects, from leisure centres to town masterplanning. Contact us today to see how we can best assist on your development project.  

How we can help

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy.    

Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.    

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community.    

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.  

Joe Seymour – Associate Director   

E:  joe.seymour@mplanning.co.uk   

T: 01242 895 121   

Image source: Roberts Limbrick Architects 

Back in January, I wrote a piece about the Stroud Local Plan Review and the difficulty it was experiencing with the Inspectors’ letter recommending that the Plan be withdrawn. This was through the prism of the 90s romcom Jerry Maguire and the immortal phrase “show me the money”. Naturally, the Inspectors’ letter posing such a question prompted a response from the Council asking for the Examination to continue.

This week, the Inspectors’ response to the Council’s protestations that the Examination should continue was published. Needless to say, Inspectors Victoria Lucas and Yvonne Wright channelled their inner Margaret Thatcher (circa 1980) and decided that they were not for turning. In short, the Plan cannot be found sound.

Whilst there is much in the letter that is specific to those with an interest in all things Stroud related, there are a few salient points which have wider appeal.

Why was the Stroud Local Plan Review asked to be withdrawn?

Taking a wider view, the key reason for the failure of the Plan was its reliance on infrastructure funding for the essential upgrades to J12 and J14, or in Stroud’s case, the lack of such funding. The Inspectors’ approach to this matter is not simply requiring the money to be in place for the Plan to be found sound. Rather, there has to be evidence to demonstrate a “reasonable prospect” of the monies being available at the right time for the critical infrastructure required. Clearly, a black hole between £230 and £340 million will be problematic.

This sharply focuses on the relationship between allocations and infrastructure and the need to have a very clear handle on the infrastructure costs for projects and when they will be required in the Plan period. The larger the allocation, the greater the infrastructure requirements, especially when motorway junctions are involved.

The Local Plan Review went, to use gambling parlance, “all in” on a handfull of large strategic sites, rather than a more dispersed strategy, where the impact on highway infrastructure would be less. Indeed, Stroud’s neighbours in South Gloucestershire are well aware of this and members and officers have made it clear that its emerging Local Plan (which will go to Examination this year) has learnt from the mistakes Stroud has made and propose something more ‘deliverable’ with a greater focus on smaller allocations which don’t necessarily trigger massive infrastructure costs.

Top tips for bringing a development site forward in Stroud District

So, what does this mean going forward? Well, nothing has changed from my earlier article. Stroud does not have a 5-year housing land supply and is nowhere near being in a position to solve the problem from a Plan-making standpoint. It further underlines a huge opportunity for all involved with housing sites to look seriously at sites that can come forward and be delivered within five years. In looking at sites to come forward, I cannot continue to stress enough that it’s a question of doing the basics right, ensuring the site is in a sensible location, deliverable, and devoid of genuine constraints. Remember, a lack of a five-year supply does not give succour to those sites that are fundamentally flawed.

Thoughts on the impact of a failed Local Plan

Finally, it is important to remember that the failure of a Plan is serious.  We work in a plan-led system where Councils decide where growth can go. The Stroud case (and its not unique) shows that those decisions are not always the right decisions. But at the heart of any Local Plan is providing homes for people to live in, and in closing, I’ll draw on some of the words of the Leader of the Council in her Blog, dated 5 August 2024.

“The current shortage of homes is pushing up prices to unaffordable levels (average house prices in Stroud district are more than ten times higher than average earnings) and the lack of social housing means that we have 4,000 people on our housing waiting list.”

Local families often contact me to explain their circumstances and it’s heartbreaking that only the highest priority cases can secure the housing that they so badly need.”

This article aims to highlight one of the reasons why the Plan failed and what can be learnt from it. It also highlights who suffers when a Plan fails. In this failure, understanding what opportunities are created and how the house-building industry as a whole can help is just as critical.

A copy of the letter is found here.

How Can We Help?

If you have a site which you think might have development potential in the Stroud District, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find our more about how we can best assist you.

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director

T: 01242895008

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. Find out more about us here.

Image Source: Stroud District Local Plan Review 2025 – this image is of the proposed development strategy that is part of the Pre-submission Draft Plan
(Regulation 19 Consultation) May 2021