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

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