The new local plan will set out how Bristol will develop over the next 20 years. It is important that we get the balance between the three interdependent, overarching economic, social and environmental objectives right so that it delivers sustainable development pursued in mutually supportive ways and that opportunities are taken to secure net gains across each of these objectives.
The National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) expects local plans to deliver sustainable development and that:
‘... the planning system has three overarching objectives, which are interdependent and need to be pursued in mutually supportive ways (so that opportunities can be taken to secure net gains across each of the different objectives):
a) an economic objective – to help build a strong, responsive and competitive
economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right types is available in the
right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation and improved
productivity; and by identifying and coordinating the provision of infrastructure;
b) a social objective – to support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by
ensuring that a sufficient number and range of homes can be provided to meet
the needs of present and future generations; and by fostering well-designed,
beautiful and safe places, with accessible services and open spaces that reflect
current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural
well-being; and
c) an environmental objective – to protect and enhance our natural, built and
historic environment; including making effective use of land, improving
biodiversity, using natural resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy.
These objectives should be delivered through the preparation and implementation of plans and the application of the policies in this Framework.’
The current Local Plan, adopted between 2011 & 2014, is under review. The final stage of the consultation will soon be released. It is planned that Councillors will then vote on the final version this November before it is sent to the Planning Inspectorate for examination and approval.
The Local Plan examination hearings (February/March 2025)
We have submitted the following statements on the matters about which we wish to address the Inspectors during the public examination phase:
This are in response to the Matters, Issues and Questions raised by the Inspectors.
The 2023 review
Following the 2022 review, The Council met on 13 November 2023 (Item 8) and resolved to allow the next iteration of the Local Plan to proceed to its final consultation before public examination by an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.
Public examinations generally take at least one year to complete so it is unlikely to be before Spring 2025 onwards, if the plan is found to be sound, before the Council adopt it.
Here is the Procedure Guide for Local Plan Examinations and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’s guidance on Plan-making.
The consultation process started in late November 2023 and closes on 26 January 2024 with the publication of the following documents:
- Bristol Local Plan main document, publication version
- Bristol Local Plan annex, publication version, development allocations
- Bristol Local Plan policies map, publication version
It is worth noting that, although the proposed Local Plan Policies Map must be consulted on, it does not currently form part of the eventual adopted Local Plan.
The Council has also published a number of other, related documents which are not immediately obvious from the main Local Plan Review page – Planning evidence
This included and updated version of its 2019 consultation document – New protection of open space
Local Green Space and Reserved Open Green Space: Topic Paper.
There are no proposals, as the moment, to update Supplementary planning documents or other planning guidance, even though some of these will not be aligned with the new Local Plan, if it is adopted.
A summary of all the responses to the whole consultation from 2018 – 2023 has also been published. This is set out below:
Our detailed response is published below:
Following the publication of secondary legislation in readiness for the obligation to achieve biodiversity gain becoming law on 12 February 2024, we have also submitted these further representations:
BTF Representations on the Bristol Local Plan 2023 publication version – Addendum
The 2022 review
There was then a gap until 2022 when the council published the following updated consultation documents:
Our detailed response is published below:
Our response to the 2023 Local Plan draft consultation
We have also made a number of recommendations for updating the policies dealing with the replacement of trees lost to development. This is the latest:
Why we need a new Bristol Tree Replacement Standard
A new tree strategy is still being drafted by Bristol One City. However, even if it is finally published, it will not form part of the proposed new Local Plan.
Here are our recommendations for what it should contain:
Developing a Tree Strategy for Bristol
The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy
There is also a concurrent review of the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Strategy. This too will not be integrated into the proposed new Local plan.
Here is the link to the review – Bristol parks and green space strategy.
Here is our response:
Response to consultation on Parks and Green Spaces Strategy proposals.
The 2019 review
The review process started in early 2019 with the publication of the following documents:
- The local plan’s draft policies
- The draft site allocations
- The proposals for protection of open space
- Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
Our detailed response to the proposals for the protection of open space is published here:
Our response to the 2019 Open Spaces and Local Plan Review
A summary of all the responses to the consultation is set out below:
Summary of responses to the March 2019 consultation
The 2018 review
An initial consultation on the local plan review and new proposed policies was undertaken in 2018 and has, we are told, informed the early stages of plan preparation.
We did not participate in this.
Bristol Tree Forum 