Bruton Knowles is advising land owners across Gloucestershire to consider bringing land forward for appraisal and possible inclusion in Cheltenham Borough Council’s new Local Development Framework (LDF).

The framework document is being created as a replacement to the existing Local Plan document, which is being phased out by all local authorities across the country.  The new LDF will identify key areas for development and regeneration across the borough to deliver its housing, employment, recreational and retail needs which are identified in the new Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), also a replacement of the existing Gloucestershire Structure Plan.

Scott Winnard, partner and development expert at Bruton Knowles explains, “Currently development decisions are guided by the Local Plan but this will be replaced in 2008/9 by the new Local Development Framework.  Any landowner or business owning land and property assets should review their future plans and consider submitting sites for appraisal during the LDF process. 

The new LDF will run for approximately 10 years up to 2016 so although development may not be part of a business’s short term plans, future downsizing, expansion or site relocations could provide new and valuable brownfield sites for regeneration.  Cheltenham Borough Council policy also now allows for potential residential development on secondary employment land which is generated by a company relocating, as long as this business once relocated is still sited in the borough.

There is also concern that we may not be able to deliver all of the housing and employment land that we need for the borough over the next two decades through urban development and brownfield regeneration alone, so rural landowners with urban fringe land should also be actively engaging in this review process.  We are also waiting for the final interpretation of the greenbelt strategic review undertaken by the Government Office of the South West to inform the Regional Spatial Strategy.”

Tracey Birkinshaw, strategic land use manager for Cheltenham Borough Council comments, “We are just embarking on the process of identifying possible sites for development to be included in the new Local Development Framework document, and are therefore keen to receive site submissions from across the borough.  Submitting a site for consideration does not bind the landowner into any development agreement nor does it bind the council in any way as each site will be fairly assessed during our review process and must meet key criteria.  Consequently some sites will be selected whilst others will obviously be rejected.   The successful growth and expansion of the borough will need to be underpinned by suitable available development land so we would encourage landowners to participate in this process.”

Scott Winnard continues, “The council is committed to engaging with the community via a process known as frontloading, during which time they will consider any and all sites which are put forward.  It is an open review process so even if a site has previously been rejected for development it can still be brought forward for consideration under the new LDF.   There is a set methodology for appraising each site which will be undertaken by the council team during the summer of 2006. 

Although there is no formal closing date for the submission of sites, it is obviously wise to make a submission as soon as possible to give the council enough time to fully consider the site.  Any of the development team at Bruton Knowles will be able to help prepare a site for submission, advise on the methodology and what to expect from the review process as well as appraise the potential nature and value of a development.”