CPRE Gloucestershire uses these principles to inform its advice on Local Plans.
Spatial principles
Containment - Provision for housing and employment should be considered together, ensuring that housing provision is in step with employment growth, so reducing the need for longer distance commuting as far as possible. .
Priority to development of urban brownfield sites - District Councils should include appropriate brownfield development targets in their Local Plans. Such targets should be ambitious to help avoid the release of greenfield development sites whilst brownfield development opportunities are still available.
Focussing growth around Gloucester and Cheltenham - Most new employment opportunities are likely to arise in and around Gloucester and Cheltenham. Growth should be focussed on these areas with growth in the smaller market and other towns such as Stroud and Tewkesbury limited to that necessary to serve their hinterlands, and growth in villages and hamlets limited to local needs only.
Gloucester and Cheltenham Green Belt - The extent of the current Green Belt should be broadly retained and consideration given to extension to the north of Bishop’s Cleeve and to the south of Gloucester. Any proposal to modify the general extent of Green Belt land would need to be justified by exceptional circumstances.
AONBs - Local plans should recognise the purposes of designation, and the importance of their setting.
Implementation
Affordable housing - There should be increased provision of affordable housing in rural communities. However, the need for affordable housing should not justify provision of “excess” market housing in order to achieve sufficient affordable housing through planning obligations.
Housing mix - All significant housing developments should offer a mix of dwelling sizes and an element of affordable housing.
Housing density and design - Land should be used efficiently. Higher housing densities should be aimed for, consistent with good design.
Local character and distinctiveness - New development in villages and small towns should respect local character and distinctiveness and settlement pattern.
Sustainable construction - Development should be constructed to the highest standards of energy efficiency. Renewable energy installations should be encouraged so long as these are visually acceptable.
Green Infrastructure - Generous provision of Green Infrastructure should be an integral part of development, largely funded by developer contributions.
Re-use of redundant buildings in the countryside - Conversion to residential use is not generally supported where development would be outside settlement boundaries.
