The goal is to get CPRE’s views reflected in the Joint Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Core Strategy which will set the planning blueprint for the area to 2031.

CPRE regards maintaining the Gloucester and Cheltenham Green Belt and enhancing its benefits as a key planning priority for Gloucestershire.  It also argues that there is a case for extending the Green Belt.  We have adopted a policy statement on the Green Belt.  The Statement is summarised here and a link provided to the policy.

Promoting sustainable development...

...should be at the very heart of planning, ensuring that development delivers economic, social and environmental benefits for society. Local Plans are the main vehicle for setting out planning policy locally. Much effort is devoted by Gloucestershire Branch to influencing Local Plans. The Branch has developed a policy statement on key issues to guide its efforts and to encourage others to follow its lead.

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.

Transport is a complex and often controversial issue with the need to balance the desire for personal mobility and to transport goods with minimising impacts on the environment.

CPRE will encourage local authorities, public transport operators and the Highways Agency to implement a range of policies to achieve an aim of limiting road traffic growth as far as possible and improving accessibility by foot, cycle and public transport.

CPRE Gloucestershire

Community House
15 College Green
Gloucester
Gloucestershire GL1 2LZ

Tel: 01452 309 783
Fax: 01452 309 783
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: http://www.cpreglos.org.uk

The Office is normally open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  Messages can be left at other times

If you share our beliefs about protecting our precious heritage of a beautiful countryside, please consider leaving a gift to CPRE Gloucestershire in your will.