Stroud District Council is confronting apprehensions about speculative housing developments as it works on a new local plan to meet the demand for approximately 820 new homes each year. Previously, planning inspectors expressed serious worries about the draft local plan, particularly highlighting capacity problems at M5 junctions 12 and 14.
The draft plan aims to outline strategic growth and housing development in the district through to 2040. However, under the Government’s new planning system, the council must now prepare a fresh local plan by following a 30-month accelerated process, including three gateway stages designed to streamline planning approvals and update local plans across England. All councils in the district must publish a notice of commencement by June 30, followed by a self-assessment due by the end of October.
Residents and community groups fear that developers might exploit the council’s current inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, leading to speculative builds. Steve Willetts of Cam Community Action Group raised this concern at a recent Stroud District Council meeting, querying what measures were in place to prevent such development during the interim period.
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Council leader Chloe Turner acknowledged these concerns, explaining that with an outdated local plan and a lack of a five-year housing supply, planning decisions must rely on national policies. This includes applying a “tilted balance” in favor of sustainable development, which restricts the council’s ability to reject speculative proposals solely based on out-of-date local policies. She emphasized that the council uses available evidence, such as strategic land assessments, to anticipate where speculative proposals are more likely to appear, especially on previously promoted but unallocated sites.
Turner further highlighted the importance of the new local plan as a forward-looking tool to reflect the district’s specific needs and character while regaining control over development rather than responding reactively to proposals. Councillor Helen Caton Hughes stressed the urgency for a clear and timely plan, given that 4,000 households remain on the housing waiting list in the district.
Meanwhile, Conservative Councillor Robert Brown voiced concerns over the current surge in speculative development in his area, urging that the new local plan be both practical and achievable to prevent such situations from recurring.
In response, the council unanimously voted to commence the development of a new local plan, signaling a commitment to address housing needs and infrastructure challenges proactively.