Cotswold District Council is preparing a new local plan that could see nearly 19,000 new homes built across the district over the next 20 years. The plan, set to be discussed by councillors next month, outlines the creation of ten major strategic sites designed to accommodate significant housing growth while fostering sustainable communities.
Among the proposed developments are 3,717 homes planned for Cirencester, 2,217 in Moreton-in-Marsh, and 1,658 in Down Ampney. According to council officials, the local plan is “absolutely vital” for managing development effectively and preventing unplanned, speculative building projects.
Based on over 40 detailed studies and assessments, the blueprint aims to deliver around 18,900 new homes by 2043. The council has proposed a staged housing delivery model, beginning with 420 homes annually for the first five years, increasing to 1,064 homes per year between 2031 and 2036, and reaching 1,550 homes annually during the last five years of the plan. This phased approach reflects the longer timelines needed to develop large strategic sites.
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The plan expects approximately 90% of the housing target to be met through these strategic sites. If approved, residents will have the opportunity to express their views during a six-week consultation period from 24 August to 5 October 2026.
Cotswold District Council emphasises that the plan provides a comprehensive framework to guide growth in a coordinated manner, balancing new homes, employment, transport, and community services with environmental considerations. Careful attention is given to protecting the Cotswolds’ distinctive landscapes, heritage, and character.
The council highlights that the plan’s development follows changes in government policy that have more than doubled the district’s housing target in recent years. This surge has left communities vulnerable to piecemeal development due to the lack of an up-to-date local plan demonstrating a five-year housing land supply.
Council leader Mike Evemy (Liberal Democrat) said, “The council has been clear about the scale of the challenge created by the huge increase in nationally calculated housing need. But failing to progress a new local plan does not remove the pressure for development. Instead, it simply leaves our communities more exposed to speculative proposals and the council with the risk of costly appeals.
“These are difficult choices, but avoiding them would not protect the Cotswolds.
“It would leave us with less influence over where growth takes place, the quality of developments, and the infrastructure delivered alongside them. This is a plan we can stand behind. It is rigorous, it is considered, and it offers the best route to take control of our district’s future.
“It will deliver the affordable homes, jobs and services our communities need. It will protect the landscapes, heritage and character that make the Cotswolds such a special place to live and visit. And it will ensure we play a bigger role in tackling the climate crisis, while lowering energy bills through efficient new homes.”
The plan focuses growth in the district’s most sustainable areas, where comprehensive planning of infrastructure, community facilities, and transport is feasible. The ten strategic sites collectively aim to deliver 11,302 homes within the plan period.
Supported by extensive technical evidence-from housing needs to environmental impact-the plan embeds sustainability and climate change considerations to support communities and protect the environment.
It also addresses community feedback from earlier consultations, emphasising landscape and heritage protection, affordable housing, local economy support, health and community facilities, and transportation needs.
The local plan will next be reviewed by the overview and scrutiny committee on 3 August, the cabinet on 6 August, and the full council on 12 August 2026. If approved, the subsequent six-week public consultation will run from 24 August to 5 October.
Following this, the council will consider all responses and may suggest further amendments before submitting the plan and consultation feedback to the Secretary of State by December 2026. An independent planning inspector will review the plan in 2027, with adoption anticipated around March 2028.
Submitting the plan by the end of 2026 is crucial, as delays could force the council to comply with new government plan-making procedures, potentially postponing adoption by several years.