Consultation on additional housing sites to meet the new government’s housing requirement will run from 7 February to the 21 March.
In December 2024 the government released the new National Planning Policy Framework, which confirmed a significantly higher mandatory housing requirement for North Somerset.
The housing requirement is 23,895 over the 15-year plan period. This is an additional 8,620 dwellings above the proposed housing supply target in our emerging (Regulation 19) plan of 15,275 dwellings.
Identifying additional sites
This consultation aims to identify where additional development is possible at sustainable locations across North Somerset, outside areas at risk of flooding or other significant constraints. This will need to take account of delivery and infrastructure issues, such as transport improvements and the provision of other infrastructure.
The consultation is only in relation to potential new housing sites and not other aspects of the plan, including other policies and allocations. There will be further opportunity for comment on the revised local plan later in 2025.
The consultation
Please respond to the consultation via our online consultation system.
All the consultation material is below:
- consultation paper on additional sites for the Regulation 19 plan
- more sustainable locations map
- less sustainable locations map
- composite map
- strategic housing land availability position statement
- SHLAA: urban area schedules
- SHLAA: village schedules
- SHLAA: less sustainable sites
- short guide to the additional sites consultation
- guide to responding online
Drop-in events
We will be holding consultation drop-in events at the following locations throughout the consultation period:
- Wednesday 26 February: Jubilee Pavillion, Keedwell Hill, Long Ashton, Bristol, BS41 9DP, 3-6pm
- Wednesday 5 March: Weston-super-Mare Library, Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, W-s-M, BS23 1UJ, 3-6pm
- Friday 7 March: Nailsea United Reform Church Hall, Stockway North, Nailsea, BS48 1AQ, 3-6pm
- Monday 10 March: Backwell WI Hall, Station Road, Backwell, BS48 3QW, 3-6pm
If you cannot respond on online then alternatively you can e-mail responses to planning.policy@n-somerset.gov.uk or post your response to: Planning Policy Team, Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1UJ.
After reviewing feedback, we will amend the draft Local Plan to include the additional sites and any consequential changes to policies that may be needed. We will then run a final round of consultation later in 2025, before submitting the plan for examination by an independent inspector.