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The sites have the potential to deliver up to 1,500 homes and create new jobs, while raising up to £25m to fund capital priorities such as schools, roads and leisure facilities.
The development programme to be considered by councillors was shaped by almost 700 responses received during an eight-week consultation (25 April to 20 June 2022). Key priorities for respondents included affordable housing and higher levels of sustainability.
The consultation also highlighted the need for further engagement with local communities, including the council’s ward members, so that the future of some sites could be considered in more detail.
Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council's executive member with responsibility for placemaking and economy, said: “By developing on our own land, we can deliver things that the private sector won’t. At the same time, we can generate income to fund other priorities that residents want to see us deliver.
“This also demonstrates that we’re doing everything we can to meet the government’s national housing targets, reducing the risk of unplanned and less sustainable development taking place in other locations. However, the desire to undertake further engagement on some of the sites demonstrates the importance we place on hearing what local communities have to say and considering all views.
“Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to our consultation, which has shaped the development programme going to full council next week. It’s important to stress that some of these sites may not progress to development after further discussion and investigation. Any that do will be subject to detailed individual consultations, so residents, businesses and organisations including parish and town councils will have plenty of further opportunity to have their say on our plans.”
This is the latest milestone following the council’s adoption of a development strategy in February 2021. This sets out its ambitions for the use of land it owns to:
- provide homes and jobs that meet the needs of its communities – current and future – while helping with government targets for housing supply,
- offer better quality and more sustainable developments,
- deliver sites that the market won’t deliver, including difficult brownfield land and employment sites, and
- generate funding to help deliver other priorities, such as investing in schools, transport links and leisure facilities.