West of England Strategic Planning and Collaborative Working

Strategic Development Strategy (SDS)

Following the decision of the WECA Mayor to stop all work on the West of England Combined Authority Spatial Development Strategy, the Local Plans for Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire will now provide the strategic planning framework for the West of England Combined Authority area.

The issue of housing need will now be addressed through individual Local Plans for each of the Local Councils. The Councils will continue their longstanding history of joint working and cooperate with each other and with other key bodies on strategic, cross boundary matters as they prepare their Local Plans.

The evidence base prepared so far to inform the Spatial Development Strategy will be published on the WECA website and will be reviewed and used as appropriate to inform the Councils’ Local Plans.

Further information on the SDS can be found on the West of England Combined Authority website.

Joint Spatial Plan Withdrawn

On 7 April 2020 a letter was sent to the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the West of England authorities (Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol City, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire) which formally confirmed the withdrawal of the Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) from the examination process.

Work is no longer taking place on JSP and the authorities have begun working on a new planning document for the West of England – as set out above.