The Parish Council would like to encourage all Parishioners to try and take part in the consultation process that is currently being run by South Gloucestershire Council that will have an impact on those living & working in the area in the coming years.

The Plan will cover where homes and jobs are located and this may include changes to the greenbelt. This consultation seeks to find out what local people think about these issues and will help to inform what the final version of the Plan includes.

The information below is the latest update on the Local Plan and the links can be used to find out more and also to participate in the consultation process.

Housing in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are properties rented out to at least 3 people who are not from one household (for example, a family) but share facilities like a bathroom or kitchen. HMOs meet a variety of needs for private rented housing, ranging from young professional ‘house-shares’ and students wanting to live off campus, as well as providing a vital source of housing supply for people on lower incomes, providing a practical and affordable housing option that meets their housing needs. There has been an increase in this type of development in South Gloucestershire over recent years which has resulted in concentrations of HMOs in particular parts of the district and which has created some issues for local communities. This document aims to explain when planning permission will be needed and to provide further guidance on how our planning policies on HMOs will be applied. This will help us to provide much needed new housing options whilst ensuring that new devel opment does not have a negative impact on the character of the surrounding area and nearby properties. For further details, and to comment, please follow the link at www.southglos.gov.uk/houses-in-multiple-occupation.

Annexes and Residential Outbuildings

While the longer term and legacy impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on our economy and society are not yet clear, we can expect to see an increase in people wanting to work from home. Families may also want to support older relatives who may need some additional support to live independently, as people consider this to be an alternative to residential social care and/or supporting younger family members get on the housing market. In addition, there is a benefit in helping ensure that our housing stock can be adapted to better support multi-generational living. People may find it difficult to make sufficient space in their homes. Thinking about the garden as a potential new working or living environment is therefore growing in popularity. Examples include installing modular type structures such as a garden room or converting outbuildings such as a detached garage. This document aims to explain when planning permission will be needed and to provide further guidance to encourage anyone considering such a project to ensure their proposals are well designed and built to a high standard and how features can be incorporated into the design of the project to make it more environmentally sustainable and encourage wildlife in your garden. By doing this it supports the council’s commitment to tackle the impacts of climate change and support nature given our pledge to be net zero carbon by 2030. For further details, and to comment, please follow the link at www.southglos.gov.uk/annexes-and-outbuildings.