Joint Core Strategy

Tewkesbury Borough, Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City councils are developing a Joint Core Strategy (JCS) to guide future development for their areas over the next 20 years and will be asked to consider seven recommendations following the independent review.

The housing requirement figure was reviewed following public feedback from the JCS’s last major consultation – 'Developing the Preferred Option' – which was carried out between December 2011 and February 2012.

The consultation received more than 3,300 responses and many questioned the methodology used to calculate the housing requirement figure.

As a result, and with the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework, which now calls for housing need to be objectively assessed, the three councils commissioned independent consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (NLP) to carry out a review on the work to date.

At meetings due to take place at the end of September and the beginning of October, the three councils will be asked to note the consultant’s conclusion that whilst the original methodology used in 2011 to calculate the housing requirement was appropriate at the time, the data that the methodology relied upon will no longer be updated and should instead be based on the latest Office for National Statistics and Department for Communities and Local Government data from 2010.

Councillors are therefore being asked to agree that demographic projections show population rising by 44,700 up to 2031, which would indicate that 28,500 extra homes are required. However, further work is needed to determine both the level of economic growth the area can support and likely trends in household size to see the implications these may have on the level of housing required.  

Chair of the Joint Core Strategy Member Steering Group, Cllr Steve Jordan said:  "This is another important milestone in the JCS process and I hope all three councils can agree the proposed way forward."

For media enquiries, please contact Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Communications Officer, Clare Davies, on 01684 272291 or email clare.davies@tewkesbury.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

Dates of council meetings:

24 September     Cheltenham Borough Council
27 September     Gloucester City Council
1 October            Tewkesbury Borough Council