The Planning Inspectors have cancelled the next phase of hearings on the West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP), saying that the significant concerns they raised in a letter to the councils last summer remain.

The hearings were due to take place in September and October and would have included days dedicated to looking at each of the locations where major developments were proposed, including Coalpit Heath, Iron Acton Parish and Buckover.

The Inspectors are unhappy with the approach the councils have taken to deciding where the new houses should go. Together with many local people, this is something we have been arguing against from the start, including in the recent local elections and at the July hearings. Thank you to everyone who commented, the Inspectors have clearly listened.

They are now preparing a letter to the councils setting out their concerns in more detail, but have advised that, “…we currently consider that withdrawal of the JSP from examination may well be the most appropriate way forward.” They go on to say, “…we envisage that, overall, a very substantial amount of further work on the plan needs to be undertaken.”

You can read both the Inspectors’ letter and the West of England response online.

Any approach is going to involve further delay and developers will no doubt hope to exploit this by making speculative applications. Unfortunately the Conservative administration ploughed on with the plan despite all the well-made objections and even after the Inspectors raised their concerns last year.

South Glos does currently have enough land allocated for housing for the next 5 years, which makes it easier to defend appeals. As the Inspectors remind us in their letter, nearly 60% of the homes proposed in the JSP have already been allocated in plans like the South Glos Core Strategy and will be delivered over the coming years whether or not the JSP is adopted.