Residential Land Availability Survey - South Gloucestershire Council

1 The Key Facts• House building over the first 13 years of the Local Plan period(1996 to 2011) has been below the rate set in the Local Plan.• Over three quarters of the way through the Local Plan period,75% of the strategic housing requirement has been built.• At 1 April 2009, 13,298 net additional homes had been built sincethe Local Plan’s base date of April 1996.• The April 2009 survey shows a potential for a further 10,586housing units on identified sites within the area.• Over the period 1999 to 2009, some 53% of new housing in SouthGloucestershire was built on previously developed land.• During the last year just over 90% of all new housing on largesites was built at an average net density of over 30 dwellings perhectare, and of these over 40% were built at an average densityof over 50 dwellings per hectare.• During the last year 52% of all new residential development onlarge sites was houses and 48% flats.• In 2008/2009 a total of 291 Affordable Houses were “delivered” inSouth Gloucestershire.2 Introduction2.1 The Residential Land Availability Survey (RLAS) details sites thatare potentially available for housing development under currentplanning policies.2.2 Government guidance outlines the importance of maintaining anadequate supply of land and buildings for housing, and of keepingthe situation under regular review. The RLAS forms an essentialpart of this process. The information it contains will help monitorand improve planning policies at the local and regional levels,in accordance with current best practice and the principles ofsustainable development.2.3 At the end of 2009, we shall also publish our fifth AnnualMonitoring Report, which will assess the performance of theCouncil’s plans, covering a wide range of land use and relatedissues, including housing.2.4 Much of the information in this April 2009 RLAS updates previousannual reports. The RLAS contains details of site densities,type of units, number of affordable units, parking provision,and whether the housing development occurs on previouslydeveloped (“brownfield”) land. Although capacity totals given foreach site are shown as gross figures, information contained inthe Notes makes specific reference to any demolitions etc., andgives the resulting net capacity where appropriate.2.5 The information contained in this document is derived fromDevelopment Control records, site surveys and other Councilrecords. South Gloucestershire Council has made every effortto ensure the accuracy of the information, but neither the Councilnor its officers can accept any responsibility for any errors oromissions.page 2