Council seeks proposals for potential housing and employment sites

Leader of Forest of Dean District Council, Cllr Adrian Birch said:   

“We are inviting landowners to come forward with sites they believe could have potential for future development, whether for housing or business use, as part of our Land Availability Assessment.  

“Submitting a site does not mean it will automatically be developed, but it is a vital early step that ensures it can be properly assessed by a range of professionals.  

“Under the Revised Draft Local Plan, we are required by government to plan for approximately 13,000 new homes by 2045. We know that existing settlements cannot support the large increase in development without potential adverse impacts and we hear the concerns being voiced on the proposals for new settlements.  

"To widen the alternatives for potential development, we must identify new suitable, available and deliverable sites in sustainable locations. Any future site will need to comply with relevant planning policy and guidance to support the character of the Forest of Dean, including any necessary mitigation.

"It is important to note that the Local Plan can only consider land that has been formally submitted by landowners and/or their agents. Land put forward through processes such as the SHELAA for example, will be assessed or tested as part of the Local Plan, particularly where there is public interest in development taking place. 

“By encouraging landowners to provide a range of alternative sites, we have a valuable opportunity to work collaboratively to deliver the sustainable growth our district needs.”   

The Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment is an important evidence-gathering exercise that is required by the UK Government. It provides a future reserve of potential sites to consider for housing and employment development across the district. 

As part of the plan-making process, the Council updates its evidence on housing and employment land availability each year. The aim of the SHELAA is to build a clear picture of land that may be available throughout the district and to identify as many sites as possible that have the potential to accommodate future development. Proposed sites may include land for housing, employment, mixed-use development as well as plots, pitches or permanent moorings for members of the travelling communities. 

All sites received are assessed using a consistent methodology that considers site constraints such as physical, environmental and policy/legal matters.   Decisions on whether land should be allocated for housing or employment will be made through the Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan processes that comply with policies in the Local Plan following public consultation and examination. 

People looking to put forward any potential housing or employment sites can do so by completing either the online form, via email, or by post.  

Forms are required to be submitted by 31 March 2026.  

Those that have previously submitted a site(s) will not be required to re-submit, unless they wish to make changes to the site boundaries or remove it from the study, as past sites will be carried forward. All submissions to the Council will be available to the public.  

Those who wish to put forward site(s) to be considered in this year’s review can proceed to download a form from the Council’s website: https://www.fdean.gov.uk/shelaa