Cotswold District Council launches a consultation to help shape its local plan

9 October 2025

In accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act, Cotswold District Council (CDC) has published its ‘Preferred Options’ document for consultation, setting out the proposed spatial strategy to meet a significantly increased government housing target of 18,650 new homes within the District for the plan period (2026-2043).

The Council considers that they already have sites capable of delivering 6,150 new homes through a combination of planning permissions that haven’t been built, remaining site allocations and windfall sites. Should this be the case they will still need to find a residual housing allocation of 12,500 new homes in the plan period. Given that the majority of the District is within the Cotswold National Landscape, the delivery of this number of new homes will be difficult.

The Council has outlined seven different scenarios to deliver their housing requirements which in summary are as follows:

Scenario 1: Allocate sites in Principal Settlements, Non-Principal Settlements and Village Clusters and support Rural Exception Sites in Rural Settlements.

Scenario 2: Allocate sites in Principal Settlements, Non-Principal Settlements, Village Clusters and Rural Settlements. This scenario incorporates Scenario 1 but adds a more ‘dispersed’ approach to the future pattern of development so that instead of growth being steered mainly towards the District’s Principal and Non-Principal Settlements, it would also be located within small villages and hamlets across the district. The total housing supply of the Local Plan period from Scenario 2 is estimated to be approximately 8,230 homes.

Scenario 3: Allocate sites at Main Service Centre focus.

Scenario 4: Focus growth on transport nodes.

Scenario 5: Allocate sites in Principal Settlements, Non-Principal Settlements and Village Clusters. Support Rural Exception Sites in Rural Settlements. Create new settlement(s) and/or strategic extensions to existing settlement(s).

Scenario 6: Allocate sites in Principal Settlements, Non-Principal Settlements and Village Clusters. Support Rural Exception Sites in Rural Settlements. Create new settlement(s) and/or strategic extensions to existing settlement(s). Support major development within the Cotswold National Landscape.

Scenario 7: Maximise growth across the district with sites assessed to be unsuitable for development (for example, via additional new settlement(s) / strategic extensions).

After considering all 7 options, the Council considers that their preferred option is Scenario 5 which indicatively shows growth at:

1. Cirencester
2. Fairford
3. Mickleton
4. Moreton-in-Marsh
5. Down Ampney

As well as potential new settlements and strategic sites at:

1. Ampney Crucis
2. Extension to the Steadings at Cirencester
3. New Settlement near Driffield
4. Strategic extension to Fairford
5. Strategic extension to southwest Kemble
6. Strategic extension to Moreton-in-Marsh
7. Strategic extension to Preston
8. Strategic extension to Siddington

Clearly these allocations and proposed numbers are still at an early stage and there are likely to be significant changes to the preferred strategy following consultation and as the plan matures. However, it is clear that the Council now needs good, sustainable and deliverable sites to come forward to assist in the delivery of their new local plan.

As part of the consultation, CDC has also launched a ‘Call for Sites’.  Seeking potential land for all types of development, the Council is inviting submissions of potential development sites for consideration. This is an opportunity for you as a landowner or developer to suggest sites that may be suitable for future development including residential and employment/commercial development.  

The consultation runs until 18th December 2025.

Associated information regarding the consultation can be accessed here Annex A Cotswold District Council Local Plan Review Regulation 18 Consultation Preferred Options.pdf

If you wish to promote a site during this critical consultation phase, Morgan Elliot Planning Ltd would be delighted to assist you through this process.  Please contact grantbaylis@morganelliot.co.uk