Hart District Council is in the very early stages of reviewing information for a new local plan, which will include future locations for residential development.

The Housing Development Options Paper proposes five alternatives for growth and the council is after the public’s ideas and opinions on those. Once adopted, it will guide development across the district to 2032.

Marcus Plaw, director of planning at LSH Bristol, said the public consultation seeks views on the most appropriate strategy for addressing housing growth. This could be by distributing new homes to settlements across the district, targeting specific towns or settlements for growth, or alternative patterns of distribution.

The deadline for submissions is October 10, which means landowners and developers must act now.

“This consultation is of key importance to landowners and developers,” said Marcus. “It is an early opportunity to present their thoughts on how the district responds to the growing need for homes and the timely delivery of development.

“The location of new housing is critical to the overall success of the new local plan in boosting and sustaining economic growth."

In considering the options, the local authority has to balance a wide range of planning issues associated with developing brownfield and greenfield land, including site accessibility and any options for reducing private care use, to landscape impact, potential flood risk and the effects on heritage assets.

Infrastructure issues must be considered, such as the proximity of new development to shops, schools and employment areas, he said.

“Like other authorities, the district council is required to keep up to date a supply of deliverable housing land,” explained Marcus.

“It makes sense that in commenting on the broad options for the location of homes in the consultation paper, that landowners also present the local authority with information about their landholdings, where it is located and its suitability and capacity to accommodate new housing.”

For more details about the consultation, visit www.hart.gov.uk/local-plan.