Marcus Plaw, director of planning at Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), said four local authorities – Bristol City, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset – have issued a “Call for Sites” to help inform the availability of development land within their areas.
 
And, as part of a joint strategy, the four councils have also committed to working together to prepare a Joint Strategic Planning Strategy (JSPS).
 
Once adopted, the JSPS will become a statutory development plan to identify housing and employment land across the authorities' areas to meet anticipated needs up until 2036.
 
Marcus said: "This joint approach to planning is exactly what is needed for these four authorities. Economic development strategies will not work unless they are founded upon critically sound information.
 
“The consultations on the JSPS and the Call for Sites are two important initiatives to set a framework from which sustainable economic growth and positive town planning can be achieved.”
 
The four local authorities are seeking information from landowners with suitable development land and buildings that are capable of delivering 10 or more dwellings and economic development on sites of more than 0.25ha (0.6 acres) or 500 sq.m (5,350 sq.ft) of floorspace.
 
“LSH is working with landowners and developers to enhance the development potential of their land and buildings – so these consultations present a valuable opportunity for the development potential of sites that are in cities, towns, village and rural areas to be highlighted,” added Marcus.

Submissions and comments on both the JSPS and the Call for Sites are sought by the local authorities by March 6