Cotswold District Local Plan Regulation 19 Consultation

Posted on By Town Clerk

Information from Cotswold District Council:

Cotswold District Local Plan Regulation 19 stage of the consultation is now open for comments.

What you need to know

Cotswold District Council is inviting representations on the Publication Version of the Cotswold District Local Plan 2026-2043.

The consultation will run for six weeks from 24 August 2026 until 5 October 2026.

The Local Plan sets out the Council’s proposed planning strategy for the district to 2043, including policies and proposals for housing, employment, infrastructure, environmental protection and sustainable development. Once adopted, the new Local Plan will replace the adopted Cotswold District Local Plan 2011-2031 and will form the basis for determining planning applications across the district.

This consultation represents the final stage of plan preparation before the Local Plan is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

Unlike earlier consultation stages, the purpose of the Regulation 19 consultation is to invite formal representations on whether the Publication Local Plan is legally compliant and ‘sound’.

How to have your say

The easiest way to have your say is using the online consultation form: your.cotswold.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/local-plan-reg19.

You can also email local.plan@cotswold.gov.uk to request a copy of the offline form, which you can return via email or post.

Please note that representations and the names of respondents may be published as part of the examination process.

All representations received during the consultation period will be forwarded to the Planning Inspector together with the Council’s responses. A copy of the Local Plan consultation privacy notice is available online.

Find out more – dates for your diary

Cotswold District Council will be hosting exhibitions where you can meet planning officers and ask questions about the process.

  • Tuesday 25 August, 1:00pm to 7:30pm, Fairford Community Centre, Fairford, GL7 4AF
  • Friday 28 August, 1:00pm to 7:30pm, Cirencester Baptist Church, Chesterton Lane, Cirencester, GL7 1YE #
  • Tuesday 15 September, 1:00pm to 7:30pm, Redesdale Hall, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 0AX
  • Tuesday 22 September, 1:00pm to 7:30pm, Chipping Campden Town Hall, High Street, Chipping Campden, GL55 6HB

There’s no need to book – just come along.

Head over to the Council’s website to view the plan and supporting documents: www.cotswold.gov.uk/localplan.

have your say

Image caption: Cllr Mike Evemy, Leader of Cotswold District Council presents the case for the Local Plan to the Council.
Credit: Cotswold District Council.

Government Announces A Single Unitary Council To Be Created in Gloucestershire

Posted on By Town Clerk
Announcement from Future Gloucestershire:

The Government has today announced its decision on the future structure of local government in Gloucestershire.

The decision is to create a single unitary council, which will replace existing county, city, district and borough councils on 1 April 2028.

The Government has said that the single unitary option best met the criteria. This was particularly the case in three respects: it provides a sensible geography for economic growth and housing, it is easier to deliver joined up public services, and a good platform for community empowerment.

More detail on the rationale will be available shortly in this letter from the Secretary of State, who made the announcement in the House of Commons on 16 July 2026.

At this stage, there will be no changes to council services which will be delivered as normal. Residents should continue to access these services in the way they normally would.

In recent months, our councils have been working very well together, preparing to deliver on the government’s decision. That work will continue while we get into the detail of the decision and exactly how it will be implemented, with full focus on ensuring the best outcomes for our local communities.

While our councils adopted their own position regarding the best future structure of local government in Gloucestershire, we are united in our commitment to the people and communities we serve. Our shared priority has always been to ensure that residents and businesses continue to receive the services they rely on, and that those services are delivered to the very highest standard.

We recognise that while this decision brings a degree of clarity about the future of local government in Gloucestershire, it will also raise further questions that we are not yet able to answer.

We are still at an early stage in this process. The new council needs to be created legally. Then there will be elections to a shadow authority on 6 May 2027 which will make the key decisions related to the creation of the new council. The new council will be effective from 1 April 2028.

Throughout this process, our seven councils remain committed to keeping residents, staff and partners fully informed and will share more information as it becomes available.

Northleach with Eastington Town Council to adopt Public Toilets

Posted on By Town Clerk

Northleach with Eastington Town Council has resolved to take over the ownership and operation of the public toilets on the Market Place from Cotswold District Council, to help secure their future.

The decision follows a public consultation in which 67% of 254 respondents supported the option for the Town Council to take over the public toilets.

Councillors felt it was important to keep the toilets free to use for residents and visitors, and to safeguard a building the Town Council already part-owns.

The district council has agreed to provide a financial subsidy in year one of operation. We must now work closely with the council officers on the details of the handover, which is expected to be from April 2026.

New equipment has recently been installed that allows the doors to open and close automatically on a timer. Although the equipment has a coin slot, it is important to emphasise that the toilets are still free to use and there are currently no plans to introduce charging.

We’d like to thank Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Health, Culture and Visitor Experience at Cotswold District Council, and David Stanley, Deputy Chief Executive of Cotswold District Council, for working constructively with the Town Council to help make this agreement possible.

Changes to Bin Collections Christmas 2025

Posted on By Town Clerk
Waste and recycling calendar for Thursday collection day.

Residents are reminded of changes to bin collections over the holiday period.

Northleach’s usual “everything” collection day for recycling and general waste is a Thursday. Therefore, the last collection before Christmas will be on Thursday 18th December.

A food waste only collection is scheduled for Wednesday 24th December, one day earlier than usual.

The next “everything” collection will take place on Saturday 3rd January – but note that there is no green waste collection on this day.

Another food waste only collection is due on Friday 9th January – one day later than usual as crews catch up after the holiday period.

Normal service resumes from Thursday 15th January.

Green bin garden waste collections will also resume on Thursday 15 January 2025.

To check your collection day and download your collection calendar, visit: https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/check-your-collection-day/.

Cotswold District Local Plan: Have Your Say On Future Development

Posted on By Town Clerk

News from Cotswold District Council:

Cotswold District Council is updating its adopted Local Plan in light of the new mandatory housing targets. The Government now requires the district to provide more than twice the number of homes it was previously planning for. This currently equates to a total target of 18,650 additional new homes for the new Local Plan over the period up to 2043.

The consultation period will run from:
14 November
until
2 January 2026 (11:59pm).

This is a Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation, which looks at different development strategy options to deliver this target and provides a preferred strategy option. Each option provides indicative housing figures based on high level proposals for each settlement or area.

The main consultation document that looks at a series of development scenarios to address the district’s development needs up to 2043, and proposes the Council’s preferred scenario. (Please note, several of the scenarios – including the preferred scenario – include strategic sites of 500 or more homes whose construction may continue after 2043). The consultation document also considers development needs other than housing and includes an updated Vision and Objectives for the Local Plan.

A Call for Sites has also been issued, inviting people to propose sites that can help deliver development needs up to 2043. This can include land for housing, employment, renewable energy etc.

To view and respond to the consultation documents online, visit https://your.cotswold.gov.uk.

(Select ‘Preferred Options Consultation 2025‘)

Drop-in exhibitions will also be held across the district, giving you the chance to speak to planning officers and ask questions about the process:

  • 28 November: King George’s Hall, Mickleton (2–7pm)
  • 5 December: St David’s Centre, Moreton-in-Marsh (2–7pm)
  • 11 December: Fairford Community Centre (2–7pm)
  • 18 December: Corinium Museum, Cirencester (2–7pm)

For any questions about the emerging Local Plan or the consultation, please contact Cotswold District Council.