About this page
How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These site allocation pages contain the following sections:
Site background
- A broad description of the site, with map if appropriate
- An overview of development proposed or already in progress
- Relevant aspects of planning policy for this site
- The history and status of any planning applications for this site
Options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest one or more possible approaches:
- Keeping existing plans for this site as they are
- Making small changes to our approach, which may allow for changes
- Replacing the approach with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Site analysis
A short summary of our assessment of the site so far
- Opportunities presented by the site
- Constraints (obstacles which might make it a poor site to develop)
- Mitigations (Measures that would be needed to reduce any harm development would cause)
- Further information we'd need to make a more in-depth assessment of the suitability of the site
Policy context note
- Where decisions about this site may affect how we approach other sites (or vice versa), we will add a note to explain
Explore this site allocation
Select a section below to read more.
6.67 South Saltford is located to the south of the village, accessed from Manor Road. The western part of the site is characterised by agricultural fields enclosed by hedgerows with relatively few trees. The eastern part of the site is currently occupied by a golf course with small woodland areas and tree belts between the different parts of the course.
6.68 Land parcels at South Saltford would be accessed from Manor Road via two junctions.
6.69 The site is located in the Green Belt. The Strategic Green Belt Assessment carried out by WECA to inform the now halted Spatial Development Strategy assesses these land parcels (P85) as making the following contribution to each of the NPPF Green Belt purposes:
- Purpose 1 - checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas: Limited / no contribution
- Purpose 2 - preventing the merger of neighbouring towns: Significant contribution
- Purpose 3 – safeguarding the countryside from encroachment: Significant contribution
- Purpose 4 - preserving the setting and special character of historic towns: Limited / no contribution
6.70 A locally defined landscape setting of settlement designation is located directly to the south of the South Saltford site option. In our Development Management Policy (Chapter 9, Policy N/LCS) there is an opportunity to comment whether the boundaries of any existing landscape settings identified on the policies map should be amended.
Figure 31 Context plan - South Saltford
Option A
Figure 32: Option - South Saltford
Opportunities
- Provision of around 800 homes, a new primary school, a village green, and a small local centre, with facilities such as a village shop to serve residents to the south of the village.
- Opportunity to explore and fund ‘Quiet Road’ along Manor Road between Keynsham and Saltford, through introduction of a modal filter, or other traffic restrictions, to ensure traffic flows and speeds are low enough to enable active travel between the two settlements.
- Opportunity to explore Modal filter along Manor Road to the north of the development, to prioritise active modes along the route closest to the new community facilities and primary school.
Constraints
- Located in the Green Belt.
- Requires redevelopment of some areas of golf course.
- Grade II listed Keynsham Manor house located on Manor Road. Impact on setting to be considered, particularly impact of new primary school building.
- Currently defined landscape setting of settlement designation located directly to the south of the development parcels. In order to ensure no impact on setting, building heights must not exceed 2-storeys in height, other than along the A4 corridor.
Mitigation required
- Requirement for a woodland belt at least 50m wide along the southern edge of the development area to provide a soft backdrop to the housing on shallow slopes.
Further investigation or evidence
- Green Belt assessment required to assess impact of removing land from Green Belt, including cumulative impact when considering strategic removal across the district.
- Exploration of extent of possible green infrastructure enhancements between Keynsham and Saltford required (noting constraint of gas pipeline in this location).