City told to find room for 5,000 more homes

BRISTOL will have to find sites for 5,265 more homes than the tens of thousands already pencilled in over the next 15 years, a Government-appointed inspector has told city planners in a review of its Local Plan.

- TRISTAN CORK

Aerial view of Cumberland Basin/ Western Harbour

(Trevor Clark)

The review means Bristol City Council will have to go back to the drawing board and find more places to build new homes, all within the city and county boundary, or face uncontrolled development on controversial sites as house-builders will be able to show city leaders have failed to plan its growth in the years to come.

The Local Plan has been drawn up for the past three years by councillors and officers initially under the previous Labour mayor administration, and now since May 2024 by the Green-led strategic planning committee.