Somerset Local Plan Scoping Consultation 2026

Closes 24 Jul 2026

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Spatial Strategy - where development could go

This section explains the different spatial strategy options being considered for the Somerset Local Plan.

A spatial strategy sets out the overall pattern, scale and distribution of development across Somerset. It helps show how the Plan’s vision will be delivered and how development and infrastructure can be coordinated.

At this stage, we are not selecting a preferred option. Instead, we have identified six main options, along with three additional options, for how development could be distributed. The numbering is not sequential because these options have been drawn from a longer list set out in the draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper.

We are sharing these options to gather views from residents, businesses and stakeholders. Your feedback will help us refine the options and move towards a preferred spatial strategy for the Local Plan.

A draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper is available which explains how these options were developed and the work carried out so far. This document will continue to be reviewed and updated as we receive feedback, new evidence becomes available, and national and local policy evolves. It will be finalised when the Local Plan is submitted for independent examination.

As you answer the questions, please refer to the supporting document and information provided. You may find it helpful to keep these open in separate tabs or windows.

Draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper

You can download the draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper to read, or view the document below.

Your browser does not support inline PDF viewing. Please download the PDF.

Draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper - Summary

The draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper explains the main issues that help shape how development could be distributed across Somerset. These include:

  • Role of settlements
  • Past levels of development
  • Capacity within existing urban areas
  • Access to jobs and economic opportunities
  • Infrastructure capacity
  • Supporting rural communities
  • New communities
  • Climate change, flood risk and coastal change
  • Protected landscapes
  • Transport and connectivity
  • Ecological sensitivity
  • Opportunities for development
  • Sites put forward through the Call for Sites
  • Cross-boundary issues (working with neighbouring areas)

Health and wellbeing is not listed separately, but is considered a cross-cutting theme that is influenced by many of the factors above.

These issues were identified through a review of national and local policy, data analysis, early engagement, and work on the Local Plan evidence base. They were used to develop a range of possible spatial strategy options.

An initial list of 19 options was assessed against the emerging Local Plan objectives. From this, six main options and three additional options were selected for further consideration and public consultation.

The Topic Paper includes:

  • An illustrative distribution of housing across the settlement hierarchy (Appendix 2)
  • Indicative maps and diagrams showing how each option might look (Appendix 3)

These are for illustration only and help explain how development could be distributed. The options may change as work progresses.

The spatial strategy is closely linked to the Settlement Role and Function Study, which defines the proposed settlement hierarchy. There are separate questions about this in the consultation.

The options have also been subject to an initial Sustainability Appraisal (SA). There are separate questions on this as well.

We are now seeking your views on these options as part of the Local Plan Scoping Consultation. Your feedback, along with further technical work (including Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment), will help identify a preferred spatial strategy.

This preferred approach will then be used to help identify potential development sites, including those considered through the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA).

The strategy may continue to be refined before a final version is included in the Draft Local Plan (Regulation 23) consultation, planned for 2027.

Core Spatial Strategy Maps (Appendix 3 of the draft Spatial Strategy Topic Paper)

The maps below show illustrative versions of each of the six core spatial strategy options. Each map includes a dot for every settlement in the settlement hierarchy:

  • The colour of the dot shows the settlement’s position in the hierarchy (or, for some options, a different grouping approach – explained in the main document)
  • The size of the dot gives an indication of how much growth that settlement might accommodate under that option

These sizes are based on the potential housing figures set out in Appendix 1.

It is important to note that these maps are indicative only:

  • They show the relative distribution of growth, not exact locations
  • The dots do not represent development boundaries
  • They do not mean all land within a dot is suitable for development

The maps are intended to help you compare the different options and understand how growth could be distributed across Somerset.

Core spatial strategy options
Option 1b Combined Roll Forward by Settlement
This seeks to reflect a roll forward of each area's existing plan spatial strategies, applied to the new plan period.
Option 2c Tiered % Growth
This seeks to reflect a proportional increase of dwellings in a settlement depending on its scale.
Option 4b Climate Resilience
This seeks to avoid significant growth in areas at greatest risk of impacts from climate change, including flood risk and coastal change.
Option 4c Public Transport Corridors
This seeks to maximise opportunities of locating growth in places with better access to public transport.
Option 4d Job Opportunity Focus
This seeks to maximise opportunities of locating growth close to higher density clusters of jobs.
Option 6 Real World Delivery
This seeks to reflect actual delivery patterns and market behaviour. It is a relatively rurally dispersed strategy.

Potential spatial strategy options (not yet definable)

Potential spatial strategy options (not yet definable)
Option 5a/b New Settlements
Would involve consideration of the role of one or more new settlements, likely in combination with one of the above core options. Whether new settlements will be needed or not is not yet known. In addition to this, it should be recognised that due to the timescales involved in bringing new settlements forward, it is likely that they would generally only contribute limited delivery within the plan period. If it is considered necessary or preferable to consider new settlements longer-term, then the plan will likely need to establish selection criteria and areas of search at least.
Option 8 Promoted sites
Would involve consideration of sites promoted via the Call for Sites process and emerging as ‘potentially suitable’ or ‘potentially unsuitable’ within the initial HELAA report.
Option 9 Blended strategy
The preferred strategy will almost certainly be a blend of the above options, maximising the benefits and minimising the disbenefits of each.
1. What factors should carry the most weight when deciding where development should go?

Please select and rank the five factors that are most important to you, with 1 being the most important.

You only need to rank your top five choices—you do not need to rank all of the options. There are no right or wrong answers—this is about your priorities.

Factor Explainer

  • Role of settlements – prioritising more development in larger or more sustainable settlements
  • Past levels of development – taking account of how much development has already taken place in each settlement
  • Urban capacity – making best use of land within existing urban areas, including brownfield sites and higher density development
  • Access to jobs and economic opportunities – focusing growth near existing jobs or where there is strong potential for future investment
  • Infrastructure capacity – directing growth to places with existing infrastructure or where it can be improved
  • Supporting rural communities – enabling development that helps sustain and revitalise smaller or rural settlements
  • New settlements – creating entirely new communities in appropriate locations
  • Climate change, flood risk and coastal change – avoiding areas vulnerable to flooding, coastal change, or climate impacts
  • Protected landscapes – limiting development in or near National Landscapes and Exmoor National Park
  • Transport and connectivity – focusing development in places well connected by sustainable transport, or where this can be improved
  • Ecological sensitivity – avoiding harm to important habitats and environmentally sensitive areas
  • Deliverability of sites – focusing on locations where suitable development sites are available and likely to come forward
  • Cross-boundary considerations – recognising links with neighbouring areas, including shared services and travel patterns
2. Are there any important issues that you believe have not been considered in identifying the spatial strategy options?
3. Please rank the six core spatial strategy options by order of preference, with 1 being your favourite and 6 being your least favourite.

Core Spatial Strategy Options Explainer

1b – Combined Roll-Forward by Settlement. This seeks to reflect a roll forward of each area's existing plan spatial strategies, applied to the new plan period.

2c – Tiered % Growth. This seeks to reflect a proportional increase of dwellings in a settlement depending on its scale.

4b – Climate Resilience.  This seeks to avoid significant growth in areas at greatest risk of impacts from climate change, including flood risk and coastal change.

4c – Public Transport Corridors.  This seeks to maximise opportunities of locating growth in places with better access to public transport

4d – Job Opportunity Focus. This seeks to maximise opportunities of locating growth close to higher density clusters of jobs.

6 – Real World Delivery. This seeks to reflect actual delivery patterns and market behaviour. It is a relatively rurally dispersed strategy
4. To what extent do you agree or disagree that new settlements should be considered as an option to support long-term growth in Somerset?
5. To what extent do you agree or disagree with using a ‘blended’ approach to the spatial strategy for Somerset (combining elements of different options to maximise benefits and reduce drawbacks)?