South Saltford

South Saltford Site Option

The South Saltford site comprises several parcels of land that are being promoted together. The site was considered during the 2024 Option Consultation and been reduced in size following feedback and further assessments. The site still has the capacity to accommodate 350 – 450 new homes.

Currently located in the Green Belt, further assessment is required before the site can be released. There are also many other constraints that would need to be resolved through a range of mitigations to make the development of the sites acceptable in planning terms.

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 paddocks with small woodland areas and tree belts to the north of the Saltford Golf Club. Since the 2024 Options consultation amended landscape evidence (and associated proposed revision of the landscape setting of the settlement) and demonstration of the community value of the Golf Club mean that the site boundary has been reduced from that previously consulted on, excluding land occupied by the Golf Club from consideration.

Land parcels at South Saltford would be accessed from Manor Road via two junctions.

The site is located in the Green Belt. Any release from the Green Belt and subsequent allocation for development will need to demonstrate exceptional circumstances. To understand and consider the impact of potential development on the Green Belt an assessment of the extent to which different parcels of land serve the five purposes is being undertaken. The emerging Stage 1 Strategic Green Belt Assessment being carried out by WECA will assess the site for its contribution towards meeting the five Green Belt purposes and also whether it meets the definition of grey belt set out in the NPPF and updated Planning Practice Guidance, which is sequentially preferable to greenfield Green Belt in national policy. The assessment work is ongoing and will inform the Draft Local Plan. It is likely that following the Stage 1 Strategic Green Belt Assessment a more detailed (stage 2) assessment of the impact of development on more specific areas of the Green Belt will also be required.

South Saltford context plan

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South Saltford Site Option – Indicative plan

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Element	Description
Development opportunities	Provision of around 350-450 homes, a new primary school (if delivered in combination with West Saltford (south of the A4 and north of the A4), 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 Village, 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. Relationship with the Golf Club and the floodlit driving range needs to be considered. Grade II listed Keynsham Manor house located on Manor Road. Impact on setting to be considered, particularly impact of new primary school building. The defined landscape setting of settlement designation is proposed to be amended and would be directly adjacent to the western boundary of the potential development parcels. In order to ensure no impact on setting, building heights must not exceed 2-storeys in height
Mitigation	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. The cumulative impact of development of sites in Keynsham and Saltford Village on primary school places will need to be assessed, to ensure there is sufficient capacity.
DfT current connectivity rating	C – fairly connected
Further evidence required	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). Air quality assessment Evidence to consider secondary school place planning in the Wellsway and Broadlands catchment, in combination with other proposed allocations in the area

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South Saltford

South Saltford Site Option

South Saltford context plan

South Saltford Site Option – Indicative plan

Your feedback

Do you have any feedback on this site option? This feedback will be considered as a written representation and included in the Options Consultation Report which in turn will inform the Draft Local Plan and other associated documents.