Gloucestershire’s Local Development Guide 2025

Local development guide

A fundamental aspect of achieving sustainable development is providing infrastructure in the right place and at the right time. As part of its social and economic objectives, the national planning policy framework sets out the importance of identifying and coordinating the provision of infrastructure and accessible services to reflect current and future community needs.

Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) plays a key role in supporting sustainable development through its role as an infrastructure provider. The council is responsible for delivering strategic community infrastructure to support growth.

The purpose of the local development guide is to provide information to local planning authorities, developers, and all stakeholders on the types of infrastructure that we will seek funding for; and where planning obligations may be necessary to mitigate the impacts of a development and make it acceptable in planning terms. 

The guide is not prescriptive, as each development proposal will be considered on its merits, and any obligations sought will need to meet the relevant planning tests. It is intended to aid and improve transparency and consistency in decision-making; and to provide guidelines to inform the preparation of development plans and other planning documents, as well as assisting in the determination of planning applications. 

The 2025 Local Development Guide reflects the latest policy guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. It also simplifies the guidance to reflect the latest policy position of the service areas regarding the mitigation of new development. The LDG will be subject to regular review to ensure that it remains up to date with the latest guidance and policy from government and GCC.

The local development guide was presented and adopted at Gloucestershire County Council’s Cabinet meeting on 23 July 2025.