Parish council and BANES planning development meeting 27 Nov 2025
Following the submission of the Parish council comments regarding the local plan, the Parish councils most affected by the HD/SCCW Option 1 and 2 met with BANES Planning development. The presentation and notes are attached in the links below:
B&NES SCCW Policy Options Presentation
Meeting notes SCCW Policy – 27.11.2025
Parish Council comments on Local plan 14 Nov 2025
The local plan consultation phase closed on the 14 November 2025. Following resident representation at the 12 Nov CPC meeting the Parish council submitted comments to BANES regarding HD/SCCW Option 1 and 2, as well as comments regarding Bus Services, rural Employment Opportunities and Traffic caused by nearby housing developments. These documents are can be found here:
Camerton PC_Comments on Local plan HD-SCCW HE2 Option 1 and 2 (v6)
Camerton PC_Comments on Local plan Key issues Bus service, Traffic, Employment (v2)
Local Plan Latest update from BANES planning (3rd Oct. 2025)
The local plan is now live for public consultation from Friday 3rd October to Friday 14th November. The consultation will be hosted via the dedicated BANES website: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk
Residents who wish to participate should register and then get access to the local plan policy documents. Should you have any issues navigating this BANES website, please contact BANES on tel. 01225 394041.
Links to the document sections 1-9 are also provided below, but residents should use the BANES website as the wording from the links differs somewhat from that of the website:
1-4. Introduction and Spatial Strategy: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan/chapters/Setting%20the%20scene%20-%20Options%20Document%20Chapter%201-4.pdf
5. Bath: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan/chapters/Bath%20-%20Options%20Document%20Chapter%205.pdf
6. Bristol to Bath corridor: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan/chapters/Bristol%20to%20Bath%20Corridor%20-%20Options%20Document%20Chapter%206.pdf
7. Somer Valley: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan/chapters/Somer%20Valley%20-%20Options%20Document%20Chapter%207.pdf
8. Rural areas: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan/chapters/Rural%20Areas%20-%20Options%20Document%20Chapter%208.pdf
9. Development Management policies: https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan/chapters/Development%20Management%20Policy%20Options%20-%20Options%20Document%20Chapter%209.pdf
Section 9 – Page 60-68 (onwards) contains information that might be of interest to residents concerning the SCCW (Somersetshire Coal Canal and the Wansdyke).
Policy HE2 already exists. In this Oct 2025 B&NES Options Consultation, there are 2 options regarding the canal that BANES would like consultation comments from residents under HE2:
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- Option 1 The first option is simply to Retain Policy HE2 which already protects the historic canal route from development (has been in place since 2017).
- Option 2 (a new option) regards development of a New Policy for Restoration/Creation of diverted routes.
- This option proposes 4 diversions that mitigate existing developments that have already taken place along the original route. The four diversions proposed are:
- Radford, Camerton (North of the CBLNR), Camerton (New Pit) and Combe Hay.
- This option proposes 4 diversions that mitigate existing developments that have already taken place along the original route. The four diversions proposed are:
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Sign-up for Local Plan updates:
Parishioners can sign-up to receive information regarding the local planning policy updates via this link: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/sign-planning-policy-email-updates.
Local Plan Introduction
The “BANES Local Plan” refers to the planning framework being developed by Bath and North East Somerset Council. This plan will guide development and land use decisions in the area up to the year 2042. It will contain a vision, strategy, and specific policies on various aspects such as housing, travel, business, and the environment.
Once adopted, it will be the primary document used to determine planning applications. Here’s a breakdown of key aspects of the local plan:
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- Purpose: To establish the planning framework for Bath and North East Somerset until 2042, guiding how the district grows and changes.
- Scope: It will cover a broad range of issues, including housing needs, economic development, environmental protection, and infrastructure.
- Previous Stages: The council conducted a launch consultation in 2022 and an Options consultation in February 2024.
- Call for Sites: In early 2025, the council held a “call for sites” to invite suggestions for potential housing and employment development from landowners, developers, communities, and other stakeholders. The deadline for submissions was March 21, 2025.
- Housing Targets: The new government set out revised mandatory housing targets in December 2024, significantly increasing the housing numbers B&NES needs to deliver. The requirement increased by 105%, from 717 to 1,471 homes per year.
- Regional Context: Previously, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) was preparing a Spatial Development Strategy (SDS). However, this work was stopped in May 2022. Now, the individual Local Plans for Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire will provide the strategic planning framework for the WECA area.
- Consultation: Public consultation is a central part of developing the Local Plan, and the council holds these regularly throughout the process.
- Relationship to Existing Policy: The new Local Plan will eventually replace existing local planning policy documents, such as the Core Strategy, Placemaking Plan, and Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU). The LPPU was adopted in January 2023 and updated parts of the previous Local Plan.
- Current Status: The council reset its approach to the Local Plan in February 2025 due to national planning policy changes introduced in December 2024. They are currently in the process of preparing the new Local Plan:
- Current Stage – Drawing up the plan with latest content, options, policy etc (Ongoing).
- Draft Local Plan – Issuing a draft Local Plan for consultation with Councils and Residents [expected Sept. / Oct. 2025 – Exact date TBC later this year from BANES]. This is the key stage for residence to input their views regarding the BANES Council Local Plan and the options it describes.
Key Interest area(s) for Camerton – The Somersetshire Coal Canal and the Wansdyke), based on 2024 local plan draft documentation.
The following links (see below) provide general information regarding the plan together with some specific information of interest to Camerton residents regarding the HD/SCCW (Somerset Coal Canal and the Wansdyke). It is worth noting that these documents in places refer to Policy HE1 , HE2 and HD with the following definitions:
Policy HE1 sets out how any development that affects the historic environment should be considered within the planning process. It aims to support and protect the District’s Heritage Assets, in particular assets such as the Bath World Heritage Site, conservation areas, ancient monuments and historic parks and gardens.
Policy HE2 additionally sets out how to protect ‘two important linear assets’, namely the Wansdyke earthwork and the Somersetshire Coal Canal. Both of these features are defined as Designated Heritage Assets within the context of the National Planning Policy Framework. That policy states ‘When considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation’. Policy HE2 already exists and is in the Placemaking Plan since 2017 and already protects the old canal route from development.
Policy HE2 Expansion (sometimes called Buffer zones or Diversions) is a new Policy Option being proposed within the Local Plan and up for consultation, where they propose to expand the HE2 boundaries and introduce diversions in places. This would enable potential navigation from point A (Paulton) to Point B (Dundas) which is not possible without these diversions. These diversions are being considered as there have been developments on/near the original canal route. There are a number of diversions that impact Camerton Parish.
Archive documents
Link to (older) documents / updates
The Council will update the Camerton Web site with the most recent document describing these proposals as we receive them.
SCCS Update 30 Aug 2025
An update from Somersetshire Coal Canal Society has been received on the 30 Aug, 2025, and below is an update on its restoration plans as part of the Local Plan reset consultation:
The attached document provides an update on the Society’s objectives and our proposals to protect the route for eventual restoration to water. It references the route amendments we are proposing to incorporate into Policy HE2 to bypass development on the original canal route. These route amendments have been reviewed and revised in response to feedback from the first public consultation exercise. The document explains that restoration can only be performed with the agreement of affected landowners. The Society has provided some useful links below detailing the canal route and HE2 policy.
SCCS welcome any engagement with parish councils, ward councillors and residents to discuss questions/queries relating to its protection and restoration plans and the associated Local Plan process.
The new landowner liaison and public rights of way secretary for the society is Nick Baker who is keen to establish links with the parish community relating to the Local Plan reset, land ownership and the footpath network associated with the canal route.
Please contact Nick Baker (Landowner Liaison & Public Rights of Way Secretary), Somersetshire Coal Canal Society landownerliaison@coalcanal.com
Other HE1 / HE2 document links
A document recently presented at Bath forum (June 2025) with key information about the consultation process and timelines: Local Plan – Bathavon Area Forum (June 2025)
A document outlining Policy HD / SCCW Approach and Option (published by BANES in March 2025).Policy HE2 Approach and Option (BANES March 2025)
B&NES Local Plan – Somersetshire Coal Canal – Parish Council Briefing (BANES March 2025). B&NES Local Plan – Somersetshire Coal Canal – Parish Council Briefing (BANES March 2025)
Engagement folding leaflet (BANES 9th May 2025). Engagement folding leaflet 2 pages (BANES 9th May 2025)
The Somersetshire Coal Canal (SCC) Society and the Local Plan (a short document from SCC Society explaining the present planning situation). The Somersetshire Coal Canal Society and the Local Plan (SCC Society)