COTSWOLD District Council has announced that it has an up to date of housing supply for the next eight years.

Sites for housing across the district were thrown into the melting pot in September last year when plans for 120 homes in Fairford went to appeal and the figures for its five-year-land supply could not be relied upon.

But at the council’s cabinet meeting on June 11, it was revealed that there is currently an eight year supply of land that is, suitable and achievable for residential development.

The inspector who made the Fairford decision said that Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) document had to be produced to ward off future development.

Now the council can measure a eight-year housing supply against an OAN – which identifies the delivery of 7,6000 dwellings between 2011 and 2031.

Cabinet member for forward planning at the council Nick Parsons, said: “I welcome this update very much because it shows that we are well on target to meet stringent government land supply requirements.

When the council lost an appeal against the construction of 300 homes in Tetbury in 2013, the inspector making the decision said that the council ‘persistently failed to meet targets of building houses.

And because of this, a 20 per cent buffer was added onto the council's housing plan by the Government's Planning inspectorate.

Mr Parsons added that he was hopeful that the 20 per cent buffer could soon be removed.

He said: “In fact, the number of housing completions in the District over the last 4-5 years shows that we are over-delivering and, provided we continue this progress, we should have a good case for removing the 2o per cent buffer imposed by the Planning Inspectorate.”

Joe Harris, leader of the Cotswold District Council Lib Dems said more work needs to be done to boost the council’s housing stock.

He said: “Whilst it is good news to hear that the District appears to be able to demonstrate a five year housing land supply we have been in this situation before only for the government to rule that we don't.

“The current figure is shaky to say the least and the council need to do much more to boost housing stock.

“The Lib Dems want to see Cotswold District Council building housing again so that housing distribution and where it goes is influenced by locals and not just developers.”