In what some cynics might call a novel approach, a local authority in Gloucestershire is asking rather than telling residents where they think future houses should be built.

Aside from potentially making future planning decision so much easier, assuming all residents are in agreement, the project could also unearth some previously unconsidered sites.

Forest of Dean District Council is the local authority inviting people and organisations to suggest where land on its patch could be used for housing, as it carries out its annual assessment of possible sites.

Cllr Alan Grant, cabinet member responsible for planning policy, said: "Housing is a top priority for the council and a lot of work has gone on in the district to deliver homes for local people.

"We can continue this good work in the future if we can identify possible new sites for development."

The yearly study is actually required by the UK Government of all local councils, and will help to determine potential areas for future housing.

The study allows the council to keep its list of potential sites as up to date as possible.

All the sites suggested are then assessed to see if they are suitable for development - although the assessment does not determine whether a site will be allocated for housing development in the future.

Forms must be returned by 31 March 2019 to be considered as part of the 2019 round.

The council will still accept submissions after the deadline but these will be treated on a rolling basis and assessed as part of future SHLAA updates in 2020 and beyond.

If you have a site or sites that were considered last year or before, you do not need to do anything unless you wish to make changes to the site, or remove it from the study, as past sites will be carried forward.

Any further sites put forward may be considered on a long-term basis and retained within the council's records for the future.

All information supplied to the council will be available publicly.

To put forward a site download a form from the council's website at https://www.fdean.gov.uk/shlaa or call Sarah Rizvi on 01594 812335 or email localplans@fdean.gov.uk for more information.