After the Second World War, Bristol needed more land for house building. The last significant extension to the city in 1951 pushed Bristol out to its southern limit to enable further council house building
The Act brought Bishopsworth into the city area and led to the construction of Withywood, Hartcliffe and Stockwood. As part of the government decision to set this new boundary, land at Ham Green and Portbury that had been part of the city since 1897 was moved back to Somerset.
The population in 1951 was 420,000 and the area within the land boundary was and remains 42 sq miles.