A total of 1,751 more homes across 17 new sites have been included in the latest South Gloucestershire Local Plan – with over half of the proposed developments in the greenbelt.
The extra houses and flats are in addition to the previous draft 15-year blueprint, published last autumn, which envisioned 20,490 homes to be built in the district between 2025 and 2040, taking that total now to 22,241.
Five of the locations are in Stoke Gifford, including the two biggest – 400 homes at the Aviva Centre and 250 at Filton Retail Park.
Four are in Hambrook where a total of 206 properties would be built.
There are two in Yate, which would take a further 295 homes, and one apiece in Bradley Stoke, Oldland Common, Mangotsfield, Frenchay, Bitton and Wick.
South Gloucestershire Council cabinet approved the latest Local Plan, which is going out to eight weeks of public consultation this week, on Monday, July 15.
A report to the meeting said the previous figure of 20,490 homes was based on a government formula for calculating the area’s housing need but that it did not give enough flexibility if any of the developments failed to go ahead, so more were required to ensure the plan was sound.
It said officers reassessed 180 sites, half of which had been earlier rejected, and came to the same conclusions as before for 175 of them but that, unlike before, five were now identified as suitable for potential development.
The other 12 new locations were the result of a ‘call for sites’ during the last public consultation into the Local Plan, out of 56 that were suggested and then analysed.
Campaigners from action group Save Our Green Spaces (SOGS) South Gloucestershire protested outside Kingswood civic centre before the meeting and members spoke passionately in opposition to building thousands of houses on large areas of the greenbelt.
Cllr Liz Brennan (Conservative, Frenchay & Downend) told the meeting: “SOGS members represent a lot of people in South Gloucestershire who are concerned about what the development plan will mean for their communities.
“It’s extremely important to listen and respect the identity of where people live and cherish the places they call home.
“The Conservative group opposes the approach taken by the [Lib Dem/Labour] administration and confirms that our priority would be to protect the greenbelt.
“It is concerning that nine out of the additional 17 possible sites require further release of the greenbelt.”
Cabinet member for planning, regeneration and infrastructure Cllr Chris Willmore (Lib Dem, Yate North) said only two per cent of the greenbelt would be released in a worst-case scenario and that this was similar to decisions by previous Tory administrations.
The 17 new sites are:
Land to the North and East of Highbrook View, Stoke Gifford – eight homes – not greenbelt
Filton Retail Park, Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford – 250 homes – not greenbelt
Land at Westfield, Stoke Gifford – 60 homes – not greenbelt
The Aviva Centre, Stoke Gifford – 400 homes – not greenbelt
Land at Hambrook Lane, Stoke Gifford – 70 homes – not greenbelt
Bradley Stoke Way, Bradley Stoke – 50 homes – not greenbelt
Bolbrek, Filton Road, Hambrook – 11 homes – greenbelt
Jarrats Yard, Oldland Common – 225 homes – greenbelt
Pomphrey Hill, Mangotsfield – seven homes – greenbelt
Frenchay Christmas Tree Farm, Old Gloucester Road, Frenchay – 140 homes – greenbelt
Land adjacent to Bitton Sports and Social Club – 40 homes – greenbelt
The Meads, Common Mead Lane, Hambrook – 35 homes – greenbelt
Land at Hambrook Business Park, The Stream, Hambrook – 10 homes – greenbelt
The Oaks, Filton Road, Hambrook – 150 homes – greenbelt
Land at Ladden Garden Village, Yate – 140 homes – not greenbelt
Land at Leechpool, Yate – 155 homes – not greenbelt
CEMEX Floors, London Road, Wick – 45 homes – greenbelt
The council has released detailed maps of all 17 sites, which are here: https://council.southglos.gov.uk/documents/s154443/Appendix%201B%20-%20Maps%20of%20Potential%20Sites%20in%20Table%201.pdf
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