People are being urged to give their views over where thousands of new homes in South Gloucestershire should be built over the next 15 years.
The council is seeking views on its ’emerging preferred strategy’, for its Local Plan, which includes allowing housing on Green Belt sites in Hanham, Warmley and Shortwood.
It is holding a series of meetings this month to explain why it believes it has to build on greenfield sites and to listen to residents’ ideas. It insists that ‘nothing is set in stone’ and no final decisions have been taken.
The council says it has to find sites for 9,260 new homes to help meet a target of 20,490 homes in the district between 2025 and 2040.
Council leaders believe at least 7,813 will need to be built outside the existing urban area and towns, “some of which is currently designated Green Belt”.
The council says: “We know this will be very challenging for those communities affected by this.”
A further 8,080 homes already have planning permission and 3,150 will be built on small sites not included in the plan.
The council has posted a series of maps and web pages explaining its thinking.
The biggest proposed development is for the ‘east Bristol Fringe’ alongside the ring road at Warmley and Shortwood. The Warmley site, described as ‘north of the ‘A420 and south of ‘Goose Green’ is designated for 950 homes while tiny Shortwood village would see building on all sides, totalling 1,480 by 2040 and potentially 1350 more later.
Development is proposed at three sites in Hanham: Land at Castle Farm Road, 125 homes; Land south of Abbots Road, 85 homes; Land at Castle Farm Inn, 60 homes,
Other potential development sites include Barry Road in Oldland Common, 350 homes, Jarretts Garden Centre in Willsbridge, 95 homes; and The Sawmills, Bridgeyate, 110.
The council cabinet member with responsibility for the new Local Plan, Chris Willmore, said it has to “tackle several challenges”, including where and how the next generations live while preserving the area’s “wonderful environment”.
She said: “The ideas we are putting forward in this consultation are our emerging preferred strategy. That means the council hasn’t made any decisions yet, but we want to talk with our communities about these ideas and to hear theirs.
“When we say it is ‘preferred’, that simply means that we think the approach we’re presenting is a positive way of meeting our collective needs in response to the challenges we are all facing together.
“Those include the cost of living crisis, the risk of dramatic changes to our climate and environment, and the need for more homes that people can afford to live in.
“But we are still open to hearing more ideas. We want to know where people think this draft plan is right and where it can be improved.”
The online consultation includes three alternative views, called ‘lenses’, which show other ways the housing could be planned.
The council is inviting comments on the Local Plan until February 7.
Full details have been published online at www.southglos.gov.uk/newlocalplan where you can explore interactive maps.
People who are not online can call the council on 01454 868009.
HOW YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE
Tuesday 9 January – Hanham Community Centre (4pm – 7pm)
Thursday 11 January – Tesco Extra Yate (9am – 5pm)
Friday 12 January – Charfield Hall (4pm – 7pm)
Monday 15 January – Warmley Community Centre (4.30pm – 7.30pm)
Wednesday 17 January – Mangotsfield Football Club (4pm – 7pm)
Friday 19 January – Emersons Green Village Hall (12pm – 3pm)
Monday 22 January – Pucklechurch Community Centre (3.30 – 6.30pm)
Tuesday 23 January – Almondsbury Old School Hall (4.30pm – 7.30pm)
Wednesday 24 January – Easter Compton Village Hall (4pm – 7pm)
Thursday 25 January – Shortwood Methodist Church (12pm – 3pm)
Monday 29 January – Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury (4 -7pm)
Tuesday 30 January – Chipping Sodbury Town Hall (4pm – 7pm)
Wednesday 31 January – Henfield Hall, BS36 2UF (3.45 – 6.45pm)
Online events will also take place on January 10 and 16, from 12pm – 2pm and from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. To register your interest in these, please visit the website at: www.southglos.gov.uk/newlocalplan.