RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on the latest proposals to build thousands of new homes in South Gloucestershire by September 13.
The council is running an additional consultation as it prepares to create a Local Plan, which will set out how it intends to meet housing nexeds for the next 15 years.
Its revised proposals are for 22,241 homes to be built across the district from 2025 to 2040, including huge developments in Warmley, Siston and Shortwood.
But this figure might have to be increased by a further 6,000 following the new Labour Government’s announcement of a new National Planning Policy Framework. It wants South Glos to build 1,717 homes a year rather than the 1,317 currently planned.
Opponents say this is a “potential disaster”. Conservative Cllr Sam Bromiley said: “The Conservative group is completely and unequivocally opposed to these new planning rules.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with residents who do not want to see their greenbelt destroyed by a Labour government that is unwilling to listen to their understandable concerns.
“These new rules are yet another attack on South Gloucestershire’s precious green spaces and we will continue to fight them every step of the way.
“Reclassifying greenbelt land as ‘grey belt’ in order to force developments through while ordering South Gloucestershire to take ever increasing amounts of housing, all while completely dismissing the views of local people, is, quite simply, an appalling way for a government to behave.”
Ex-council leader and now Thornbury & Yate Lib Dem MP Claire Young branded the proposals a “fairytale”.
“As a former council leader, I know how important it is that we see houses built – especially smaller, more affordable homes that young people and new families can afford to buy or rent.
“But seeking to simply jack up the top-down targets without addressing concerns about supporting infrastructure or protecting our green spaces is not the way to make this happen.
“Here in South Gloucestershire, we’re already struggling to meet current targets – never mind having to also locate space for 6,000 extra properties. It’s frankly a fairytale.
“That’s why I’m urging the Government to rethink these proposals and instead ensure developers build the infrastructure and quality social homes we need.”
Asked to comment on Ms Rayner’s announcement, a council spokesperson said the authority would “evaluate the impacts” of the proposed NPPF reforms as part of the current Local Plan consultation.
The council said there were some immediate good points but also some unexpected implications.
Last month the campaign group Save Our Green Spaces South Gloucestershire held a demonstration against the plans before a meeting of South Gloucestershire Council cabinet. Another is planned for September 7, when protesters in fancy dress will march from Warmley to Bridgeyate carrying posters and banners.
Public consultation on the latest plans, which have identified 17 additional sites for potential development, began in July and will close this month.
Following feedback, the final Local Plan proposals will be prepared and consulted on again next January before being submitted in June 2025 for examination, which is expected in October next year, ahead of adoption by April 2026.
To find out more, visit: southglos.gov.uk/new-local-plan/
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service