AT the South Gloucestershire Council meeting on November 11, a resident of Oldland Common, and member of Barry Road, Save Our Green Spaces, voiced objections to the proposed building of 350 houses on the fields adjacent to Park Farm, Barry Road, Oldland Common.
In February of 2024, Barry Road SOGS presented to South Gloucestershire Council 2,180 online objections, and 283 paper objections to the proposed housing development on the Barry Road fields. So far these objections have been met with an overwhelming silence.
There have been two public consultations – the outcome of both still hadn’t been disseminated. To summarise, Councillor Chris Willmore’s response to this was that collating information from these large consultations took time, and a general election had taken place.
The first consultation ended in February 2024, whilst the second ended 13th September 2024.
The Barry Road SOGS opinion was that the South Gloucestershire Planning Dept was being disingenuous – either that or had buried its head in the sand.
As a local community they didn`t feel they were being engaged with.
Also, that the phrase “affordable homes for local people” rang hollow.
The scale of the proposed development far out-ways the actual projected population growth in the Oldland area, based on ONS figures. The Green Belt is crucial to stopping unnecessary urban sprawl.
The local infrastructure is insufficient to cope with a development that would lead to an increase in demand by one third.
The land targeted for development is agricultural and in the Green Belt. We cannot afford to lose agricultural land. This is increasingly relevant given escalating geo-political tensions. We also need to consider the climate-related decrease in UK harvests.
There appears to be no regard to both nationally and locally listed buildings along Oldland High Street and at Cully Hall Farm. There is no evidence of any archaeological survey having taken place. As the name implies Oldland Common has been inhabited since Neolithic times, with Roman links, and a Medieval fishpond.
Traffic congestion along the A4175 would increase dramatically due to increased car usage as potential new residents commuted out of Oldland for work, due to the lack of local jobs. This would adversely affect air quality, and impact on residents’ respiratory health
The A4175 of which Barry Road forms a part has junctions with existing roads that are demonstrably sub-standard.
Public transport is woefully inadequate. There is no direct bus from Oldland to our designated A&E hospital at Southmead.
Less than 3% of the population cycle.
Housing on the Barry Road fields would increase the risk of flooding.
The fields being proposed for housing act as soak aways for the rainwater coming down from the Oldland Ridge. The deeper ground is heavy clay. The road flooded in parts during recent heavy rain- despite weeks of sewer works being carried out.
There are no local jobs to warrant this increase in housing. Local GP practices are overwhelmed already, as are local schools.
Access to green spaces evidentially is fundamental for both mental and physical health.
Building on these fields would be an ecological catastrophe – with loss of habitat. Already worrying decline in the bee populations has been reported. The trees and hedgerows act as natural air cleansers.
Soil health and the micro-systems soil provides is the springboard for all flora and fauna. For birds, for invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and mammal species in or area.
Ultimately this underpins human health as climate and ecological emergencies threaten.
Eileen Tilley