Luke Hall MP has submitted strong representations opposing the housing plans proposed by South Gloucestershire Council.
Residents were left dismayed late last year after South Gloucestershire Council proposed building thousands of houses on green spaces and on the Greenbelt.
The MP launched a community survey, asking for resident’s views on the plans to significantly expand rural villages, including Alveston, Charfield, Easter Compton, Almondsbury, Pucklechurch and Siston.
Thousands of residents responded to the survey from across South Gloucestershire, and Luke has now formally submitted objections to South Gloucestershire Council, alongside survey results which demonstrate over 90% of residents oppose the housing plans. Over 90% of residents also agreed that South Gloucestershire Council should be firmer with Bristol and ask it to take a greater share of housing need.
Luke Hall MP has highlighted the concerns about the Local Plan and its implications for towns and villages in the area, including its impact on local roads, health services, community facilities and air quality.
Mr Hall has also called on South Gloucestershire Council to push Bristol harder to take a fair share of housing and to prioritise brownfield development across the region.
The MP received clear assurances from Government Ministers that areas such as Bristol should be taking an additional 35% of housing need, to stop further pressure being put on local services in areas not suitable for overdevelopment.
Luke said, “We cannot allow the Council to give the green light to overdevelop our villages, which would put our roads, GP services and schools under huge pressure.”
“Together we defeated the deeply flawed plans for a Buckover ‘Garden Village’ and the 35% expansion of Chipping Sodbury, and told the Council to build on brownfield land. If we fight these poorly thought-out plans by South Gloucestershire Council together, I know we can make them see sense once again.”
Siston Parish Councillor Steve Reade said, "The Greenbelt is there for a very clear purpose. It is to protect from urban sprawl. I have had literally hundreds of local residents express very deep concern that South Gloucestershire Council may facilitate its loss and destruction. Not to mention the massive detrimental impact on wildlife in the area."
