Urgent - have your say now on housing

Even though it was the end of the last week of school term, and people were about to go on holiday residents turned out last Friday to hear Chris Willmore and Steve Webb explain more about how they can fight South Gloucestershire's plans for 3000 houses here. And hear that Barretts is planning 250.

The meeting very much concluded that the development already in the pipeline, some 500 houses, is enough to meet local needs and we should oppose the massive development at Brimsham Park as a community. The biggest issue people felt was the fact there is no suggestion of any road improvements, so the 3000 extra households, will put 4000+ extra cars on the road.

Deadline for getting your comments in is 6th August.

Update - also see our later post with suggestions for commenting to South Glos.

Chipping Sodbury Waitrose - public meeting, August 12th

Sodbury Town Council is organising a public meeting about the plans for a new supermarket and 190 new homes on the Barnhill site behind the church in Chipping Sodbury.

The public meeting will be at 7pm on Thursday Aug 12 in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Town councillors and staff from South Gloucestershire Council will be there to answer questions.

The scheme is arousing divided opinions because of concerns about the effect on independent shops and increased traffic.

The (very) detailed plans of the development are available on the South Glos website.

Yate Youth Venue and Cafe - the Armadillo is coming!

Chris Willmore explains the building and the way the Youth Venue and Cafe will be run

Several of the key committee members at the launch

Representatives of local organisations examine the plans

Yate Youth Venue and Cafe project was officially at launched two very well attended sessions this week, when representatives of local organisations and councils came to Poole Court to hear the details of the project.

This striking new building, which has already been nicknamed "The Armadillo", will be constructed on the side of the Leisure Centre and extend towards the roundabout.

Cllr Chris Willmore explained that it is not intended to be a youth club - it will be a cross between a students union and a social enterprise cafe, with young people very involved in running it. Young people have already been very involved in the design and the steering group.

This is a joint project of Yate Town Council and South Gloucestershire Council. The core funding is secure to build the venue and to provide core opening hours, but they are now seeking sponsorship for many of the facilities within the building and to have more sessions each week.

Work has just started on the ground and the building should open in April next year.

Badminton Road pavement resurfacing

On 26th and 27th July there will be disruption for traffic on Badminton Road between the Stover Road and Westerleigh Close junctions due to the pavements being resurfaced. Work will start at about 8am and end at about 5pm each day.

Don't forget - important Yate mega-housing meeting this Friday

Just a reminder about Yate Town Council's public meeting at 7.30 pm at Yate Leisure Centre on Friday, 23rd July with Steve Webb MP.

Let's bring South Glos Council to its senses and get it to reassess actual housing need now that central government targets are being abolished.

There's a good item about the controversy on the Evening Post website.

You have until 6 August to make your comment on South Glos's Core Strategy - click here to go to the Core Strategy web page.

Chipping Sodbury Waitrose & housing plans now available online

As we told you in an item last week, the planning application for the Chipping Sodbury Waitrose supermarket and nearby housing has been submitted to South Glos Council.

The plans are now online here and you can make your comments on the proposal until 13 August.

Driver prosecuted for breaking Westerleigh weight limit

A lorry driver from Weston-Super-Mare has been fined £115 and ordered to pay £583 in costs for driving a 13 tonne heavy goods vehicle through the 7.5 tonne weight restriction in Westerleigh.

Read more on the South Glos website

Rodford School demolition - shouldn't the community be asked first?

South Glos Council has decided to demolish the buildings at Rodford School, Yate, as soon as the school closes on July 23rd - from the end of the term it is being merged with Kings Court Primary School to form Woodlands Primary School.

South Glos say this is necessary to prevent vandalism, but nobody has asked the local community about this. For example, there's a hall which could be a useful public facility.  

Lib Dem Cllr Ruth Davis has asked S Glos to look at potential uses for the site, for example to provide community facilities, especially as groups like South Gloucestershire Deaf Association are looking for new premises.

This could be an opportunity - as Ruth said "With the current economic climate it is going to be very difficult to get funding for a new building in the future"

The good news is that the playing fields are likely to remain as open space for community use.

Make YOUR voice heard on massive housebuilding plans for Yate

As we reported recently,  South Glos Council is still planning for a new development of 3000 homes to the north of Yate, despite pressure to review local housing need now that government targets are being abolished.


As South Glos isn't doing anything except the formal consultation on their outdated Core Strategy document, Yate Town Council has organised a public meeting at 7.30 pm at Yate Leisure Centre on Friday, 23rd July. Steve Webb MP will talk about housing development and local councillors will respond to local residents’ views and questions.

Steve said "I think there is a lot of confusion. Just as the targets have been scrapped,consultation starts on building 3,000 homes. Residents could be forgiven for not knowing what is going on."

In the meantime, Barratt Homes has said they are looking at building 250 homes at Peg Hill area, which would be part of the new "3000 homes" area. The developer will be holding a public exhibition on Saturday, July 17 from 10am to 4pm at Yate Parish Hall.

Barratts say that no planning application has been submitted yet and they inviting residents and businesses to hear more about the proposals and to discuss thoughts and ideas with members of the project team. There will be the opportunity to leave feedback which will be used to help shape the plans. If you are unable to attend the exhibition but would like to receive information about the proposals, you can email your name and address to info@meetingplacecommunications.com or call 01225 422243 and they will send out the information straight after the exhibition.

Remember, you have until 6 August to make your comment on South Glos's Core Strategy - click here to go to the Core Strategy web page.

Woodchester Play Area Grand Reopening 17 July - fun for all

Steve Webb will be opening the newly rebuilt play area on Saturday 17 July. There's lots of new equipment, and local children have already been making good use of most of it.

The event runs from 11 am until 1pm, and there will be face painting, fun multi-sports activities, balloons and refreshments.

This is a joint South Glos and Dodington Parish Council project.

Waitrose submit planning application for Chipping Sodbury supermarket and houses

Waitrose have applied for planning permission for the proposed supermarket and 190 homes at the Barnhill site in Chipping Sodbury, the site behind St John's Church that runs from the car park into the old quarry area. Details should be available shortly, but they're not on South Glos Council's planning applications website yet.

Waitrose say that the supermarket will be generating up to 160 jobs. If permission is given by South Glos, building would be likely to start in the autumn of 2011. The first phase of the scheme, including the supermarket, could then be completed in 2012.

There has been general support for the supermarket, but concerns have been expressed about the impact on struggling businesses in the High Street and about whether there will be adequate parking.

Update 15/07/20 - plans are now online here

Blooming lovely - Sodbury gets ready for Britain in Bloom judging

The enthusiastic volunteers of Sodbury in Bloom have been sprucing up the town ready for the judges' visit on Monday. From baskets and planters in the High Street to Lilliput Park and the Millennium Garden, it's all been very busy.

Major thanks are due to all the individuals and groups for their hard work.

There's a final Sodbury in Bloom Action Party this Sunday at 10.30am, meeting at the Community compost site, Shire Way, Yate - take your trowel and a busy lizzie! Sodbury in Bloom can be contacted via their web page.

Go wild at Woodfest! - Ridge Wood Sunday 18 July 11am - 5pm

This popular woodland festival returns thanks to South Glos, the Friends of Ridge Wood and Hanson Aggregates.

Once again Woodfest will feature a wide variety of free woodland based workshops, walks and events for people of all ages. You can try out traditional woodland crafts such as wood turning using a pole lathe, stone carving (booking required), willow weaving and charcoal making. Many of the workshops will involve using a variety of green woodworking techniques to make products from fallen timber in the woodland.

There will be lots for for families, including bush craft workshops, storytelling, children’s forest school activities, flag printing, guided walks, talks, nest box building and woodland barbeques.

More details are available from South Glos on 01454 863725.

Yate Youth Cafe - a bit late due to Glastonbury!

The contractors are on site for the Youth Cafe. There was a slight delay because site fencing across the South West was all tied up at Glastonbury but it is here now. The fencing is up, the digger is on site, and the first holes have been dug.

The photo shows members of the Project Board, with chair Chris Willmore and members of Yate Town Council who are co-funding the project. on site, checking what the digger is doing on the first day. Paris (left) commented - "It feels real now we can see it!"

Biodiversity Walk at Wapley - Sunday 18 July 2pm

Explore Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve in the company of experts who can tell you about our local flora and fauna.

Everyone welcome - meeting at the Shire Way gate. Please wear suitable footwear.