Nibley council offices - car park extension

Claire Young and Ruth Davis at
the potential Park and Ride site

Earlier this year, we reported that the Conservatives were considering closing the Kingswood Civic Centre and extending their Badminton Road office to accommodate a council chamber and extra staff.

They are now proposing to keep the council chamber at Kingswood but move the staff to Nibley, which still requires the car park to be extended.

Your Focus Team requested and received plans that demonstrate this will still leave room for the planned Park and Ride. This now needs to be bigger than originally planned due to all the new homes being built in Yate.

Have your say on extending Badminton Road South Glos Council offices

Cllrs Claire Young and Ruth Davis at Badminton Road.
The site reserved for the Park and Ride is on the left.

South Gloucestershire Council is looking to make more savings on office space. The Conservative administration's preferred option is to extend the offices (and parking) at Badminton Road, Nibley and move staff there, so they can close Kingswood Civic Centre.

Councillor Claire Young has raised concerns about the impact extending the offices could have on traffic and parking in the local area. She also sought, and was given, reassurance that any plans would not affect the ability to deliver the Nibley Park and Ride in the future. Last year we made sure plans for the solar farm would not restrict a future Park and Ride, we need to make sure the same is true of any office extension. We were told they were also looking at whether solar panels could be put over any new parking area.

Now it's your chance to have your say on the proposals. At this stage, it is still on the principles of the different options, not on any detailed plans for an extension. You can find out more and have your say here until 13th May.

If you're including the protected Park and Ride site in your comments, please mention that it needs to be big enough for the expanded town - not just the original area. We suspect that South Glos might think they can use the extra area for staff parking.

Heavy traffic fear in village as bridge reopens

Cllr Sue Hope at the restructured

Badminton Station Railway Bridge

The re-opening of a railway bridge is good news for Badminton residents, but people living in Acton Turville fear the return of heavy traffic to their village.

Cllr Sue Hope (Lib Dem, Cotswold Edge) said, “Badminton residents will be pleased to see the Badminton Station Railway Bridge reopen after a complete restructuring. The contractors have worked closely with residents during the works to ensure everyone has been kept informed, but the road has had restricted access for over two years and been closed completely for a year.”

“However, Acton Turville Parish Council has voiced concerns that with the reopening of the bridge, heavy traffic will return to using the narrow street through the village as a main transport route. Local people are still awaiting the results of a consultation on a traffic management scheme to tackle this. I have pressed South Gloucestershire Council to include this scheme as part of the Bridge Works.”

The Bridge will be fully open next week – 31st January – and includes the reinstating of an unearthed old mileage sign.