Planning application submitted for 2450 houses at Brimsham Park

Letters have been dropping on doormats in Brimsham Park telling people that Heron Land Developments have applied for outline planning permission for up to 2,450 new dwellings, extra care housing, 5 hectares of employment land, a local centre and two primary schools.

Two steps to making your voice heard:

Step 1 -Tell the government inquiry into the South Glos Core Strategy about your views by signing our petition and adding your comments - just click this link: Stop Brimsham Park Housing by Monday 25 June, to give us time to convert the petition and your comments into a document that we can present to the enquiry.

Step 2 - Submit your comments on Heron's planning application to South Glos Council by Thursday 5 July. You can see the Heron planning application details and submit comments by going to South Glos's Planning Application Search Page and searching for planning application no. PK12/1913/O. That's a letter O on the end, not a zero.

You may find the YBuild 3000 campaign website useful to give you some ideas.

Our last chance to stop 3000 more houses for Yate!

At a public hearing on 29 June a government appointed inspector will hear the last evidence about the proposed development at Brimsham. If the inspector gives the green light that will mean 3000 more houses on the fields near Brimsham, and put yet more strain on our already stretched roads and community facilities.

Make no mistake, there would be no new main roads, nothing to deal with town centre congestion, and only 9 hectares of employment - not enough for the new residents. South Glos says vaguely that the shortfall will be made up by things like "encouraging home working".

Chris Willmore will be representing local people at the enquiry. She'll be presenting all the letters and the comments we've received throughout this campaign.

If you haven't signed our petition or put your comments in yet, there's still time - just click this link:

Stop Brimsham Park Housing by Monday 25 June, to give us time to convert the petition and your comments into a document that Chris can present.

Core Strategy Latest

The statements submitted by objectors for the first two weeks of the Core Strategy's Examination in Public have all been published in the online Hearing Statement Library. South Glos Council's responses on matters to be discussed in later weeks are also available, with statements received from respondents on those matters to be added in the early part of this week. The library has also been updated with a number of new documents including community led statements of support, such as those on Woodlands Farm and Engine Common. The library, together with other up to date information, is available on the Examination webpage at www.southglos.gov.uk/corestrategyexamination.

Elswick Park consultation - Kennedy Way, Shackleton Avenue and Mulberry Crescent - Waiting Restrictions and Banned Right Turn

South Glos is consulting on restrictions associated with the Sea Stores development:

• At the junction of Kennedy Way / Normandy Drive (the new entrance road) to protect visibility;
• In the new layby in Kennedy Way (constructed for refuge collection vehicles) to prevent parking in the area;
• In the culs-de-sac of Shackleton Avenue and Mulberry Crescent (part of the new development) to prevent parking in the area around the emergency access to the development

It is proposed that vehicles leaving Elswick Parkwillonly be able to turn left towards Yate. They will not be able to turn right onto Kennedy Way.

Full details of the Elswick Park consultation are on the South Glos website - the closing date for comments is 2nd September.

The future of the Air Ambulance Service at Filton

If Filton Airfield closes, it's essential that the Great Western Air Ambulance stays based at Filton. It's different from the neighbouring air ambulance services, which concentrate on transporting patients. Ours is a true Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, and has a specialist trauma consultant on board - it's one of only four such specialist services in the UK.

The site at Filton is strategically located so that the helicopter can get to any serious incident within our area as quickly as possible. If it had to be moved to Staverton for example, response times would become longer and lives would be at risk.

Please let South Glos Council know what you feel about this by commenting on their Filton Airfield Position Statement (also available in libraries and at One Stop Shops)

Comments need to be made by July 29th to planningLDF@southglos.gov.uk or by post to South Gloucestershire Council, Spatial Planning Team, PO Box 2081, South Gloucestershire, BS35 9BP.

The Air Ambulance is run by a local charity - check out the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity website here

Elswick Park - 20 mph speed limit in estate

There is currently a South Glos consultation about a 20 mph speed limit within the new development - this is normal nowadays for similar new cul-de-sac streets. It probably won't make much difference except for deterring young motorcyclists from racing up and down the roads.

You will probably have seen the road works on Cotswold Road outside Elswick Park - the 30 mph speed limit is going to be lengthened, there will be a toucan crossing and people won't be able to turn right out of Elswick Park.

The future of Filton Airfield - and the impact on Yate housing developments

If you are interested in the Planning Blueprint for South Glos, the Core Strategy, there is now an extra publication you may like to look at and perhaps comment on.

The decision by BAE Systems to close Filton Airfield means there is a large area of land that will be left vacant. Should this be a higher priority for housing than the North Yate area?

The Government Inspector who will be holding the Examination in Public has asked South Glos Council to put forward their views for discussion on what should happen about this.

You can find the Council's Filton Airfield Position Statement online, as well as in libraries and at One Stop Shops.

Any comments on the suggestions have to be made by July 29th to planningLDF@southglos.gov.uk or by post to South Gloucestershire Council, Spatial Planning Team, PO Box 2081, South Gloucestershire, BS35 9BP

Could Brimsham Park development field become a village green?

Residents near the proposed massive housing development to the north of Yate have suggested protecting a key field by giving it village green status. They want the field next to Randolph Avenue and Leechpool Way to become a buffer zone between the new and existing houses.

Town councillor Chris Willmore is investigating the idea on behalf of residents, but she warns that it won't be easy because it is necessary to distinguish general use from the people using the footpaths.

She said: "I think there are legal problems about rights of way so it will not be a home run.

"Residents will be asked for evidence about how often the field is used, what it is used for and if people think they have a right to use it.

"But it is a possibility and is certainly worth carrying out a data survey before we give a reasoned judgment."

Yate Town Council will be sending leaflets about the proposal to all the residents in Brimsham Park next month.

Please don't forget to sign our petition against the Brimsham Park development!

The Gazette has more details about the village green proposal here

Housing development links - everything in one place!

WHERE TO FIND OUT WHAT DEVELOPERS WANT

For any development, if it has got as far as a planning application you can get all the details by going to the South Glos Planning Applications search page and typing in the application number listed below.  Some of the developers also have websites for their schemes, please see below.

BRIMSHAM PARK - 3000 houses

Heron's mega-plan for the land between Brimsham Park and Tanhouse Lane, with all the traffic coming through Brimsham Park. There's no planning application yet - the next step will be a public inquiry in the summer.

• Please sign our online petition: tinyurl.com/stopbrimsham - previous petition comments are visible here 
• Please join our Facebook group "Stop Brimsham Park Housing"
• Slides from the Lib Dem Focus Team / Steve Webb meeting are at http://tinyurl.com/brimshamhandout
• Suggested comments (for inquiry now) are at http://tinyurl.com/devcommentspdf - you can email your own thoughts to Chris Willmore, marked as enquiry comments, and she will pass them on.
• Heron's website is www.heron-northyate.info/
• Their planning application, which got consent in September 2010, is PK09/1388/F

PEG HILL - 250 houses

Barretts want to build on the land between Brimsham Park and Gravel Hill Road.

• Write to South Glos NOW to object, quoting planning reference PK11/0081/O
• Or you can make your comment online - follow this link, then click on "Comment on application", just below the heading "Summary"
• Please send us a copy of your objection
• Developer's website is www.peghillyate.co.uk

COOPERS WORKS

As well as the houses already approved for the land next to Coopers, there is now a proposal to flatten the factory and build housing on the whole site.There's no planning application yet, but the developers have just persuaded Tory-run South Glos to let them off more than £200,000 of community contribution for the first part of the site.

• Let Ruth Davis or Sue Walker know what you think about the Coopers proposals
• Builder's website is www.terramond.co.uk/current-westerleigh-works.shtml 
• Phase 1 got planning consent in August 2008 PK06/2774/O
• Phase 2 concept consultation starts in May

RODFORD SCHOOL

Without any consultation with local people, the Tories on South Glos have decided to flatten the school and sell the site to the highest bidder, which will almost inevitably mean more housing. Yate Town Council has put in a proposal to rescue the playing field part as sports pitches, a changing room and allotments.

• Tell Alan Lawrance or Dafydd Holbrook what you think should happen to the site

ELSWICK PARK (SEA STORES)

Taylor Wimpey tried to wriggle out of their contribution towards community buildings, and also attempted to cut down the environmental standard of their properties, but the Lib Dem Focus Team councillors managed to fight that off.

• Now they've come up with some new designs for the flats facing Kennedy Way
• And they are planning to put a Toucan crossing from the Sea Stores across Kennedy Way, between the roundabout and the entrance to Elswick Park, right outside 23 Cabot Close
• Please let Ruth Davis or Sue Walker know what you think about their proposals
• Taylor Wimpey's website is www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/newhomes/bristol/elswickpark/ 

BARNHILL ( CHIPPING SODBURY WAITROSE AND HOUSING)

• Planning application expected in the next couple of months
• Let Linda Boon or Adrian Rush know your views
• Builder's website is http://chelvertonbarnhill.co.uk

ENGINE COMMON / NORTH ROAD

Although this site isn't even in the Core Strategy, Bloor Homes and Sydney Freed Holdings want to build hundreds of new homes and offices all over Engine Common.

• Contact Howard Gawler with your views
• Sign the residents' petition at www.saveenginecommon.co.uk

Housing development meeting - the slides

Didn't make it to Steve Webb's meeting about all the housing developments planned for Yate? Did make it but want to recap on what you heard? You can now read the handouts online along with advice on making comments.

Don't forget to sign our petition about the Brimsham Park development - tinyurl.com/stopbrimsham.

Reminder - public meeting about big housing developments TODAY!

If you're concerned about all the major housing developments planned for our area, please come to Steve Webb's public meeting about all the housing developments this evening (Tuesday 12 April) at 7.30pm in Yate Parish Hall on Station Road.

And if you haven't already done so, please sign our petition about the Brimsham Park development - click here tinyurl.com/stopbrimsham

Take action against major housing planned for our area!

Are you concerned about the massive housing developments planned for our town? South Glos and developers are planning 3000 new houses for Brimsham Park, north of Yate, plus more at Peg Hill.

But it doesn't stop there. Elswick Park (the Sea Stores) is already being built. Then there's the Coopers factory site on Westerleigh Road and the housing planned to go along with Waitrose at Chipping Sodbury, and South Glos intends to sell off much of the Rodford School site for housing.

Just as worryingly, there are attempts by developers to put houses on sites that aren't even on South Glos's plans, such as Engine Common, with the possibility of more to come. Could Chipping Sodbury have some surprises in store?

Your Lib Dem Focus Team councillors are already fighting the massive developments. But we need YOUR help.

What can YOU do about it? Some simple steps:

• Sign our petition about the Brimsham Park development - click here tinyurl.com/stopbrimsham
• Come to Steve Webb's public meeting about all the housing developments on Tuesday 12 April at 7.30pm in Yate Parish Hall on Station Road
• Tell a friend or a neighbour about the petition and the meeting!
• If you're on Facebook, you can join the group Stop Brimsham Park Housing

Update 04/04/2011 - Barratt Homes, the developers for Peg Hill, have pointed out that it is within the boundary shown in South Glos's Core Strategy, so we've amended the wording above. In other news Heron Land Developments (the main developer for Brimsham Park) has objected to the Peg Hill development because it's not been coordinated with their big proposals.