The Lib Dem-led administration is pushing to get the new Local Plan in place as soon as possible, to protect our much-loved countryside from unplanned, speculative development.

It protects the Frome Valley Green Belt and says no to sites which have seen recent developer interest, including:

• No to development at Roundways
• No to development between Church Road and
  Black Rocks
• No to development of the Green Belt between
  Frampton Cotterell and Iron Acton
• No to Buckover Garden Village

Having fought against the discredited and abandoned plan to build 1,800 homes at Roundways put forward by the previous Conservative administration, your Focus Team believes the new Local Plan’s emerging strategy is right for our area.

The Local Plan has to find space for 9,643 additional homes across South Glos. The draft Plan has tried to maximise the use of brownfield sites and urban infill but that still leaves 7,813 homes to find.

The new plan uses an evidence-led approach to spread development around the district in a much fairer way, but it was not possible to find enough sites without proposing some development in the
countryside. The Council is consulting on where this development should be, including some sites in the
Green Belt.

Near Henfield, the Council is now saying it wants to build 800 homes on the land to the south of
Westerleigh Road – the land between Westerleigh Road and the M4. It also wants to allocate some of this land for mixed-employment use.

At the same time the Council will be looking again for any brownfield or other sites it has missed. South Glos are running a whole range of drop-in events where you can have your say including:

• Yate Tesco Superstore – Thursday 11 January 2024 (9am-5pm)
• Charfield Village Hall – Friday 12 January 2024 (4pm-7pm)
• Mangotsfield Football Club – Wednesday 17 January 2024 (4pm-7pm)
• Emersons Green Village Hall – Friday 19 January 2024 (12pm-3pm)
• Pucklechurch Community Centre – Monday 22 January 2024 (3.30pm-6.30pm)
• Thornbury Turnberrie’s Community Centre – Monday 29 January 2024 (4pm-7pm)
• Chipping Sodbury Town Hall – Tuesday 30 January 2024 (4pm-7pm) *
• Henfield Hall, Coalpit Heath – Wednesday 31 January 2024 (3.45pm-6.45pm) **

* Limited Parking

 ** No Wifi

Some Parish Councils are holding their own events:

• The Lister Room, Rangeworthy Village Hall, Tuesday 9th January (5pm-7pm)
• Iron Acton Parish Hall, Monday 15th January (6.30pm)

There are also online events organised by South Glos Council:

• Wednesday 10 January 2024 (12pm-2pm)
• Wednesday 10 January 2024 (6.30pm-8.30pm)
• Tuesday 16 January 2024 (12pm-2pm)
• Tuesday 16 January 2024 (7pm-9pm)

The plan’s emerging strategy saves countryside that was previously under threat, but, it’s likely developers will challenge the draft plan and we have until February 7th to defend it. Please get in touch with your views and complete the consultation online.