Conservatives oppose Greenbelt 'contingency' plan

04/09/2011

Conservative Councillors in Bath and North East Somerset have voiced their opposition to plans which would see Greenbelt land in the area earmarked as a 'contingency' site for new housing development.

A report by Liberal Democrat-run B&NES Council, to be debated at a Council meeting next Thursday, suggests making one of four Greenbelt sites in the area a back-up location for up to 1,000 new houses.

The four possible sites suggested by the Council are:

• Land on the edge of Bath between Twerton and Newton St Loe.
• Land on the edge of Bath by Odd Down and South Stoke.
• Land on the edge of Bristol at Whitchurch.
• Land between Bristol and Keynsham at Hicks Gate.

Although Councillors could choose to allocate any of the four suggested contingency sites, the council report recommends allocating Hicks Gate on the edge of Keynsham.

The proposal of a contingency site has arisen after a Planning Inspector questioned the deliverability of Brownfield sites in the Council's Core Strategy planning framework. The Council report states that the inspector raised concerns that recent changes to the authority's transport strategy, including a reduction in new Park & Ride capacity by over 1,500 spaces, has made Brownfield regeneration more difficult. Key sites in Bath include Avon Street, Western Riverside and Bath Quays.

Conservative Councillors, who have long opposed development on the area's Greenbelt, have said they are deeply concerned about the idea of earmarking any of the proposed locations as a contingency site.

Cllr Les Kew, the Conservative Shadow Cabinet Member for Homes and Planning, said:

"Conservatives are totally opposed to building on the Greenbelt. The Council should have a single-minded focus on opening up Brownfield sites for new housing.

"The only reason the council is having to consider looking at Greenbelt is because of concern about the deliverability of Brownfield sites. This simply would not be the case if the Labour-backed Lib Dem administration had maintained a proper strategy for improving transport infrastructure, which would enable and unlock Brownfield regeneration. We believe there is ample scope for Brownfield redevelopment, such as Bath's Western Riverside, the Somerdale site in Keynsham, MOD sites in Bath, and regeneration in Radstock once a satisfactory road scheme is agreed, but only if the Council delivers the infrastructure improvements necessary to enable them."