Failed JSP Could Now Put Pressure on Hanham's Green Spaces
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THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 601 6th November 2019 Read by more than 40,000 people each week Failed JSP could now put pressure on Hanham’s green spaces The consequences of the failed Joint Spatial Plan could well Conservation Society after the JSP was halted by government Writing in their November newsletter the society say: “We as increase the risk of development within the Green Belt around inspectors at their examination stage of the scrutiny process. a group spent a considerable amount of time Hanham. They were critical of the selection process by West of England examining/discussing and commenting upon two publications That’s the warning from Hanham District Green Belt councils for the ‘Strategic Development Locations’. of this 30-year plan. “One of our prime comments was that the document was not a comprehensive ‘Plan’ and this has been the main criticism of the examining inspectors.” However, the society say that one aspect of the JSP was beneficial to the Hanham area as none of the proposed Strategic Development Locations were close. “This gave limited protection against the apparently insatiable demands for more housing. Regrettably without the JSP proposal being adopted, the limited protection it would have afforded us is likely to result in pressure for more homes on our green spaces.” The Strategic Development Locations that had been identified in South Gloucestershire were Buckover, Charfield, Coalpit Heath, Thornbury and Yate. In B&NES the SDLs were North Keynsham and Whitchurch Village and in Bristol land off Bath Road in Brislington had been earmarked. North Somerset’s SDLs were Backwell, Banwell, Churchill and Nailsea. Kleeneze update Hanham District Green Belt Conservation Society also say in their newsletter that they have been monitoring the situation regarding the derelict Kleeneze site in Hanham which is earmarked for housing after Tesco, which bought the land in 2003, finally decided in 2016 not to build a store there despite having secured planning permission in 2012 for a store with 200+ free parking spaces. Continued on page 3 2 The Week in • Wednesday 6th November 2019 Failed JSP could now put pressure on Hanham’s green spaces Continued from page 1 businesses. requests for information. In October 2017 (Issue 495) we revealed that Tesco was in The society say: “Although we have managed to tease out • Hanham District Green Belt Conservation Society’s AGM talks with the Homes & Communities Agency to sell the site. occasional updates from Homes England on the progress of will be on Wednesday 13th November at 7.15pm at Hanham Then in March 2018 (Issue 511) we reported that Homes developing the site purchase and subsequent development Baptist Church. England, the national housing agency which had replaced the plans, there has been little action ‘on the ground’. In order to There will also be a talk by John Sneddon, of Tetlow King Homes & Communities Agency, was working alongside South finalise the sale/purchase of the site, a site investigation will Planning, and David Hand, of KWL Architects, who were Gloucestershire Council with a view to redevelop the site for be necessary and this was originally scheduled for August, then responsible for The Chocolate Quarter in Keynsham and the 150 homes, with a portion being retained as space for small ‘during September'. To date, nothing tangible has happened on opportunity to ask questions. the site. This dragged-out process is frustrating, as we feel the development of this site, with Diabetes drop-in session an imaginative development, could well invigorate our High at Keynsham Library Street, at the same time as To mark World Diabetes Day on Thursday 14th providing the mix of housing November, Keynsham and District Lions Club are necessary to suit today’s renters hosting a diabetes awareness and risk assessment event and purchasers.” at Keynsham Library from noon to 2pm. The Week In has also been trying This is a drop-in event and will be administered by to establish what is happening trained staff from Diabetes UK. It does not involve any with the site. We understand that blood testing. costly investigations into mining Ian Kindon, president of Keynsham and District Lions activity and contamination have Club, said: “We are grateful for the support of B&NES been holding things up but Homes England has not staff and staff from the library for the use of their The derelict Kleeneze site responded to our repeated facilities.” The Week in • Wednesday 6th November 2019 3 ‘Stop supporting the South Bristol Ring Road’ Campaigners who have Stockwood from Hicks Gate report to the local councils 600 children, with all the been fighting proposals for to the A37 at Whitchurch about their plans. As a result, risks that would bring to it. a South Bristol orbital road Village and then on through this means housing plans are We believe that it would also are calling on Bristol City more Green Belt land to a now on hold and, as we have put Whitchurch Lane over its Council to abandon the junction with Whitchurch always been told no houses = capacity, send traffic through idea since independent Lane. no road, then road plans that would be overweight to inspectors halted progress As we have previously should also now be shelved. its current limit and of course of the Joint Spatial Plan reported, the inspectors’ into locations for 105,500 most serious concern about new homes across the West the Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) of England. was that the selection A petition from the South process by councils in the Bristol Wrong Road Action region for the strategic Group demands that Bristol development locations – City Council stops support including Whitchurch for the controversial road Village where 2,500 homes which would plough through were planned - was not the Green Belt behind sufficiently robust. “Notwithstanding this report, increase air pollution into the The action group’s petition we have always believed the area as a result.” says: “Independent road is wrong as it would The petition on the city THE WEEK IN government inspectors have wreck Green Belt, massively council’s website runs until recently stopped the progress increase traffic past and 31st December. More than Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, of a JSP into housing locally potentially around two sides 600 people have signed it so Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, and sent a highly critical of an infants’ school of over far. Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge. 16,000 copies are distributed through retail outlets, libraries, pubs, community centres each week. Verified pick-up rate of 97%. Publisher Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. BS31 1HA 0117 986 0381 www.theweekin.co.uk ISSN: 2052-9767 Managing Editor Stephen Rodgers [email protected] News Editor Becky Feather 07403 273967 Contributors Christine Rogers Advertising Jodie Deason and Tracy Broderick 0117 986 0381 [email protected] @theweekineditor No material in this publication, nor its associated website (www.theweekin.co.uk) may be reproduced without the written permission of Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd. All rights reserved. Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd. t/a The Week In is regulated by IMPRESS: The Independent Monitor for the Press CIC. As such, we adhere to the IMPRESS complaints procedure. A copy of this procedure can be found on our website or can be sent upon written request to the address above. 4 The Week in • Wednesday 6th November 2019 Yes, Brenda, another one! At the time of going to print, we had yet to attention over the next six weeks. Stand by hear the reaction of ‘Brenda from Bristol’ to for more TV confrontations between the news last week that we are going to have protagonists who follow the new mantra of yet another election. shouting louder than their opponent while So, since the introduction of the Fixed Term their party leaders agree to take part in sound Parliament Act, we are about to embark on bite interviews on condition no journalist the third General Election in four years – and actually tries to ask them a question. let’s not forget the 2016 Referendum. Was it It was a little over two years ago that Theresa just coincidence or some more sinister fate May swept into Kerry McCarthy’s that saw our elected representatives clearing constituency in Brislington, trotted out their desks and shutting down their ‘strong and stable’ in front of the assembled ‘[email protected]’ email addresses party faithful and got straight back into the yesterday, on (remember, remember) 5th car to speed off and do it again somewhere November? else. Cynics may even rewind just three weeks to Back in the summer, Boris Johnson’s 14th October and the Queen’s Speech – the Conservative Party leadership campaign was ceremonial tradition that announces the start managed without facing scrutiny, or even his Brenda from Bristol in 2017 of a new Parliamentary session. Having had challengers during a TV debate. The number to endure the longest sitting in Parliamentary of interviews he has acceded to since history, our MPs have now enjoyed one of winning is not much higher and he has even the shortest sessions in Parliamentary history managed to avoid a number of Prime but don’t get asked. It seems, the Tory and we will report news of the campaign but will – the sort of thing the Fixed Term Parliament Minister’s Question Times in the House. Labour leaders are prepared to face each avoid publishing comment. While it will be Act was no doubt designed to prevent.