Thousands of homes planned for green belt in major Bristol expansion

North Somerset Council says new government housing targets have left them with no choice but to build on green belt land.

Transcript

00:00North Somerset Council has approved a list of new development sites to meet its sharply increased housing target,

00:07rising from 15,000 to over 23,000 new homes by 2040.

00:12While the council says it wanted to protect the greenbelt,

00:15new government rules mean some of it will now have to be built on.

00:19The largest development would sit just outside Bristol, near Long Ashton,

00:23on and around the site of the former Woodspring golf course.

00:26It would remain in North Somerset, but effectively extend the edge of the city.

00:31The council says it had no choice, with the greenbelt to the north,

00:35a protected landscape to the south and flood zones in between.

00:39Available space is running out.

00:41Porter said Pill, Nielsea and Backwell would also see significant expansion.

00:46The decisions proved controversial, with local councillors acknowledging

00:50that infrastructure is already under pressure in many of these communities.

00:54Despite claims that the homes may not be needed or even sell,

00:59councillors say without a proper local plan in place, they risk losing more planning appeals,

01:03including in areas at risk of flooding.

01:06One such decision, allowing nearly 200 homes in Yatton, is currently being challenged in the High Court.

01:12North Somerset's revised plan is one of the first in the country to be drawn up

01:16under the new government's accelerated housing targets.

01:19The new draft plan will go back to Cabinet in September and, if approved,

01:24will then be submitted to the Secretary of State for final sign-off,

01:28a process that could shape North Somerset's future for decades.

01:31Council officers say updated transport and drainage assessments are now being commissioned,

01:36with further scrutiny expected on school capacity, GP access and road infrastructure as the draft plan moves forward.

01:44As we hear, this is the first part behind us,

01:46we'll pick the two levels throughout a year.

01:47This is the first part of our program,

01:48we'll be able to quickly create the best time-off and nine-to-one degree school.

01:53Part 5 of our program was designed for decades-of-year-old,

01:54where we are going to be out.

01:55I was love to see the best place for decades-off and six-of-year-old Øx-of-year-old