Campaign is launched to fight housing plans

12:05pm Friday 4th July 2008

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CONSERVATIVE Matthew Riddle is calling for a cross-party campaign to save South Gloucestershire from becoming a concrete housing estate.

The Tory councillor and prospective MP for the new Yate and Thornbury constituency wants all three political parties on South Gloucestershire Council to join forces for the fight against future development.

Cllr Riddle called for the parties to drop political bias as he launched his No Way to 30K campaign, in reference to the 30,800 homes the government is recommending should be built in South Gloucestershire by 2026.

"If we're serious about making ministers see sense on their ludicrous 30,800 figure, then No Way To 30K needs to be a cross-party campaign with support from across the community," said Cllr Riddle, who represents the Severn ward on the council.

The Regional Spatial Strategy committee set the figure for 30,800 new homes earlier this year, a hike from the 23,000 houses it called for in 2006.

The draft strategy has called for 5,000 homes on Sodbury Common, a well-known flood plain, 3,000 to swamp the small village of Shortwood, and thousands more at Cribbs Causeway and an extension to Brimsham Park in Yate.

"I have spoken to many local residents in places such as Yate, Chipping Sodbury and in villages like Shortwood and Pucklechurch who are facing a tide of concrete as a result of the Government's plans," addded Cllr Riddle.

The Liberal Democrat party in South Gloucestershire said it was keeping up the pressure in the fight against thousands of new homes.

Party spokesman for planning Cllr Pat Hockey (Frampton Cotterell) said: "The Secretary of State is due to say in July whether she agrees with the plans.

"When she makes her decision there will be another consultation and I would urge all worried residents to take part."

Northavon MP Steve Webb said South Gloucestershire would need to talk with "one voice" against the proposals.

He said: "Once the Secretary of State starts her consultation we will have to speak with one voice on the 30,000 homes figure."

He said the council was not doing enough to fight the numbers.

"We need this council to be fighting vigorously and I am not convinced they have stood up enough to the government yet," said Mr Webb.

No one from the Labour party was available for comment.

South Gloucestershire Council is fighting the figures but a decision on how many homes should be built in the region and where will be announced by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears later this summer.