Westerleigh Parish Council response to planning consultation

Following the drop-in session in Westerleigh village hall on the draft Policies, Sites and Places DPD planning document, Westerleigh Parish Council has circulated its response. Claire has uploaded it here so you can read it.

Reminder - drop-ins - shaping the future of Charfield and Cromhall

Next week, Charfield and Cromhall Parish Councils will be holding drop-in events. This is a chance to have your say on how South Glos Council's latest planning document could shape these parishes.

• Charfield - 3pm-8pm, 16th July at Charfield Memorial Hall
• Cromhall - 4pm-8pm, 17th July at Cromhall Village Hall

Protecting our rural environment is a priority for your Focus Team. To help John fight on your behalf please:

• let him know your views, so he can speak for the community
• make your own comments directly to South Glos, to add weight to what he is saying.

Reminder - shaping the future of our area

Next week both Westerleigh and Frampton Cotterell Parish Councils will be holding drop-in events where you can have your say on how South Glos Council's latest planning document could shape our area.

The Policies, Sites and Places DPD will add more detail to the policies in the Core Strategy and includes a section for each Parish setting out local needs and aspirations. Westerleigh Parish has been working with South Glos to look at the need for a small amount of new housing development at Westerleigh village. This could help to meet local housing needs, for example for younger people, and support existing facilities and services such as the village shop. You can see the full notice for the Westerleigh drop-in here.

Both Westerleigh and Frampton Cotterell Parish Councils have asked for Woodlands Farm to be designated a "Local Green Space" - as well as a number of other sites. They have also proposed having separate settlement boundaries for Coalpit Heath, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne, to make it clear they are distinct communities. South Glos has made some proposals about how to meet the future need for Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

You can find the draft plan and information on it at www.southglos.gov.uk/policiessitesandplaces - take a look at the section for your Parish. The drop-in events are:

• Westerleigh Parish - 5pm-7pm, Monday 7th July in Westerleigh Village Hall
• Frampton Cotterell - 5.30pm-7pm, Wednesday 9th July in the Brockeridge Centre

Protecting our rural environment is a priority for your Focus Team. To help us to speak on your behalf please:

• let us know your views, so we can speak for the community
• make your own comments directly to South Glos, to add weight to what we are saying.

 You can find our contacts here.

Reminder - drop-in - shaping the future of Iron Acton

On Thursday (3rd July) Iron Acton Parish Council will be holding a drop-in event from 5pm to 7pm in the village hall. This is a chance to have your say on how South Glos Council's latest planning document could shape our area.

Protecting our rural environment is a priority for your Focus Team. To help us to fight on your behalf please:

• let us know your views, so we can speak for the community
• make your own comments directly to South Glos, to add weight to what we are saying.

 You can find our contacts here.

Have your say on the future of our Parishes

South Glos Council is asking for your views on the future of our Parishes.

Earlier this year South Glos adopted its Core Strategy, a planning blueprint for the area until 2027. Now the council is preparing another document, the Policies, Sites and Places DPD. This adds more detail to the policies in the Core Strategy and also includes a section for each Parish setting out local needs and aspirations.

For example:

• Westerleigh Parish  has said it wants no more development in Coalpit Heath, but it does want a small amount in Westerleigh village, to help its vitality and support facilities like the shop.
• All the parishes have identified pieces of land they would like designated a "Local Green Space". Both Westerleigh and Frampton Cotterell Parishes have put forward Woodlands Farm for this protection, as well as a number of other sites.
• Westerleigh, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne Parishes have proposed having separate settlement boundaries for Coalpit Heath, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne.

You can find the draft plan and information on it at www.southglos.gov.uk/policiessitesandplaces - at the moment, the draft plan still needs updating with the amendments listed in a separate document, so you need to look at both. The amendments will be incorporated into the Draft Plan and that will be published again on 26th June. Take a look at the section for your Parish - do you agree with what's proposed?

To designate land as a "Local Green Space" the Government requires it to be considered very special to local people – so we need evidence to show this.

One of the sections covers Gypsy and Traveller policies. Officers have proposed that the need for pitches in the next 5 years is delivered through intensification of existing sites (putting more homes on them without extending the boundaries) including Henfield Paddock, Elm Farm and Hill View in Westerleigh Parish. They have also suggested that all the safeguarded sites that currently have personal or temporary permissions are designated permanent gypsy sites, which involves taking them out of the Green Belt.

There is also a proposed extension to Wickwar Quarry and a section on the Oldbury Nuclear Site, which could include infrastructure changes at Junction 14 of M5 with a proposed reconfiguration of the junction and park and share facility.

There will be drop-in sessions where you can find out more on all these issues and have your say:

• Iron Acton - 5pm-7pm, Thursday 3rd July in the Village Hall
• Westerleigh Parish - 5pm-7pm, Monday 7th July in Westerleigh Village Hall
• Frampton Cotterell - 5.30pm-7pm, Wednesday 9th July in the Brockeridge Centre
• Charfield - 3pm-8pm, 16th July at Charfield Memorial Hall
• Cromhall - 4pm-8pm, 17th July at Cromhall Village Hall

Protecting our rural environment is a priority for your Focus Team. To help us to fight on your behalf please:

• let us know your views, so we can speak for the community
• make your own comments directly to South Glos, to add weight to what we are saying.

 You can find our contacts here.