Agenda item

The Democratic Services Manager will announce any submissions received. The Council will be invited to decide what action it wishes to take, if any, on the matters raised in these submissions. As the questions received and the answers given will be circulated in written form there is no requirement for them to be read out at the meeting. The questions and answers will be published with the draft minutes.

Statements were made by the following members of the public;

Sue Grimes, a resident and Parish Councillor on Publow with Pensford Parish Council, made a statement about the potential detrimental effect of further housing and transport infrastructure on the village of Pensford and the already busy A37.  The statement can be read in full in the attachment to the minutes.  In response to a question from Councillor Sarah Bevan about particular issues in her area, Ms Grimes responded that Pensford was a gateway into Bristol and a new Park and Ride would destroy the green belt in that area.  Councillor Tim Ball explained that further work would be done on these issues over the coming months and asked if Ms Grimes would be prepared to meet the relevant Cabinet members to discuss this.  Ms Grimes responded that she would.

Kim Hicks, a resident of Whitchurch and member of the South Bristol Wrong Road Group, also spoke about her concerns of more housing in and around Whitchurch village.  She queried the future of the Joint Local Transport Plan 4 and called for better cooperation for any future planning.  The statement can be read in full in the attachment to the minutes.  In response to the offer to meet with Cabinet Members already extended by Councillor Tim Ball, Ms Hicks responded that she would be happy to do so.

A statement from Jill Britten, a member of the Whitchurch Village Neighbourhood Plan and Whitchurch Village Action Group, was read by Ms Walsh as Ms Britten was unwell.  In it, Ms Britten called for protection of the green belt and listed the reasons this area was not suitable for further large housing projects.  She called for any future such plans to be discussed with the communities concerned.  The statement can be read in full in the attachment to the minutes.  Councillor Tim Ball extended the same invitation to meet to be passed to Ms Britten.

Mary Walsh, one of the founder members of the Whitchurch Village Action Group, made a statement calling for measures to make their village a safer place to live without fear of added pollution and more destruction of the precious Green Belt.  She proposed smaller housing developments shared out more equally amongst villages.  The statement can be read in full in the attachment to the minutes.  Councillor Tim Ball extended the same invitation to meet, which was accepted by Ms Walsh.

Faye Dicker, founder of the South Bristol Wrong Road Group, addressed the Council about the housing proposals and the South Bristol Ring road.  She expressed concern that those plans remained on the table.  She highlighted positive cooperative work that had taken place with Bristol City Council and called on B&NES to engage in the same positive dialogue.  The statement can be read in full in the attachment to the minutes.  Councillor Tim Ball extended the same invitation to meet, which was accepted by Ms Dicker.

Alyson Lampard, a member of the Whitchurch Village Neighbourhood Planning team, welcomed the intervention of the inspectors but asked for reassurance that large-scale development will not take place without the appropriate infrastructure in place.  She also called for better communication with residents for any future plans.  The statement can be read in full in the attachment to the minutes. Councillor Tim Ball extended the same invitation to meet, which was accepted by Ms Lampard.

John Pierce, a Whitchurch Village Councillor, made a statement against the unrealistic plans of the JSP. He described their historic and stable community, surrounded by green belt but dissected by the busy and congested A37.  He commented that plans for a ring road to add to the congestion and pollution were viewed with dismay.  With regards to housing, Mr Pierce explained that new housing had already been accommodated and acknowledged that there was a national housing shortage, but any growth needed to be sustainable, realistic and based around existing transport networks so as not to further add to the global climate emergency or local pollution from existing traffic levels.  Councillor Tim Ball extended the same invitation to meet, which was accepted by Mr Pierce.

The Chair thanked all the speakers for their contributions which were referred to the relevant Cabinet members.