SOUTH Gloucestershire Council has approved its long-term planning blueprint, or Core Strategy.

A full council meeting voted in favour of adopting the policy, which directs where new housing should be built and supports numerous large-scale developments in the district.

Economic measures within the strategy include the creation of three new enterprise areas in Filton, Severnside and Emerson’s Green, with the potential to deliver thousands of new jobs by 2027.

The strategy also makes provision for a total of 28,355 new homes, including affordable housing, with the vast majority in Filton, Patchway, Cribbs Causeway and Harry Stoke but also includes 2,500 in north Yate. There is also scope for new schools, transport links and community centres to support new housing.

Cllr Pat Hockey (Lib Dem, Frampton Cotterell) said: “All over the country, unwanted development is being imposed on local communities. It’s going where developers rather than the council have decided they would like to put it because they haven’t got their planning blueprint in place.

“We welcome the fact that the Core Strategy has gone through. This means we won’t get planning by appeal. It’s an important milestone for proper planning for South Gloucestershire communities.

“As one of the most attractive places in the country to live, work and invest, we have no choice but to play our part in making way for the much-needed economic development and housing.”

Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors were in full support of the document, which sets out a vision for the area for the next 14 years and comes after an independent planning inspector ruled the strategy was ‘sound’ and suitable for adoption subject to a number of final modifications. However, Labour was split on the issue and saw a motion to introduce commercial flights at Filton airfield fail.

Cllr Keith Cranney (Con, Stoke Gifford) said: “I’m hugely relieved that councillors have supported the planning inspector’s rejection of the vanity scheme put forward by Labour councillors to reopen the airfield to passenger flights as part of a new Filton International Airport.

“Such a massive change would have smashed the quality of life of the thousands of Stoke Gifford residents who live under the airfield’s flight path.”

He added: “I also welcome the Core Strategy’s support for MetroWest rail, the Stoke Gifford Transport Link and the associated rapid transit scheme which will dramatically improve public transport in the area and relieve some of the traffic congestion locally.”

The council has consulted the public for a number of years over the strategy. A final approved version of the strategy will be published by the council after Christmas.