DEVELOPERS of a proposed 3,000-home garden village near Thornbury are appealing to community groups and young people to come forward as community engagement work begins.

Initial plans for the Buckover village have been presented by representatives of the Tortworth Estate at meetings of Falfield Parish Council and Thornbury Town Council, with dozens of residents taking part in the discussion.

But organisers have said that they want to talk to specific stakeholder groups such as health and education providers, older and younger people community groups, employers and the wider range of community groups ahead of a formal consultation process, which would begin early next year.

Rob Garnham of Mediation in Planning said: “The more focussed work with stakeholder groups is another key step in our consultation process and I will be contacting groups shortly.

“However, if there are any community groups, of any kind, that wish to be more proactive and get involved then please contact me.

“We want to work with the local community to understand their concerns but also, if the Garden Village is to proceed, then what would be their wishes for such a community.”

Robert Moreton of Tortworth Estate added: “Once the concept document was published, we made a pledge to the local community that we would engage with them and that work has already begun.

“Listening to local people and our councils is very important and is already proving very helpful as we add more flesh to the bone of what we think could happen at Buckover.”

An initial timetable for the development has previously been discussed, outlining a five-year consultation period, with development taking up to ten years.

But South Gloucestershire councillors in Thornbury have raised concerns over a letter that has been sent to government without their knowledge, suggesting that South Gloucestershire Council supported the garden village concept and that discussions were further along than people realise.

“Nothing has gone through any official committees or party leaders before this letter was sent out, and I don’t really understand how they can circumvent the democratic process, especially over a project of this magnitude,” said South Gloucestershire and Thornbury Town Councillor Maggie Tyrrell.

“We seem to have been informed merely as a matter of courtesy when the expression of interest was submitted but it seems like discussions have been had that have not included us, which worries me as we operate in a committee format, not a cabinet one.”

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: “The Buckover Garden Village is currently a landowner-led proposal. A government initiative which launched in March, sought expressions of interest to be submitted by July 31 for a limited amount of funding and support from government for developing Garden Village proposals.

“The bidding criteria made it clear that an expression of interest must be submitted by a local authority. South Gloucestershire Council agreed to support the submission of an initial expression of interest, with the document itself making clear that the Buckover Village proposals being at an early concept stage, do not currently form any formal part of the council’s plans, and the deliverability of the scheme remains to be demonstrated.

“Should the expression of interest receive favourable consideration by government, the council looks forward to working with the landowner and local communities to test and develop the feasibility of the proposal.”

To contact the Buckover garden village organisers, email bgv@mediationinplanning.co.uk