COALPIT Heath residents are outraged that their concerns about 1,800 new homes proposed for their village have so far been disregarded by the West of England Joint Committee.

Villagers are worried that the area’s roads, schools and health services will not be able to cope as the village will more than double in size if the plan goes forward in its current state.

Up to 1,800 new houses have been earmarked for the village, as part of the final draft of the Joint Spatial Plan.

The Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) is a document produced by the four councils within the West of England Joint Committee – South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset – which sets out where housing development will be located over the next 20 years.

Resident Pete Connors attended the meeting of South Gloucestershire Council, where councillors voted in favour of the plan.

“I was bitterly disappointed that our heartfelt concerns were disregarded,” he said.

“Building at Coalpit Heath would be in one of the narrowest sections of the green belt in the West of England.

"Together with other developments planned for Yate and Nibley, it would lead to Coalpit Heath losing its identity and becoming part of a ribbon of development leading more or less continuously from Yate through to Emerson’s Green.”

In response to the concerns raised by Mr Connors, a spokesman for South Gloucestershire Council said:  “The current, final draft of the JSP is the product of more than two years of work and consultations, in South Gloucestershire and across the region, to determine where we can sustainably accommodate population growth.

"This plan will help to accommodate existing and future generations, as well as allocate land for business use, to provide the jobs of the future as well.

"By planning in this way, we will be better able to resist speculative development which is less likely to fully address the community infrastructure that residents and businesses need.

“Alongside the JSP, the West of England councils are also developing a Joint Transport Plan.

"This lays out the future infrastructure needs for existing and expected population and business growth, including public transport, upgrading roads, rail, cycling and other transport options.

"It is intended that as far as possible the transport infrastructure needed to support the growth in homes, and businesses will be introduced side by side over the next 20 years.

“The JSP has been approved by the four councils to this stage, with a final opportunity for public comments to be made, prior to it being passed to Government for an examination in public, by an independent planning inspector, next year.

"The inspector may choose to recommend amendments, which would come back to councils, before adoption of the final plan by each council.

"We encourage local people to make comments as part of this process.”