RESIDENTS in Almondsbury are again preparing to fight plans to build a large housing estate near their homes.

Members of the Catbrain Community Residents Association have once again said they will do all they can to make sure developers Persimmon Homes do not build on land off Catbrain Hill.

Persimmon Homes has applied to South Gloucestershire Council to build 51 houses on land near to the Filton Airfield.

Mike Hems, from the association, said: "We are continuing to fight this. We are reinforcing our original objections on layout, design and traffic along Catbrain Lane."

The residents' association was first formed almost 10 years ago to fight plans to build a warehouse on the land, and reformed in 2003 to stop Barratt Homes building 45 houses.

The group also successfully campaigned against Persimmon Homes last year when the company planned to build 55 homes.

The residents have long argued the site, which is 1.48 hectares, is unsuitable for such a development because it is a greenfield site, there is no infrastructure planned, and they claim there are already traffic problems with the nearby junction 17 of the M5 and Catbrain Hill itself is not suitable for more traffic.

This time the group is also hoping to use South Gloucestershire Council’s Core Strategy to fight the application.

The strategy is the local authority’s main planning document for the next 20 years and outlines where development should be.

In the strategy the area where Persimmon Homes wants to build the homes on Catbrain Hill is partly covered by a green infrastructure corridor, which is designed to protect areas from over development.

Mr Hems said the residents’ group would be lobbying members of South Gloucestershire Council’s planning committee before they decide the application.

No one from Persimmon Homes was available for comment.

To see the application in full visit www.southglos.gov.uk