Bid to call in road plans as traffic fears grow

10:40am Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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PROTESTERS fighting a controversial new road layout plan for a major attraction have been given the support of their parish council.

Almondsbury Parish Council has decided to push ahead with plans to ask the Secretary of State to call in a planning application to build a new roundabout at Blackhorse Hill, which will be the main entrance for Bristol Zoo's new National Wildlife Conservation Park.

"I think the people of the parish have spoken on this issue and I believe as people who represent and live or work in the area we are duty bound to go along with their recommendations," said Cllr Richard Jones at a meeting last night.

"It has been very helpful to see how concerned people are about this issue and for so many people to get together and look at the problems.

"This is what local democracy is about, that is why I am happy to support taking further action and spending some money on trying to find out what is going on with these road plans."

The application by Bristol Zoo for the new roundabout at Blackhorse Hill, near junction 17 on the M5, was approved in March and will provide access to a new £30million conservation park set to open in 2010.

However, residents are adamant that the road plans must be challenged as the roundabout is dangerously close to an already congested traffic system.

"People already feel trapped in the village because of the gridlock around it," said protester Graham Kent, of The Ranger, Easter Compton.

"The planners have not looked any further than the roundabout and a very small area around it, which doesn't take into account problems for surrounding areas.

"We must go above South Gloucestershire Council and to the Secretary of State to fight this."

A group of residents have requested that the parish council ask a Government inspector to examine the decisions made by South Gloucestershire Council and the highways department and to challenge the road plans, which ignore the traffic problems already experienced at junction 17.

Mr Kent added: "The parish council said they supported our recommendations and have agreed to act on them. These are very positive steps and I really hope they carry them out."

Almondsbury Parish Council resolved to contact a solicitor and planning consultant with a view to getting advice on calling in the planning application and finding out the cost implications of fighting the application.