IN AUGUST 2012 I wrote a letter to the Gazette regarding a view of Thornbury and the Severn Vale from Filnore Woods.

Access to the woods has improved remarkably since then, probably due to the efforts of Jerry Dicker and the Friends of Filnore Wood work parties.

The walks and the view point over Thornbury are now very popular with young families, dog walkers and people just seeking refreshment through simply gazing at the scene before them.

At the time the purpose of my letter was to expose the shortcomings of South Glos Council’s planning department in relation to housing proposals at the time, particularly the Welbeck development of land adjacent to Cleeve Wood.

It is quite obvious that the letter did not register with our planners or councillors as nothing has changed.

I wonder if any of them made any effort at all to climb the hill and view the layout of Thornbury.

It would hopefully have rammed home the out-of-balance development amplifying the effect seen when looking at an overhead photograph or OS map?

Whatever ones approach it is clear that there is something amiss in the current planning approach to housing. Chris Tippetts in his letter to the Gazette last week again emphasised these deficiencies.

The current situation is simply bad planning, brought about by the lack of forward thinking as can been seen in the Core Strategy document. Indeed, the use of the word strategy is a misnomer as the document at a cursory glance seems only to refer to issues.

It would appear that South Glos Council have abdicated their responsibilities in terms of strategic planning.

In effect they are leaving developers to provide the impetus in meeting the housing needs of the country and also devising ways of avoiding councillors having to deal with the ‘awkward public’ - viz. the previous weekend's Community planning day in Cosham Hall.

There is a recognised need for new houses of all types in this country – and there is no reason why Thornbury should not take its fair share.

It is also understood that housing development should be analysed for sustainability. For this reason alone any new housing should take place to the West of the town centre incorporating the Munday playing fields and tennis courts as a green area – a park in effect.

Sustainability is achieved in an instant. People will be naturally encouraged to walk the short distance into town utilising an extension to Castle Court rather than piling into their cars and heading off to Cribbs Causeway as they will from Cleeve Wood etc.

Admittedly there would be some opposition and the infrastructure costs are much higher but the primary problem of drainage as it affects Oldbury will in any event have to be faced at some time. Why not now and build a town our community can be proud of.

Looking even further ahead a new light railway terminal might be built on land adjacent to Kington Lane. Serving in addition to the town, the villages of Olveston, Tockington, Almondsbury, Patchway (shuttle link to Cribbs) Filton and Bristol in a time less than the current car journey. One can only DREAM.

Michael l Neale

Grovesend Road

Thornbury