IT IS almost 30 years to the day that the village of Falfield was threaten with large-scale housing development by Bovis Homes but today Falfield is under threat once again, this time from Cotswold Homes who want to build on the same land with a 115 home development along with a Park and Share scheme for up to 100 cars.

With Falfield being such a small rural village stretching from Stone on the border with Gloucestershire to Milbury Heath some four miles to the south and with approximately 70 homes around the centre of the village this development will swamp the village and change its character out of all proportion not to mention the increased traffic that the Park and Share would produce.

This development will be both socially and environmentally devastating to the present village and its surroundings.

The effects on Thornbury, our nearest town, will also be damaging, especially regarding congestion and the demand on public and social services.

Add to this the fact that the landowner involved has also identified a further 60 hectares within the West of England Joint Spatial Plan for building, then should this planning application be allowed it will open the flood gates for ongoing development over years to come.

Many of your readers will no doubt feel a real concern for what is happening in local villages and in the increasing urbanisation of the rural areas.

I’m sure that the vast majority of Falfield villagers would be grateful of your readers' support.

Anyone wanting to find out more about this application may be interested to know that an action group has been formed following concerns raised by a large number of villagers over this development.

They have set up a website where people can make themselves aware of this development and how they can comment on this application.

The website address is falfieldactiongroup.org.uk

F J Carpenter

Sundayshill Lane

Falfield