Almondsbury residents vow to fight plans for housing scheme (From Gazette Series)

Almondsbury residents vow to fight plans for housing scheme

2:30pm Tuesday 27th July 2010

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PEOPLE in Almondsbury say they will fight plans for a second phase of a controversial housing development.

Residents in the village have already appointed a planning consultant to object to an application by architects Stride Treglown to demolish a bungalow at 42A Gloucester Road and replace it with three three-storey homes.

The application comes just months after the firm was granted permission by South Gloucestershire planning bosses to build four homes on land next to 42A Gloucester Road, despite more than 20 people objecting to it.

Locals claim this new application will just add weight to their original concerns about the site, which included the unsuitable access to the A38, traffic safety, loss of privacy and the loss of trees.

Elaine Drake, who is one of the group of residents to appoint a planning consultant, said: "This will have a big impact on our community.

"There are lots of issues here but access is a big concern, you can hardly turn onto the A38 now and the access route they want to use is a narrow lane.

"With seven houses you could end up with 14 cars turning onto a busy commuter road, it’s an accident waiting to happen."

A spokesman for Stride Treglown said: "The current planning application has been submitted having close regard to the fact that four dwellings have already been granted consent.

"The access road to the site will be subject to some further local widening.

"The applicants are continuing to work with South Gloucestershire Council and local residents with a view to addressing outstanding concerns before the application is determined."

At a recent meeting of Almondsbury Parish Council councillors agreed to support residents and object to the application.

Cllr Sheila Cook, South Gloucestershire councillor for Almondsbury, said she would be asking for the application to go to full planning committee for a decision, however, she said she expected planning officers to refuse it.

"The officers will refuse it on the basis that there is no affordable housing in the scheme," she said.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "As the application is currently under consideration it would be inappropriate for the council to comment at this stage. However, the views of residents and the local community will be taken fully into consideration as part of the council’s assessment."

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