POLITICIANS and activists from across South Gloucestershire will debate proposed housing figures at a public meeting in Thornbury next month.

The meeting, organised by Thornbury group TRAPP’D (Thornbury Residents Against Poorly Planned Development) will take place at the Armstrong Hall on November 24, with the West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) the main topic for discussion.

The JSP is the regional plan for development, setting out targets until 2036, with the most recent draft outlining 500 more homes for Thornbury, 1,200 for Charfield, 1,800 for Coalpit Heath and 2,000 for Charfield.

The controversial 3,000-home Buckover Garden Village has also been featured in the plans, despite considerable opposition from the community, with a survey carried out by Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall suggesting 95 per cent of Thornbury residents asked were against the proposals.

As well as setting out the regional plan across South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES) and North Somerset, the JSP will feed directly into South Gloucestershire’s Local Plan.

As one of the politicians invited to attend, South Gloucestershire Council leader Cllr Matthew Riddle is expected to discuss the plan with residents. West of England Combined Authority (WECA) mayor Tim Bowles has also been invited, but is yet to confirm whether or not he will be in attendance.

Representatives from a number of residents’ action groups from across the county have also been invited, including VALID from Coalpit Health, Falfield Action Group and the Pucklechurch Junction 18A Action Group.

TRAPP’D joint-chairman Roger Hall said: “The kid gloves are off now, we have been nice about it so far and the lack of appreciation and response to the comments have been made, but enough is enough.

“We are the voters and we expect them to represent us, which they aren’t doing.

“We are not against housing but with such an incredible number of new houses, the infrastructure needs to be coming along with it.

“We really want WECA and South Gloucestershire Council to start listening, to take in all the consultation comments that have been made, because so far nothing has changed.

“This will be your last chance to influence the South Gloucestershire Local Plan, so please come and make your voice heard.

“As well as coming along and hearing what we have to say, we want people to fill in the consultation forms and protest if they are against it, telling WECA what they should actually be doing, based on what the people think.”

Volunteers from the group will be distributing flyers around Thornbury ahead of the meeting.

To find out more about TRAPP'D's activities or to get involved, email trappdbs35@gmail.com.