PUBLIC consultation on the proposed 3,000-home Buckover Garden Village near Thornbury is set to begin with a series of targeted workshops.

The invite-only sessions are the first public step in planning for the proposed development put forward by the Tortworth Estate, and its development partner, St. Modwen, and will start next month, focusing on specific audiences such as individual stakeholders, residents, adjoining land owners, and businesses and service providers.

The first workshop takes place on April 17, with the series running until the summer, with the developer saying that the results of each workshop being used to shape and inform the planning process.

The workshop will begin with a short presentation of the principles of a garden village and the vision for Buckover, followed by break-out sessions to explore the challenges and opportunities of the development, finishing with all groups coming together to put their thoughts forward.

South Gloucestershire Council planning officers will be in attendance as observers and participants as well as to update on outcomes from their own Local Plan exhibition consultation event last October.

Full reports from each session will be available to the public, with further opportunities for engagement through a public exhibition prior to the final outline planning application submission.

The proposed development, which has experienced considerable opposition from residents in nearby Thornbury and Falfield, as well as two applications from South Gloucestershire Council for funding to assist planning being denied by central government, was identified as a strategic development location in the final draft West of England Joint Spatial Plan.

Robert Moreton of the Tortworth Estate said: “The Estate has spent the last 18 months exploring opportunities, listening to local people and organisations and undertaking a wide range of technical work.

“We now believe that the time is right to begin a series of local workshops to ensure that Buckover Garden Village is consciously planned, in collaboration with the widest range of local people as possible, all working towards the common goal of providing a truly sustainable 21st century community.”

Rupert Joseland of St. Modwen added: “Our priority over coming months will be a prolonged period of engaging with as many local people and stakeholders as possible to help us formulate how and what Buckover Garden Village should look like in order to create a place where people will genuinely want to live, work and relax for generations to come.”