Plans to turn an Alveston barn into a meeting hall for Christian Brethren are proving controversial.

The application by Greenfield Gospel Hall Trust (GGHT), who provide and maintain gospel halls for the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, has received more than 30 objections from councillors and residents alike.

Problems centre around increased traffic near to the A38. The barn is located on The Street, close to the junction of the main road.

A comment posted on behalf of Alveston Parish Council stated: “All Councillors had concerns relating to the increase in traffic at the already hazardous junction of The Street and Davids Lane filtering into the A38 traffic.

A letter written by the manager of Alveston Grange retirement complex on behalf of residents of Courville Close said residents regularly witnessed ‘near-miss’ traffic accidents and described the junction as ‘unclearly marked’. This plan will without doubt also make the area opposite extremely dangerous.

“To build any structure without sufficient off road parking facilities is complete madness and only a matter of time before somebody has a serious accident or fatality.”

There are 28 car parking spaces available with the hall having room for 125 people.

A survey carried out by Key Transport Consultants Ltd on behalf of GGHT concluded there were ‘no safety issues that would be exacerbated by the development’.

However, the application has received some support, with residents arguing the plans would tidy up the barns. Ronnie Farr, who previously lived on the same road as a Gospel Hall said: “I didn’t experience any negative impact. Most events seemed to be held outside of peak traffic times and the attendees appeared respectful.” Alveston resident Howard Page currently has to make a 15-mile round trip to Winterbourne to get to his nearest meeting hall.

“It is very urgently needed for members in this area and would greatly reduce our carbon footprint,” he said in his comment.

Planning agent Andrew Beard echoed Howard’s remarks.

“The need for the hall to serve Alveston is long standing and this site provides the opportunity to re-use existing buildings and reduce floorspace within the Green Belt as well as being immediately adjoining the village boundary.

“The traffic generation will not seriously affect flows on the A38 as the hall will only be used for approximately four meetings a week, outside peak commute hours when the A38 is at its quietest. The cars generated by the small hall are totally insignificant when compared to the hourly flows along the A38 travelling between Thornbury, Bradley Stoke and Bristol.

"The hall will serve local members in Alveston and as well as car sharing, can be easily cycled and walked to along with bus stops immediately outside.

"The hall is a community use meeting a local need,” he said.