MP’s 'relief' as inspectors defeat plans for South Gloucestershire houses

The plans for the area, the Joint Spatial Plan, had been under review by Government officials and had been fiercely opposed by a number of different groups across South Gloucestershire.

MP Luke Hall took the matter to the House of Commons two years ago, suggesting that the plan was re-thought.

Now though the plans have effectively been defeated after Government inspectors outlined their agreement with the case made by the MP that the proposals were fundamentally flawed.

The Government recommended that the council throw the plans out.

Shortly after the brief findings were announced last month the MP wrote to the inspectors directly to urge them to hold firm and to not accept tinkering.

The 13-page Government inspectors response laid out significant concerns over the fundamental process of site selections, greenbelt development, and the reality of the proposals contrary to the aims put forward suggesting that changes by them would not address the core issues they have found.

The four councils now will have to decide how to respond – which could include continuing with restating their case, restarting the process or delaying the plan for more work to be done – however the inspectors emphasised and reiterated firmly that that the flaws in the proposals were so fundamental that the most appropriate course of action would be for them to abandon the plan and start afresh.

Mr Hall said: “For now, we have defeated these plans to build thousands of houses across our towns and villages, without putting any real infrastructure in place.

“It has been a fierce and tough fight spanning over four years, so this news will be a huge relief to everyone who has backed me in this long fight.

“However, the housing proposals could come back in the coming months and years but in that case every day that I serve as our Member of Parliament, I will continue fight to protect our beautiful community.”