Developers have unveiled plans for up to 555 new homes and a new ‘local centre’ with shops and a community centre on five fields on the very edge of South Bristol.
The fields are between the Brislington Park and Ride and the former Wyevale Garden Centre on the A4 Bath Road in Brislington, right up against the city boundary with Bath and North East Somerset.
Developers Bellway Homes have submitted the first step of what will now be a planning application to the city council, asking planning officers if they need to include an environmental scoping report when they do eventually apply for permission.
Read more: The dilemma between the Bristol housing crisis and the ecological emergency
The land is another green field site in South Bristol, and part of the green belt, but the developers are claiming both Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority have identified the land as being somewhere new homes might have to be built.
The request for an environmental impact assessment is the first stage a developer has to go through before formally applying for planning permission, and in Bellway Homes’ request they outline the scale of the development and what the case they will be putting forward to planners.
“The description of development would comprise an outline planning application - with all matters reserved except for access – which is likely to include the following amount and mix of land uses,” the letter to planners says. “Up to 555 residential dwellings, a local centre including up to 1,000m2 gross floor area comprising up to 500m2 for local retail and 500m2 for community uses.”
There would also be ‘children’s play areas and amenity green space’, on the 15.6 hectare site, the developers said. Planning agents Marrons told council planners they were asking them early about the site, because it would be such a big development.
“The 15.6 hectare site forms part of a contingency location for the delivery of new homes in the adopted Bristol Core Strategy,” the developers said. “The site is central to the future delivery of both strategic infrastructure and homes.
“Both Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority have previously identified the site and wider area as a Strategic Development Location, and it is currently being assessed as part of work in support of the new WECA Spatial Development Strategy.
“Given the lead-in times to the delivery of a strategic scheme such as this, its status, importance and significance for Bristol as a whole, Bellway Homes is undertaking early survey work and technical assessments, seeking to agree the scope and approach with BCC officers. Whether or not the scheme is EIA development is a key consideration,” they added.
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