Plans for 105,000 new homes in greater Bristol area passed

Plans which could see more than 100,000 new homes built around Bristol over the next 20 years have been approved.

In South Gloucestershire it includes a garden village - Buckover - on the Tortworth Estate, plus developments in Yate, Thornbury and Coalpit Heath.

In Bath and North East Somerset development would be focused on Whitchurch and Keynsham.

And in North Somerset development is proposed around Banwell, Churchill, Nailsea and Backwell

It is part of the Joint Spatial Plan, set out by the four local authorities, which looks at the period between 2026-2036 and recommends 105,000 new properties.

A public consultation is now planned before the plan is adopted.

'Enormous effect'

Colin Gardner from the campaign group Thornbury Residents Against Poorly Planned Development says there is not enough infrastructure to support more housing at Buckover.

He said if all the developments in Thornbury and nearby Buckover garden village were combined "it will double the size of the town in the matter of a few years".

"So it will swamp it in a short period of time," he said.

"The effects on our services, the character of the town and on congestion in particular as people commute down the A38 will be enormous."

Speaking of the expansion around Banwell, councillor Elfan Ap Rees from North Somerset Council, said it had no choice but to find the space for the houses.

"The government is dictating the number of houses they want built over the next 20 years and we are having to find places we can build them," he said.

"If we don't, the government will force us and that may well end up with development where we don't actually want it."