Thousands ask Bristol City Council to stop development on green spaces

Petitioners say new developments contradict the "ecological emergency" the council declared three years ago

More than 7,000 people are calling for a council to stop allowing construction on a city's green spaces.

Bristol City Council declared an "ecological emergency" three years ago, responding to escalating threats to local wildlife and ecosystems.

Campaigners say new developments "fly in the face" of the promises made to protect green spaces.

Councillors will debate the petition on Tuesday.

Controversial plans to build hundreds of houses on a meadow at Ashton Vale were given planning permission in October, despite criticism from campaigners.

The petition, organised by Martyn Cordey, will be presented to a full council meeting with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees invited to respond to it.

'Massacre of green spaces'

The petitioners said: "It is an absolute travesty that we are seeing highly biodiverse and ecologically important urban green spaces potentially destroyed.

"This massacre of green spaces appears to be unrelenting and needs to be stopped, now.

The council set out an "ecological action plan" in 2021, with promises to protect local wildlife habitats with action such as reducing pesticide use.

Some recent progress has been made on protecting green spaces in the city as the council draws up its new Local Plan, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

This housing plan no longer allocates space for housing development at three green spaces: Yew Tree Farm, Brislington Meads and the Western Slopes.

But the new Local Plan could also allocate space for hundreds of new homes on two green sites on the outskirts of the city - off Bath Road in Brislington and off Elsbert Drive in Bishopsworth.