Plans approved to build 595 homes on edge of Thornbury

An artist's impression of the development which is set to be built on the outskirts of Thornbury

Plans to build 595 homes on the edge of a town have been approved on appeal.

Planning Inspector Christina Downes concluded the "very substantial benefits" of an estate on a greenfield site in Thornbury outweighed the harms.

A seven-day public inquiry was held after developers Barwood Development Securities launched an appeal in 2022.

Thornbury Town Council, Oldbury-on-Severn Parish Council and 134 residents objected to the plans which also include a primary school and nursery.

The developers plan to build a mixture of two and three-storey houses on the site located west of Park Farm, Butt Lane.

Ms Downes said the plans offer a lot of "public benefit" with a new school and bus links

Ms Downes said she had put "substantial weight" on the "package of public benefits" the project would offer, with the plans also including a retail/community hub, a bus link and open spaces including parkland and allotments.

However, she noted there would be "harm to the significance of a number of heritage assets" including Thornbury Castle, the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Sheiling School and Thornbury Conservation Area.

"The church and parts of the castle are Grade I heritage assets, which are considered to be of exceptional interest and rarity," she said.

"In my judgement these adverse impacts would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the very substantial benefits," added Ms Downes.

Ms Downes said the land being lost to the housing scheme was relatively small

The inspector said the loss of 25 hectares of agricultural land would be "harmful" but that the amount of land was relatively small, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

South Gloucestershire Council had failed to determine the application in the permitted time period, leading the decision to be made through appeal but the council's planning committee members agreed that they would have refused permission if they still had the power to do so.

Ms Downes' report stated that the council did not have a five-year supply of land to meet its housing needs and "there are many families in need of a home at the present time".

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]