How many houses do you want in Keynsham ?
The Governments proposals for the number of new homes, jobs and economic growth that are to be built in the South West over the next 20 years are set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). The Government has recently published its Proposed Changes to the RSS for public consultation.
For the West of England, which includes Bath and North East Somerset Area, the proposed number of new homes and jobs and overall spatial strategy is set out in policy HMA1. In summary the proposals are as follows to:
21,300 homes – 3,000 in Keynsham, 8,000 in an urban extension to Bristol somewhere within an ‘area of search’ between Whitchurch and Hicks Gate
20,200 new jobs in the Bath Travel to work area – any new jobs in Keynsham are included in the figure for Bristol Travel to Work Area
Economic growth at a rate of 3.2% per annum – in recent years economic growth has been about 2.5% and is currently much less than this
Removal of land from the Green Belt to enable urban extensions to be developed and strain on the current infrastructure resulting from new development
B&NES Council and Keynsham Town Council have both responded to these plans. The response of the Town Council is set out below.
- 1. Raise concern that the number of homes for the B&NES area was raised by the EIP from 15,500 to 18,300 and that this figure has now been raised to 21,300. The initial figure was that which B&NES felt was possible given the land use in the district.
- 2. That the number of dwellings built in the B&NES area has averaged 400 per annum. For the government figures to be met this would need to rise to over 1,000 per annum - an unsustainable figure.
- 3. The RSS has indicated a growth rise of 3.2% year on year, yet within this area during the boom years the growth was only 2.8%. How is this higher figure to be achieved over twenty years?
- 4. Green Belt - The RSS says that the green belt between Bath and Bristol will be maintained. In actuality there is a green belt between Bristol and Keynsham, Keynsham and Saltford, Saltford and Newton St Loe, all of which maintain the identity of the different communities. These should be maintained.
- 5. There are concerns that the present infrastructure, especially transport issues, are not currently fit for purpose, the RSS does not say how this will be improved or who will be responsible for paying for the improvements.
- 6. 3000 homes within the Keynsham area are not sustainable without the increase in jobs and yet Keynsham is part of the designated Bristol Travel to Work area so any increase in jobs would not count towards the total required for the Bath Travel to Work Area. Keynsham does not want to be part of the Bristol conurbation.
- 7. Concern was raised that there has been no possible direct input from Town and Parish Councils since the draft RSS was published.
So what can you do to stop these plans ? –
We are now currently in the consultation phase of these plans – you have until 24th October 2008 to make your feelings known and submit your comments to the Government Office for the South West. In order to make sure your comments are considered you need to make it clear which policy or paragraph you are commenting on.
You can do this in a number of ways.
Write to: quoting policy reference HMA1
Government Office of the South West
Regional Spatial Strategy Team
2 Rivergate, Temple Quay
BRISTOL
BS3 6ED
E-mail: rssconsult@gosw.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0117 900 1705
Fax: 0117 900 1914
If you fail to act NOW it will be too late!
