Tears and frustration as 28,000 new homes approved

The approval of a controversial plan to build 28,000 homes north and east of Bristol, many on green spaces, has left a councillor in tears.

Chris Willmore said she herself had voted for the 15-year plan at a South Gloucestershire Council meeting on Wednesday but blamed pressure from government housing targets.

"You can't face losing green fields that people love without it being upsetting," she said.

Campaigners said the plan will wipe out fields that have walking routes and play areas.

New homes are likely to be built on the "east fringe" of Bristol at Oldland Common and on the edges of Siston, Warmley, Mangotsfield, Shortwood and Pucklechurch, as well as on the "north fringe" of the city.

Opposition councillors in South Gloucestershire argue their housing targets are simply a way of dealing with the shortage of homes in Bristol.

Conservative councillor Sam Bromiley said: "There needs to be a wider approach here where we build up in cities, increasing density where we can, so people aren't going in their cars and adding to the congestion we already see on the ring road."

Members of the group Save Our Green Spaces South Gloucestershire said they understand the need for more housing but the sheer scale of development was unreasonable.

Campaigner Martin Thomas said there were 4,895 houses being planned for the east fringe, which he said was "roughly speaking, a third of the houses in Yate and Chipping Sodbury".

Ms Willmore, a Liberal Democrat councillor, said it was "dreadful what our areas are having to take", and that "it's a painful time for everybody".

But she added that the council was already planning key infrastructure such as roads and facilities for the new houses.

"There are very specific reports that show how all the infrastructure will be delivered," she said.

"It's being done in a very different way that very few authorities have done: pinning the developers from day one to what they have to provide."

A six-week consultation on the proposals, which are part of a wider "local plan", will begin from the end of February.

The government was approached for comment.