Plans to remove parts of Bristol greenbelt for new homes

Three areas of countryside could be removed from a city's greenbelt to make way for up to 1,400 homes.

Bristol City Council confirmed the proposals in its draft Local Plan, taking away current protections against housing development on the city's borders.

The proposals for South Bristol include between 500 and 750 new homes off the A4 Bath Road in Brislington.

The Local Plan said the greenbelt boundaries would be largely unchanged.

However the boundaries had been "revised to reflect exceptional circumstances".

Granted planning permission in August, 500 homes at Longmoor Village next to Ashton Vale and Long Ashton park and ride are included in the draft Local Plan, a 15-year blueprint setting out where future homes, jobs, transport, shops and leisure should go.

However, the plans are currently in limbo due to waste firm ETM taking legal action over claims the city council did not do enough to prevent incoming residents being affected by noise from their nearby plant.

One hundred and fifty houses are also earmarked to be built on a greenbelt site partially in North Somerset at Elsbert Drive in Bishopsworth, with the local plan stating officers would work with North Somerset Council on the development.

Next to the boundary with Bath and North East Somerset, the 555 homes planned on five fields between Brislington park and ride and the former Wyevale Garden Centre by Bellway Homes are also included.

The Local Plan said this would require a "limited release of land" from the greenbelt.

"However, a substantial extent of openness between Bristol and Keynsham would remain and the integrity of the Bristol Bath Green Belt as a whole will be retained," it said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the plans are set to be discussed by full council on Tuesday.

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