Residents in South Bristol fighting plans to build 260 new homes on wildlife-rich meadows have begun a campaign urging Communities Secretary Michael Gove to U-turn on the plans.
Local councillors and residents have been joined by campaigners from across the country, after the future of the Brislington Meadows featured on Channel 4 News, following a decision by a Government planning inspector to give permission for the new homes development.
The Government’s own land and development agency Homes England were awarded planning permission on appeal last month, despite the objections of hundreds of local residents, Avon Wildlife Trust, Bristol City Council and the city’s mayor, Marvin Rees.
Read next: Brislington Meadows blame game as councillor tells residents 'many mistakes were made'
The mayor has told residents that the council is taking legal advice about the chances of a successful appeal against the planning inspector’s decision, before making a decision about whether or not to mount a legal challenge, but residents say they believe their best chance lies with convincing the Government minister ultimately in charge of both Homes England and the Planning Inspectorate, Michael Gove, to over-rule both and call a halt to the development.
Residents have been sending Mr Gove photos of Brislington Meadows, a group of never-developed fields that were surrounded by the pre- and post-war expansion of South Bristol, and urged him to think again. “These stunning ancient meadows are now at their end game for survival, having been given initial planning for 260 dwellings,” local resident Deborah Hurst told Mr Gove.
“This, if it goes ahead, will mean the destruction of 75 per cent of these grasslands, an acknowledged threatened habitat globally, and in the UK alone, 97 per cent of meadows have disappeared in UK since World War Two, and 85 per cent of the acclaimed ancient hedgerows that will also vanish, along with all the dependent flora and fauna that is so abundant due to the length of time it has been in existence in its current format, since the mid-1700s.
“Bristol fully appreciates the need for homes in the city, but currently, and for some period of time, planning has been granted for the building of over 13,000 homes - though still no start date for any of them has been scheduled,” she added.
Local councillor Tim Rippington (Lab, Brislington East), told Mr Gove: “You will struggle to find anyone in Bristol that supports the development. We cannot tell you how much distress and upset this has caused to the local people who love this area so much and value it as an integral part of their community. The decision to press ahead can only be seen as a very short-term gain which will cause irreversible damage to the ecology and environment.
“We understand that, as the planning permission was granted directly by the Planning Inspectorate, you do not have the ability to intervene in the planning process. However, as the Chief Executive of Homes England ultimately reports to the Secretary of State, you can instruct the company to pause their plans or indeed, not proceed at all,” he added.
There is not thought to have been any replies to any of the letters Mr Gove has received, as yet, but Homes England are said to be keen to press on with the development, which they first began planning back in 2020 and early 2021.
And there is a political element to the context too - the only reason Homes England spent £15 million of taxpayers’ money to buy Brislington Meadows from a London-based property company back in 2020 was because they were urged to do so by the Labour-controlled Bristol City Council - because at the time the council wanted to build 300 new homes on it.
But in the run-up to the 2021 Mayoral and local election, Mayor Marvin Rees changed his mind, announcing the meadows would not be built on, leaving Homes England with a choice of writing off their £15 million, or pressing on with a slightly reduced development plan in the face of local opposition.
When the diggers move in to build homes on the fields is unknown, but Homes England are understood to be keen to press on and begin work this year. Conservationists, including Avon Wildlife Trust and the RSPB have both objected. The RSPB’s Bristol Local Group has also written to Mr Gove, urging him to intervene.
“We believe that the importance of preserving habitats such as Brislington Meadows is abundantly clear,” the group’s letter said. “The site is very popular with those who live in the surrounding community, as evidenced heavily in public objections to the plans, with many viewing it as a means of escape into nature from the noise and bustle of the residential and industrial areas that surround it,” they added.
Read next:
- Mayor announces no homes before election
- Mayor’s decision could cost taxpayer £15m
- Homes England return with new plans for 260 homes
- Brislington Meadows not special enough to save from housing development says Natural England
- Brislington Meadows WILL be built on after all as Government has final say
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