Controversial housing plans for South Gloucestershire have been thrown into doubt, with inspectors finding serious flaws in the Joint Spatial Plan put forward by the local authority and West of England Combined Authority. The latest development has culminated after a fierce campaign by the MP.
The Joint Spatial Plan, (JSP), proposes over 1,500 houses for Charfield, 1,200 for Coalpit Heath, and a 3,000 home Garden Village in Buckover near Thornbury, as well as development in Yate
The MP has now written to the inspectors urging them to hold firm in their preliminary view that the selection of the Strategic development locations has been flawed, reierating the MP’s 2017 Parliamentary speech on the issue, and specifically urged them to recommend the withdrawal of Buckover Garden Village, alongside a root and branch review of Charfield, and Coalpit Heath as designations.
Luke’s long history and record on opposing the JSP
The MP has strong record of waging a proactive, fierce and concerted community campaign against the proposals since its inception in 2015, and has led residents and campaign groups at every step and stage of the process.
This has included;
- Taking the fight against the plan to the House of Commons, laying out robust and technical arguments as to why the plan in its current form were flawed: The Inspectors letter echoes and mirrors concerns raised in Parliament by the MP in 2017; (VIDEO): https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/858818dc-47b0-44c9-9972-e313d0a0d604?in=16:00:00&out=16:30:13
- Raising community concerns at the very highest level in Government, and met with the previous Secretary of State on a number of occasions – ensuring that Government did not back the Buckover element of the proposals - https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/15184353.thousands-of-residents-oppose-buckover-garden-village-in-mp-survey/
- Supporting and liaising with residents and campaigners, including key groups such as TRAPPD, VALID, and Fighting for Charfield – including backing Trapp’d in its freedom of information battle with the Council.
- Personally, submitting robust technical submissions at every official consultation opportunity
- Actively Conducted development surveys to every household and residents in affected towns and villages, demonstrating whole sale opposition to the proposals
Speaking as the Member of Parliament for Thornbury and Yate the MP said;
“In my role as our constituency MP I have consistently and fiercely backed our communities in fighting these proposals at every step. Our campaign has been hard fought and testing for us all, from the huge community support and response to my surveys in 2016, taking the technical fight to the highest levels and successfully stopping support for Buckover – we kept faith and never relented."
"I am encouraged that inspectors have agreed with the case that I put forward in 2017 in my role as our local MP, that the plan as it stands has always been flawed. I am now urging them to hold firm in their preliminary view that changes must be made.”
Letter from Inspectors: http://www.hwa.uk.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Post-Hearings-Letter-Final-1.pdf
Parliamentary debate held by Luke Hall MP: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-03-29/debates/17032944000001/JointSpatialPlan(ThornburyAndYate)?highlight=buckover#contribution-1914A6D2-0F31-4147-92DC-A0CC380A114D
Luke Hall Campaign: https://www.lukehall.org.uk/campaigns/fighting-joint-spatial-plan
