Brislington Meadows Homes plan to move forward despite Mayor’s U-turn
THE Government’s housing agency has set itself on a collision course with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees after it announced it will try to develop land the mayor said would never be built on.
Homes England said it had reviewed the situation regarding Brislington Meadows since the Mayor of Bristol announced in April the site was too precious for the city’s ecology to be covered with 300 homes, so won’t be built on.
The Government’s land and development agency said that even though the Mayor made that U-turn announcement, just months after persuading Homes England to spend £15m buying the site for housing, it was starting the process that would see ‘a new neighbourhood’ built on the large area of green fields.
Homes England originally had plans for 300 new homes on Brislington Meadows – including 90 new council houses – that were ready to go at the start of 2021.
In March 2020, the Government’s land agency had been persuaded by Marvin Rees’ council administration to spend £15m of UK taxpayers’ money to buy the land from a London-based housing developer, the council itself and a local landowner to speed up the process of getting new homes built there.
But in a U-turn earlier this year, Marvin Rees announced that he’d changed his mind and the land was too precious to the environment to be built on. He made the announcement on the land itself as part of his re-election campaign just 20 days before the mayoral and local elections.
Homes England had put its plans for widespread consultation with the local community on hold because of that election, and after the Mayor’s announcement, said it would be reviewing the situation to “identify a sensible route forward”.
Now, Homes England says it intends to challenge the mayor’s announcement, after spending so much money on the land at the council’s request.
“Since purchasing this site in March 2020, Homes England has been in discussion with Bristol City Council, the community and ecologists on how best to deliver Bristol’s allocation for up to 300 new homes at Brislington Meadows,” the statement from Homes England began.
“The announcement last April, referring to ecology on the site, and the city’s growing housing crisis have further highlighted the importance of finding an appropriately balanced solution.
“Over the past months Homes England has been carefully reviewing the situation, and can confirm that it will be progressing a planning application. Many issues have been taken into account, including the specific need for homes in Broomhill, ecological and climate considerations, the Local Plan allocation, the work on site already carried out in clearing Sinnott House to make way for the access, and the £15m cost to the taxpayer of purchasing the site.
“Our proposals will deliver: a nature-led masterplan; much needed carbon-friendly housing, including 30 per cent affordable housing; a new neighbourhood that encourages healthy transport, is close to schools, shops, jobs, green space, and transport links, and an economic boost for the local centre.
“The plans will balance housing need alongside protecting and enhancing the environment. Our vision is to create a place where nature and people can coexist and thrive together; a place that brings health, learning, play, and economic benefit to the existing Broomhill community, and delivers new housing in an environmentally responsible way.”
Homes England says it will reveal its new plans next month.
“We are planning to host a series of consultation events in late November where people can learn more about the plans and have their say ahead of an application being submitted. As soon as dates are confirmed we will provide an update.”
Homes England and Bristol’s Mayor now appear to be set to be
The plans will balance housing need alongside protecting and enhancing the environment. Our vision is to create a place where nature and people can coexist Homes England
on a collision course over the land.
It was earmarked for housing development and added to the Local Plan in 2014 by the former mayor George Ferguson’s administration – in a decision backed by all the main political parties in the council chamber at the time.
That designation for housing still stands – and in planning law, the fact Bristol City Council still has the land earmarked for housing is the most important factor that will decide what happens next.
Cllr Richard Eddy (Con, Bishopsworth) is chairman of one of the council’s two development control committees, and brought a motion to council last month which called for all green field sites in Bristol to be protected from new housing development.
“I am aware that Homes England still has plans to submit a planning application for homes at Brislington Meadows, albeit on a marginally smaller basis than previously planned, despite Mayor Marvin Rees’ pre-election promise that this wouldn’t happen,” he said.
“Obviously, any planning application submitted in due course will have to be considered against the council’s planning policies, including the motion strengthening green space protection I proposed and was passed by council on 7th September 2021.”
The Post understands that the
Mayor of Bristol’s announcement remains in place, and the administration will oppose any planning application brought by Homes England.