WHITCHURCH could “transform” into a town if land around it is designated for thousands of homes as proposed in the Local Plan, its local councillor has warned.
Around 2,000 people live in the village on the edge of Bristol, but thousands more homes could be built around it under some of the proposed options.
As the B&NES Council cabinet agreed to put the options out for consultation, council cabinet member Paul May (Liberal Democrat) – who is also the village’s local councillor – said he would support the options document so it could be consulted upon, but added: “My role as local member will be fighting for my village to retain its village status.”
He said of the five potential options around Whitchurch: “These sites are not all suitable and do not fit in with the large sites strategy. This level of growth would transform the character of Whitchurch from a village into a town.”
One option is to build 1,000-1,300 homes as an eastward expansion of the village, including across the Horseworld site.
Another large option could see 1,900-2,500 homes substantially expanding the village to the south-east between Woollard Lane and Queen Charlton Lane. But this option would have to happen alongside the Horseworld site option, meaning these together could see a combined 2,950-3,840 homes built in the village, the Local Plan Options Document states.
Other smaller options include seeing 350-450 homes built south-west of the village between the A37 and Church Road, while another option could see 300-400 homes built between Whitchurch and Stockwood off Staunton Lane.
A final option would be located further from the village on the far side of Stockwood, with between 300 and 380 homes built off Stockwood Lane next to Stockwood Vale Golf Course.
People can submit their comments online at https://bathnesplaces.co.uk/localplan.
They can submit them in writing to Planning Policy, Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JG. If submitting by post, please clearly state which site or policy option your comments relate to.
Paper copies of the options document and executive summary are also being made available at Keynsham and Saltford libraries.
If you need support or have questions about the consultation, you can email B&NES Council at local_plan@bathnes.gov.uk. This email address cannot be used for consultation responses.
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service
New homes could ‘turn Whitchurch village into a town’
