From: Elizabeth Griffiths
Sent: 11 January 2011 22:02
To: Planning LDF
Subject: Comments on Core Strategy Amendments
To the planning team,
Please find below my comments to the recent amendments to the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy.
Please could you confirm that you have received these comments and that the Planning Inspector will see them. Your consultation processes are incredibly difficult to navigate so I want to make sure that my voice will be heard.
I am writing because I am extremely concerned about the amendments to the Core Strategy that I have just read on the South Gloucestershire website. My concerns are as follows :
1) Access to new housing and its impact on green spaces and traffic on Castle Street / Park Road. The amendment clearly shows what is now a ROAD running through the CastleSchool playing field. I honestly feel that this would be an act of vandalism to one of Thornbury's most beautiful areas, enjoyed by many on a daily basis. Also, the level of protection to the traffic in this area is severely compromised in the new amendment, and the new language is so vague that I fear there would be little practical possibility of restricting the traffic at all. I'm sure you are aware that the corner by St. Mary's Church is already dangerous at many times of day and believe that ANY increase in traffic in this area would be a real problem.
2) Failure to properly consider other sites. I can only assume that it has nowbecome clearto the Councilthat the access to the ParkFarmHousing Development is not really good enough to support many of the arguments in the SustainablityAppraisal - unfortunately your response to simply build a new road in a beautiful and highly congested area does not seem to be the right one. Why not reconsider those sites with much better access that were dismissed so easily earlier on? Or better still, re-appraise whether Thornbury really needs new housing at all, especially in light of the changesto Westminster policy.
3) Lack of Proper Consultation - again. I am also concerned that you feel it is appropriate to make such an important change by means of an amendment, with no further public consultation. I realise you are welcoming comments until February but many people will simply not be aware of this change .(For example, we are signed up for on-line alerts from South Glos on consultations, but did not receive any information by e-mail about these changes.)
I cannot stress enough how concerned I am about these changes and I know that many others in Thornbury will be - at least those who become aware of them.
Elizabeth Griffiths