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Tears and frustration as 28,000 new homes approved

Claire Cavanagh
Politics reporter, BBC Bristol
BBC A woman with wavy blonde hair is looking at the camera. She is wearing dark brown glasses and a patterned black and brown scarf. Behind her is an industrial site.BBC
South Gloucestershire councillor Chris Willmore voted for controversial housing plans but blamed her decision on government targets

The approval of a controversial plan to build 28,000 homes north and east of Bristol, many on green spaces, has left a councillor in tears.

Chris Willmore said she herself had voted for the 15-year plan at a South Gloucestershire Council meeting on Wednesday but blamed pressure from government housing targets.

"You can't face losing green fields that people love without it being upsetting," she said.

Campaigners said the plan will wipe out fields that have walking routes and play areas.

New homes are likely to be built on the "east fringe" of Bristol at Oldland Common and on the edges of Siston, Warmley, Mangotsfield, Shortwood and Pucklechurch, as well as on the "north fringe" of the city.

Crown Copyright A map of Bristol and surrounding areas, with dark grey patches north and east of Bristol.Crown Copyright
South Gloucestershire Council's housing plan, with the dark grey areas showing where houses could be built

Opposition councillors in South Gloucestershire argue their housing targets are simply a way of dealing with the shortage of homes in Bristol.

Conservative councillor Sam Bromiley said: "There needs to be a wider approach here where we build up in cities, increasing density where we can, so people aren't going in their cars and adding to the congestion we already see on the ring road."

PA Media Sam Bromiley standing in a field wearing a black gilet and white shirt and a blue Conservative badge.PA Media
Councillor Sam Bromiley opposes the location of the homes

Members of the group Save Our Green Spaces South Gloucestershire said they understand the need for more housing but the sheer scale of development was unreasonable.

Campaigner Martin Thomas said there were 4,895 houses being planned for the east fringe, which he said was "roughly speaking, a third of the houses in Yate and Chipping Sodbury".

Claire Cavanagh Two men, campaigners Martin Thomas and Steve Reade, stand in front of a field. Just their heads and shoulders can be seen. The field is lined with trees. Claire Cavanagh
Campaigners Martin Thomas and Steve Reade at a field near Warmley where thousands of houses could be built

Ms Willmore, a Liberal Democrat councillor, said it was "dreadful what our areas are having to take", and that "it's a painful time for everybody".

But she added that the council was already planning key infrastructure such as roads and facilities for the new houses.

"There are very specific reports that show how all the infrastructure will be delivered," she said.

"It's being done in a very different way that very few authorities have done: pinning the developers from day one to what they have to provide."

A six-week consultation on the proposals, which are part of a wider "local plan", will begin from the end of February.

The government was approached for comment.

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