Please find below press release from Iron Acton Parish Council can this please be added to the facebook site and Local Poyntz
IRON ACTON PARISH COUNCIL REJECTS “DEEPLY FLAWED” YATE EXPANSION PLAN AND CALLS ON INSPECTORS TO INTERVENE
The plan to build 2,000 new houses on Green Belt land in Iron Acton Parish has been roundly rejected by Iron Acton Parish Council.
At its December meeting the Parish Council resolved to continue its strong opposition to the proposal for a major new settlement within the parish. It described the proposal as deeply flawed and the West of England Joint Spatial Plan as “unsound” because it failed to follow national planning policy. It concluded that the proposal contained in the West of England Joint Spatial Plan would:
“wipe out unspoilt countryside, irrevocably damage part of the River Frome Site of Nature Conservation Interest and extend Yate to within a stone’s throw of Iron Acton Village. … the lack of recognition of, and empathy for the value, beauty and unique nature of the local built environment in Iron Acton forebodes a tragic loss of irreplaceable historical assets”.
Responding to the latest consultation on the West of England Joint Spatial Plan, the Parish Council went on to highlight serious gaps in the supporting transport anallysis. The plan unaccountably failed to take account of the proposed M4 Junction 18A south of Yate for which South Gloucestershire Council had been campaigning vigorously. References to essential crossings of the Yate to Thornbury railway and the Frome River were vague and un-costed. There was no consideration of the potential for reintroducing passenger traffic on the re-opened Yate to Thornbury rail line despite its potential to provide an important alternative to road traffic.
“In the view of Iron Acton Parish Council, it is incumbent on the West of England Combined Authorities and central government to work together under the devolution agreement to confirm and bring forward Junction 18A as a matter of urgency. The Parish Council considers that the Inspectors should test, as part of the examination of the JSP, the implications for the soundness and viability of the JSP in general, and proposals for the North West Yate in particular, of the failure to take account of the proposals for M4 Junction 18A.”
Councillor Robert Lomas, Chairman of Iron Acton Parish Council, said:
“We would regard it as perverse and irresponsible of the West of England Unitary Authorities to proceed with the North West Yate strategic development in the face of the shortcomings in the proposed Joint Spatial Plan. We now look to the Inspectors to address these flaws as part of the Planning Inquiry.”
For further information contact Ms Donna Ford, Clerk to Iron Acton Parish Council, at clerk@ironactonparishcouncil.com or telephone 07790 883503. The full text of the Parish Council’s response to the consultation by the West of England Unitary Authorities on the Technical Evidence Work supporting the Joint Spatial Plan can be found at www.ironactonparishcouncil.com