22nd January 2024
Dear Member
Please find below the links to the submissions made to North Somerset Council on behalf of Backwell Parish Council and BRA in relation to the draft Local Plan 2039.
Lucy White Planning Limited North Somerset Local Plan 2039 Regulation 19 Stage: Representations On Behalf Of Backwell Parish Council (BPC) And Backwell Residents Association (BRA) 19th January 2024.
Part B forms were also submitted and are available from BRA or the Parish Council.
Neil Brant Consulting Ltd – Transport Assessment January 2024.
23-TP0091 NSC Reg19 Reps – Transport v1r3
Please also find the link for the North Somerset Council Nailsea and Backwell Transport Position Statement 11th October 2023.
Nailsea and Backwell transport position statement V1
10th January 2024
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
The public consultation on this draft LP runs until Monday 22nd January. The key element for Backwell is the inclusion of 515 houses on the Grove Farm and Burnt House Farm sites, which residents have opposed in the past. This proposal is being challenged by Backwell Parish Council (BPC), Backwell Residents Association (BRA) and Backwell Resistance (BR). A technical objection to the LP is being prepared by our planning consultant.
The Plan may be viewed on North Somerset Local Plan 2039: Pre-submission Plan (Reg 19) – North Somerset Council Consultations (inconsult.uk)
The LP is important as it will provide the background for planning decisions affecting Backwell for the foreseeable future and be a big influence on Backwell’s next Neighbourhood Plan.
A Leaflet describing the impact of the draft LP on Backwell, and suggesting key points, was distributed to all households during December. A Help Sheet has also been produced to assist with the consultation process.
We urge all members to make their views known by Monday 22nd January, as numbers count.
The Leaflet and Help Sheet can be found here:
Local Plan 2039 Help Sheet December 2023
16th December 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
The public consultation on this draft plan runs until 22nd of January 2024. The key element for Backwell is the inclusion of 515 houses on the Grove Farm and Burnt House Farm sites, which residents have opposed in the past.
The Plan may be viewed on North Somerset Local Plan 2039: Pre-submission Plan (Reg 19) – North Somerset Council Consultations (inconsult.uk)
- The NORTH SOMERSET LOCAL PLAN 2039 has 300 pages.
- The POLICIES MAP can be “zoomed in” using + in the top left corner, to show the many new houses allocated to Backwell and Nailsea
- The SHORT GUIDE has 10 pages and is “A plain English summary of the proposed local plan, its contents and what happens next”
- HOW TO RESPOND TO THE LOCAL PLAN 2039 has 7 pages
Backwell Residents Association, Backwell Parish Council and Backwell Resistance have combined their efforts to oppose the Plan for Backwell. We have been concerned that technical hurdles and planning language will prevent residents from responding.
A HELP guide has been prepared to assist Backwell residents, and you may find it convenient to print a copy to have by your side as you navigate the screen. It is important that you make your views known. The guide can be found here Local Plan 2039 Help Sheet December 2023
10th December 2023
Save Our Village – a leaflet explaining the impact of the North Somerset Council Draft Local Plan 2039 for Backwell as a village was distributed to all households at the beginning of December and can be found here – Village Leaflet December 23
28th November 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
The public consultation on this draft was launched yesterday and will run until 22nd of January 2024. The key element for Backwell is the inclusion of 515 houses on the Grove Farm and Burnt House Farm sites.
The Plan may be viewed on North Somerset Local Plan 2039: Pre-submission Plan (Reg 19) – North Somerset Council Consultations (inconsult.uk)
- The NORTH SOMERSET LOCAL PLAN 2039 has 300 pages
- The POLICIES MAP can be “zoomed in “using + in the top left corner, to show the many new houses allocated to Backwell and Nailsea
- The SHORT GUIDE has 10 pages and is “A plain English summary of the proposed local plan, its contents and what happens next”
- HOW TO RESPOND TO THE LOCAL PLAN 2039 has 7 pages
Backwell Residents Association, Backwell Parish Council and Backwell Resistance have combined their efforts to oppose the Plan, and will summarise key points for residents in mid-December, including the system for making comments.
14th November 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
We understand that the public consultation on this is likely to take place from 27 of November to 22 of January 2024
The draft plan will be available for comment from the start of the consultation, and will contain many pages of detail. There will be much of relevance to Backwell, with the proposal for 515 houses on the Grove Farm and Burnt House Farm site being the most significant. BRA, Backwell Parish Council and Backwell Resistance have raised awareness of this via the “Save our Village” campaign. Further information on key points will be sent to members soon after the consultation goes live.
7th November 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
A final version of the draft of this extensive document for consultation is expected around the end of November / early December. It will influence future developments in Backwell for at least the next decade and many topics will be covered, including the proposal for 515 houses on the Grove Farm and Burnt House Farm site, which is widely opposed. A campaign has started under the “Save our Village” heading. BRA, Backwell Parish Council (BPC) and Backwell Resistance (BR) are working together to:
- raise awareness of the importance of this forthcoming consultation
- assemble the best case to oppose this development, by using outside consultants whose input could be crucial
We will let members know as soon as the consultation document is posted on the NSC website, when there will follow a 6-week consultation period.
28th October 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
Members will no doubt be aware of “Save our Village” signs that have been appearing in Backwell during the last week or so. This is the start of a campaign to oppose the inclusion of 515 houses at Grove Farm in the North Somerset Local Plan (LP). Three Backwell organisations have joined together in this campaign:
- Backwell Parish Council (BPC)
- Backwell Residents Association (BRA)
- Backwell Resistance (BR)
The campaign has been publicised through social media, mainly by BR via Facebook. BRA members receive email communications and the recent press release is attached for those not on Facebook
The final LP version for consultation has not yet been released by North Somerset Council (NSC), although the NSC Executive voted to approve the draft LP on Wed 18 October. We will let members know as soon as it is posted on the NSC website, when there will follow a 6-week consultation period.
Once the consultation has opened, we will urge members to make their comments to NSC, and suggest important points you might like to make. Numbers of objections are important, as well as the relevance of the points made.
22nd October 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
At the meeting of the Executive Committee of North Somerset Council (NSC) on 18th of October, the draft Local Plan (2039) was confirmed for moving to the consultation stage. Once the consultation document is available, we will let members know, and provide all necessary information. BRA is working closely with Backwell Parish Council (BPC) and Backwell Resistance (BR), as these 3 organisations share the common objection to the inclusion of 515 houses on Grove Farm in the Local Plan.
11th October 2023
North Somerset Local Plan (LP) 2024 – 2039
Following consultation on an earlier draft Local Plan, North Somerset Council (NSC), has prepared a new draft which will be presented to the Executive Committee of NSC on Wednesday 18 of October, followed by a further consultation.
What does this Draft Local Plan propose relevant to Backwell ?
A. The new Plan is now to be Local Plan 2039 (LP 2039).
B. Total new housing allocation in North Somerset is reduced from 20,880 to 14,995.
C. 3 large areas of Green Belt housing development have been deleted. This includes land “East of Backwell”, which had 500 houses proposed.
D. Growth in both Nailsea and Backwell has been reduced, principally because of the cost and technical difficulty of constructing a new road across the railway. The land that Gleeson proposed by the Lake, has not been included for development, nor the field below the recycling centre.
E. However, the Grove Farm site (515 houses) is retained in LP 2039. This makes a total of 700 houses for Backwell, after adding the already agreed Farleigh Fields and Rodney Road developments. This is an increase of 35% on the current number of houses in Backwell.
Grove Farm development was the subject of a drop-in meeting at the WI Hall on 13th of September.
A planning application has NOT been made yet, but TW has stated that one will be made before the end of the year. BRA objects to this proposal. The size of the development in relation to that of the current village, and the highways implications of a single access onto the A370 are two key issues.
F. The allocation for Affordable housing (on any large site) is reduced from 40% to 35%.
The new draft LP can be viewed on:
This link takes you to the agenda for the NSC meeting on 18th of October and supporting documents including the following:
There are 3 reports relevant to LP 2039
This is a 276-page document, with the detail of LP 2039, together with planning policies and strategies etc.
This is a 10-page report, which includes a summary of the Plan.
This is a one-page map showing the green Belt area, with housing developments in red.
What is the Status of the Current Draft?
This new draft of the LP will be presented to the council’s Executive Committee on 18 October 2023. It is known as the pre-submission plan and is not likely to have any alterations at this meeting. It then becomes the Consultation Draft, which will allow for public comment from 18th of October to 22nd of November.
How important is the LP?
Extremely important, as it will be the backcloth for planning decisions over the next decade or more. The probability of a planning application being accepted is far greater if the development is included in the LP.
Timescale
Consultation on this new draft is open until 22nd November, (this seems a short consultation period for such a complex and important report).
BRA is active on three main fronts:
- We are employing our main planning consultant, and will consider further technical help on key issues
- We are embarking on a publicity campaign in the village to encourage residents to make a comment
- We keep in touch with Backwell Parish Council and Backwell Resistance, and also Councils at Brockley and Nailsea.
BRA will be issuing guidelines shortly on points which members may like to consider in their submission.
After consideration of comments, NSC will submit a final version of the plan to the Secretary of State for an independent examination. If the Plan is deemed to be “sound” after this examination, it will become the final North Somerset Local Plan (LP 2039) in late 2024.
Comparison between the latest draft and our existing Neighbourhood Plan
It is worth reflecting on the Backwell Neighbourhood Plan 2014 – 26, which was prepared by a Steering Group of Backwell Parish Council, containing representatives from across Backwell, with close contact with NSC. The plan contained modest housing developments, all of which BRA supported and have happened. 96% of votes cast by residents were in favour.
In contrast, Backwell has been the target of a seemingly endless series of unwelcome developments, including this inappropriate one at Grove Farm, which could well turn our village into a town and destroy its character and overload the infrastructure. BRA will object to this new draft of LP 2039.
What can residents do?
Details of how to comment will be available after the 18th of October meeting.