Satisfaction Survey from South Glos

A golden opportunity to let South Glos know what you think about their consultation process. You only have until 31st March to respond to the survey, so don't delay.
Is their consultation process all it's cracked up to be when over 700 local residents find fault with the selection of Park Farm as the preferred option for housing development in Thornbury, but no changes to the Core Strategy materialise in the Revised version?
For more thoughts on why it was such a poor consultation, check out this document on our website:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s9bEaIOYEDpP3xqxSkBUtAgeZYj4UL1XLs2U2IxVYPU/edit?hl=en&authkey=CM7Ku6sC

To respond to the South Glos Survey, click on this link:
https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consult.ti/Core_Strategy_Satisfaction_Surve/consultationHome

Please complete before 31st March!

Last call for local election candidates to stand and oppose the currrent LIB-DEM, non-listening hegemony. Let's bring consultation and listening to the voice of the local electorate much closer to home, and demand that your vote is only available to candidates who will genuninely represent you.

Responding to the BARRATT website

It is with reluctance that I post the link to the newly sprung-up Barratt website describing the Park Farm Development that Barratt Homes are proposing. I know that Local Councillors have been accused of acting as Estate Agents to Barratts for praising up this development, unwanted by the vast majority of Thornbury people who have voiced an opinion. My own motives are less accommodating!
The website is a follow-on from the Exhibition last week at Turnberries, with no new information, but an opportunity for those who missed the Exhibition to see what all the fuss was about.
The final page of the site "Your views" does afford you the opportunity to respond in person to their proposals. Please do not be fooled by the glossy pictures and the appearence of green spaces.
Barratts have already faced a reduction in the size of their development site due to unforseen circumstances, and their desire is to maximise the profitability and return. If planning permission is granted, past experience would suggest that the Barratt development may look nothing like they would lead you to believe.
Existing Park Farm has a density of 20-25 houses/hectare. This development, on the very fringe of the town where ideally housing should thin and blend into the countryside, is being proposed at 35 houses/hectare, with some EVEN MORE DENSE areas proposed around the entrance on Butt Lane and close to Castle School/Medieval Fishponds.
Why have our Councillors led us to this "Promised Land", without taking note of our views, or being prepared to represent them on our behalves?
Good news - local elections will soon be upon us. An opportunity to make a significant difference to the shape and intentions of our Town Council! We have already heard from a few individuals who intend to stand as Independent Candidates at the Elections. We are eager to hear from more who wish to challenge the existing hegemony. Contact us at ourgreenheritage@gmail.com or post a comment to this blog.

BARRATT HOUSING EXHIBITION - NOTHING NEW?

Barratt Homes organised an exhibition for the General Public this Saturday past (5th March) at Turnberries.
STGH organised a welcoming committee at the main entrance and were handing out two documents, which, if you didn't get to read, you can click on them here and/or download them:

1. Barratt may think it's a "done deal", but far from it ... (Reasons why we think Barratt Homes have got the wrong site for development)
   
2. Some Questions for Barratt Homes. (Useful questions to ask the developers - because we don't think they have fully considered the implications of what they are embarking on.)
   

Hopefully Barratt Homes had a particularly rough ride and we have given them something to think about. Perhaps any of the SGC or TTC councillors who attended, managed to pick up on the palpable hostility to the scheme that many Thornbury residents voiced. It's never too late, Councillors, to start genuinely representing the local people who will shortly be deciding who to vote for in the forthcoming May elections.
If anyone had any interesting encounters at the Exhibition, it may be very helpful to share them by clicking on "Comments" at the bottom of this Blog entry.