Council calls for end to Gordon's Garden Grabbing!

Bristol City Council is to lobby the Government...

Bristol City Council is to lobby the Government to close a planning loophole which has led to the concreting-over of the gardens of many suburban gardens across the city.

Changes to national Planning Policy Guidelines (PPG3) introduced by Labour's former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and the latest Planning Policy Statement(PPS3), defines gardens and urban green spaces as 'previously developed' brownfield land.

Such a designation, combined with centrally imposed building targets, has spurred developers to cram-in high density housing in attractive suburbs.

At yesterday's Council meeting, in front of a packed public gallery full of representatives from such groups as the Henleaze Society and after the presentation of a petition by Bristol North West Parliamentary Candidate Charlotte Leslie, Councillors unanimously accepted Conservative Councillor John Goulandris's bid to exempt residential gardens from Brownfield status.

Following the vote, the Leader of the Council agreed to write to the Minister to convey the view of Members that action needed to be taken if the city's suburbs were to be preserved.

Cllr Goulandris (Con, Stoke Bishop) said: "I am grateful that my motion was so well received by the Council.

"I am sure the strength of feeling expressed by people in the public gallery (many of whom submitted supportive statements) helped convince Councillors of the need for something to be done.

"Over-intensive developments are an increasing part of my ward casework, with residents often frustrated by the inability of Planning Committees to refuse such applications.

"Whilst a change of classification cannot, of itself, solve all these problems, this step will send the message that people really value urban green spaces and they are not to be treated as industrial sites.

"The tide is turning against high-density, over-intensive infill building in Bristol."

Back to Local News Index 18 October 2007