CPRE Avonside is comprised of four districts which cover the old county of Avon:
South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset

Policy and Campaigns for 2009

Housing and the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)

The RSS is a 20 year plan for the Southwest for 2006-2026. An independent Examination in Public (EiP) panel considered responses to the original draft and submitted its report to the Secretary of State for Communities early in 2008. The Secretary of State’s response to the amendments to the RSS by the examining panel was published on 22nd July 2008 and was available for consultation until 24th October. This Proposed Changes document suggests an even greater increase in the amount of housing in our area than that originally put forward, with 117,350 new dwellings proposed for Avonside as a whole, including several urban extensions in the green belt around Bath and Bristol. We are strongly opposed to the proposed level of growth and suggested locations and our response to the Secretary of State is included in the CPRE South West submission.

We’ve  contacted all the local MPs who represent the areas affected. You can read the responses we’ve had here:
Dawn Primarolo’s response to the RSS
Don Foster’s response to the RSS
Doug Naysmith’s response to the RSS
John Penrose’s response to the RSS
Kerry McCarthy’s response to the RSS
Liam Fox’s response to the RSS
Roger Berry’s response to the RSS
Steve Webb’s response to the RSS

For full details of the CPRE South West submission in response to the consultation click here: http://www.cpresouthwest.org.uk

For a link to the Proposed Changes to the RSS consultation document click here: http://www.gosw.gov.uk/gosw/planninghome/691545/713860/

To see our map which shows the number of dwellings proposed in each area click here.

There has been a record number of 35,000 responses to the Proposed Changes document. The Secretary of State intends to issue the final RSS at the end of June 2009

Stop the Drop Anti Litter and Fly Tipping

CPRE has launched this ambitious three-year campaign to keep our countryside free of litter and fly tipping. It is headed by Bill Bryson, CPRE President (pictured here at Westminster with Steve Webb MP, local Liberal Democrat MP for Northavon, who supports the campaign). We will be encouraging our members to take part.
Help us take action in the Avonside area.

We were delighted to be sent a poem on litter written by Rowan Nevin, aged 12, from Downend. To read the poem click here.

Tranquillity

The campaign which started last year, mapped the intrusion into our lives of aircraft and road traffic noise and the visual impact of roads, buildings and housing. We have discovered that there are few places left in Avonside where you are likely to enjoy a tranquil life. The tourist industry in rural areas relies on tranquillity to attract visitors and studies have shown that it is good for our health. We shall continue to use the findings of this work in our campaigning activities

Climate Change

We continue to take part in the debate. Avonside comments on proposals for renewable energy generation and supports the right type in the right place. The impact of the expansion of Bristol International Airport on environmental capacity is one of the aspects of our opposition to the current plans.We shall also be monitoring local developments expected in 2008 on Waste Management and of course contribute to the national debates on the planning system and housing.

Rail Transport

CPRE have been lobbying regional and national government departments for many years for improvements to services and infrastructure. Most recently we sent outlines of our local ambitions to the National Office in London for their submissions to the Government in February 2009. These will propose priorities for Regional Funding Allocations (RFAs).

As well as priorities for the South West Region, we call for the upgrading and modernising of the signalling and track systems at Temple Meads, loop-lines on the Taunton, Portsmouth and Cardiff routes to allow clockface schedules for commuter and other local services. Infrastructure improvements should include updating and modernisation of stations, including longer platforms where needed.

Investment in rail services in Greater Bristol is badly needed, especially the introduction of a Portishead – Severn Beach -Temple Meads passenger service, where only some 3 miles of track is needed with stations at Portishead, Pill and Ashton Gate for this to be brought back into use. Another possible new route where trackway exists is that from Stapleton Road to Severn Beach via the aircraft & engine factories at Filton & Patchway.

For details of campaigns we are running within the geographical area of each of our District groups, click on the link to that District.

Volunteering

The Branch and District Groups are run entirely by volunteers. Please visit http://www.cpre.org.uk/support/volunteer to see the ways in which you could help us.