B&NES CPRE response to the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)

We have strongly opposed the proposals for future housing development in the environs of Bath.  There is a proposal in the RSS for a further 1500 houses to the SW of Bath, in the Englishcombe area, and an alternative proposal has been submitted to the enquiry for development to be carried out at South Stoke.  We believe that neither option is tenable in view of the need to protect the environs of Bath as an integral part of Bath’s World Heritage status.  We are working closely with the Bath Preservation Trust Environs Committee in this arena.
 
Our response does in fact encompass a number of broader points:

• We need to protect the environmental heritage and countryside for future generations
• The need for affordable and convenient public transport if we are to avoid gridlock on our roads
• The view that SW development does not need to be focused solely on areas within 2 hours commuting distance of London – we need now to be more radical in our thinking and utilize technology more effectively
• Our countryside needs to be protected in a sustainable way, encouraging the production and consumption of local foods

The RSS documentation is extensive, but you can view the element of direct relevance to B&NES in section 4.2 of the Document on the website.