And more info about the green belt can be found on our Green Belt page

Georgie is also Chair of the North Somerset District Committee.

Marina cycled the 430 miles from her home in Cambridge to Lands End in 10 days. On September 1st and 2nd She met members of the Avonside branch of CPRE and local action groups at Oldland Common and at Dundry, where applications have been submitted for developments which would destroy areas of prime Green Belt.

Visit Marina’s website for details of Marina’s journey or to make a donation in recognition of her cycle challenge.

The Government has predicted that by 2020 we must build three million new homes. We believe it’s better to plan for homes we need, rather than the numbers we might need.

You can help us campaign by following the links at
http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/housing-and-urban-policy

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.

Paul took us through many of the key points currently being considered – including the way that tranquillity has been eroded in our area; thoughts around the future of food, farming and forestry; the built environment; planning and local democracy; lifestyle, values and attitudes; climate change and the countryside.

Jim then noted that there were many point of agreement between the RTPI stance and that of CPRE, but, not surprisingly, the difference came with Green Belt. RTPI were in favour of green wedges into our cities and the erosion of some of the existing green belt. The point was made by several of the audience, that if this was allowed then the risk of further diminution of the green belt was very high. Once the barrier had been lifted then there was a very big risk that the discipline for protecting our countryside would be lost. Green Belt had been successful and should remain as a planning discipline.

There was further discussion on the role of farming in managing our countryside and there was appeared to be consensus around farming’s importance, for food security and also to ensure that our countryside is attractive as a place for recreation for all.

Everyone is encouraged to contribute further to the debate at www.cpre.org.uk/debates. We will be forwarding the comments and questions raised at the session to Head Office and the County Branches Forum.

We have been keeping in close touch with the ongoing discussions around Bath Farmers Market (see section on local foods below).

We were also represented at a meeting at Culverhay School in Bath about the proposed urban extension to the south west of Bath and are keen to ensure that development does not extend into the Greenbelt outside Bath or other areas at risk in the Core Strategy. We believe that:

• the focus must be on ensuring that brownfield sites are developed before greenbelt land is put at risk
• he Council should not plan based on unproven forecasts of growth.

As we all know, once we have lost a part of our countryside, it is lost forever. This will be one of the main thrusts of our Core Strategy response.

In terms of development outside Bath we are also keen to ensure that the proposals for a “Buffer Zone” around the World Heritage Site are clarified before further land is sacrificed for development.

The CPRE Avonside Branch AGM was held on 24 November and was followed by two excellent talks. Detailswill be posted on this website soon. The Avonside Branch is particularly fortunate to have as one of its committee members Georgie Bigg, the North Somerset District Chairman who is now on the National Board. Sir Nigel Thompson, the Chairman of CPRE, also made time to attend the meeting and input to the debate.

Julia Sherwen