Greenbelt Proposal Still Unacceptable

Epic Healthcare have submitted revised proposals for their proposed office campus at Land Southwest of Long Ashton Park and Ride. The new submission has made several changes to the scheme including a reduction in the size and height of some of the buildings such as the height of the proposed auditorium from 20 to 15 metres (but still the height of a four to six storey building and a 3000 capacity), removal of the Long Ashton Cricket Club from the application site and a proposed reduction in the number of car park spaces.

To support these changes, a new suite of information has been provided by Epic's consultants. Some of which has been prepared to specifically attempt to address objections previously made by the Parish Council regarding alternative sites assessment and supplementing the Very Special Circumstance case.

Consultants instructed on behalf of the Parish Council have reviewed the revised submission and have come to the view that the updated and amended evidence has not alleviated Long Ashton Parish Council's concerns regarding the proposed development. It is continued to be felt that the proposed development does not demonstrate 'very special circumstances' that will enable development in the Green Belt. The applicant has focussed on the economic benefits of the scheme but the Parish Council argues that few of these benefits will come to Long Ashton and this area of North Somerset. And as those benefits would come from any such project wherever it was situated, they don't count as very special circumstances for removal of Greenbelt. Moreover, concerns have been raised by the Parish Council and statutory consultees like English Heritage that this supposed benefit does not outweigh the significant harm it will do to what is 'highest quality greenbelt in North Somerset' (as defined by North Somerset Council) in relation to heritage, visual and landscape impact and highway considerations. It is also felt that the proposals will continue to lead to a significant impact on the openness of the Green Belt leading to further urban sprawl and a loss of the last green buffer between Long Ashton and the City of Bristol.

As such, it is considered that the application is contrary to the policy and guidelines in the local Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework that govern how North Somerset planning officers and its planning committee decide these matters and that there are no material considerations that outweigh the clear policy conflict. The Parish Council propose to continue to object to the proposal and will be submitting their representations to the application shortly.

Planning Potential note that (at the time of print) 100+ local residents, including the Parish Council Airport Association that represents 26 parish councils and 2 town councils, have submitted further objections to the amended application. No local residents have expressed support for the new application.