There were cheers and applause from campaigners fighting plans to build hundreds of homes on fields on the southern edge of Bath after local councillors rejected the scheme – but the council could have to fight an appeal from the developers.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s planning committee meeting, held in the Banqueting Room at the Guildhall, was attended by well over 100 people.
There were emotional standing ovations for the speakers who urged councillors to reject the proposal which is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
After a meeting lasting three and a half hours, members of the committee voted 7-1 to refuse planning permission for The Hignett Family Trust’s plans to build 290 homes – up to 40% of which would have been affordable – on the South Stoke Plateau between Odd Down Park & Ride and Southstoke Lane.
It forms part of the strategic site known as Sulis Down, which was allocated for residential development and removed from the Green Belt 10 years ago.
Planning permission for phase 1 – 171 homes – which included open space and vehicular access from Combe Hay Lane was granted by the council in 2019.
The application being debated yesterday was seeking detailed planning permission to continue the spine road across the north side of Sulis Manor, and outline planning permission for up to 290 homes on phases 3 and 4.
The scheme included new allotments, ecological mitigation, landscaping, drainage and new footpaths/cycleways.
The proposal had received more than 1,200 objections and was opposed by ward councillors and Bath MP Wera Hobhouse along with other bodies including the Cotswolds Conservation Board, Cotswolds National Landscape Board, countryside charity CPRE, Avon Gardens Trust, Bath Campaigns Network and Bath Preservation Trust.
Local parish councils and residents’ associations had also lodged objections and Historic England had raised concern.
Concerns included overdevelopment in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), ecological damage and increased traffic chaos, as well as concern for the ancient bank and ditch earthwork known as the Wansdyke.
Addressing the committee, ward councillor Fiona Gourley (Lib Dem, Bathavon South) said: “We’re not arguing that there should be no more development: 129 homes remain. However, this application proposes an extra 161, in itself a major development in the AONB and more than double the allocation.”
Alex Sherman, chief executive of Bath Preservation Trust, told the committee the harms of the scheme, including the impact on the character of Bath as a World Heritage Site, would far outweigh the public benefit.
In his speech, he said there were no on-site facilities, shops or community buildings being proposed, and the nearest shops would be a 3.5-mile round trip by car.
He also highlighted the failure of the developers to contribute adequate funding to support the impact on the local NHS and schools.
Councillor Malcolm Austwick, chair of Combe Hay Parish Council, told the committee that the effect on traffic would be “severe” and would impact road safety.
He said it would be a totally car-dependent overdevelopment and highlighted the lack of community facilities: “There is no community hall, no café, no shop, no bus service, no medical or educational facilities.”
Dr Ned Garnett, of the South of Bath Alliance, said the applicant’s traffic models had got it “very, very wrong”.
On the northbound approach to the Odd Down Park & Ride roundabout, they calculate there is only a maximum waiting time of 15 seconds. Dr Garnett said: “This is simply not credible but has not been challenged by B&NES Highways.
“Because of this South Stoke Parish Council commissioned an independent survey by Alan Bailes. This filmed two of the junctions using drones and are compelling.”
Dr Garnett said the footage showed stationary cars on and between junctions; cars queue-jumping by going into the right-hand lane and going all round the roundabout; and queuing times of more than 12 and a half minutes.
“Compared to 15 seconds, this is a 40-fold difference,” he said.
Cllr Paul Beazley-Long, chair of South Stoke Parish Council, added that the traffic situation as described in the planning application is so far removed from everyday experience that the data should not be used: “There is no doubt that the proposed development will promote car dependency and the resulting traffic chaos will likely be severe.”
Members of the committee acknowledged that the scheme had some benefits, such as the high amount of affordable homes, but raised concerns on a number of issues including a lack of community facilities and the impact on traffic.
Councillor Shaun Hughes (Ind, Midsomer Norton North) said: “We need to be building communities, not just housing estates.”
Members were concerned that, together with the 171 homes that had already been built on one field in the first phase of the Sulis Meadows development, the number of homes built would exceed the 300 it was allocated for, but the council’s planning experts said that figure was not a cap.
Chair of the planning committee Councillor Duncan Hounsell (Lib Dem, Saltford) reminded councillors that the council could face a costly appeal if found to have turned down the plans for the wrong reasons.
But he was the only councillor to vote against refusing the plan. At the end of the meeting, he announced he would be stepping down as chair.
Following the committee’s decision, Dr Garnett, of the South of Bath Alliance, said last night that they were “clearly delighted” at the outcome and that the committee had listened to the very strong opinions of the local community.
“However, this has been a 20-year battle and it’s likely to go to appeal so this fight goes on. It would be lovely if it stops here but from past experience it’s not going to,” he added.
Becky Feather & John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter