Developers explain why they are digging at Bristol’s last working farm

Farmer Catherine Withers’ son told her that developers had accessed one of her fields on Monday morning.

Withers is taking some time away from work following a long drawn-out saga that in early September saw Bristol’s last working farm, which is under threat from housing development, winning a potential reprieve from Marvin Rees.

But the land in Bedminster Down is still under threat, with developers Redrow now digging test pits on the farm.

“I did ask them why they would need to after Bristol City Council’s announcement but they have ploughed ahead regardless,” Withers told Bristol24/7.

“Isn’t it depressing. We don’t disturb this species-rich grassland at all. They are doing 15 pits like this.”

Developers’ diggers accessed the farmland off Bridgwater Road on Monday morning – photo: Joe Beard

In a statement, Redrow South West managing director, Lee Hawker, said that the digging of the test pits was “standard practice”.

He said: “Following the pre-application enquiry relating to the land adjoining Yew Tree Farm, Bedminster Down in late 2019, we are gathering more information about the ground conditions relating to the site.

“Permission was granted by Bristol City Council for something called a ‘screening opinion’ to see whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is required.

“This step ensures any future proposals are developed with a green infrastructure led approach, which demonstrates Biodiversity Net Gain.

“The test pits are currently being dug to ascertain soak away levels at the site, this is standard practice in order to better understand the ground conditions.”

Catherine, 51, and ten-day-old Keith at Yew Tree Farm – photo: Martin Booth

Hawker added: “The council’s housing land supply position has now dropped to 2.8 years, which equates to a shortfall of 8,597 homes over the current five- year period. Whilst we appreciate some measures are in place to unlock the delivery of brownfield sites through regeneration initiatives, these alone will not address the shortfall.

“Our award-winning homes regularly attain recognition for their design excellence, build quality and customer satisfaction and we create thriving communities in the areas that we build homes.

“This is at the heart of what we do and any future planning application at Bridgwater Road, only to be submitted at an appropriate time, will demonstrate how we would achieve this as part of our plans to provide much-needed, quality new homes in Bristol.”

Redrow are digging more than a dozen ‘test pits’ on the farm – photo: Joe Beard

Bristol City Council’s emerging local plan, which allocates land for development, is set to strip Green Belt status from 15 acres of Yew Tree Farm, with Redrow already having plans for 200 new homes to be built there.

Withers, whose family has worked the farm since the 1960s, has said the development would force them to quit and would destroy a traditional hay meadow, which is home to rare adders and Bristol’s only nesting skylarks.

But last month, Bristol mayor Rees said he would recommend the 15 acres of farm, which Withers rents, be protected from development in the new local plan.

It came three days after Bristol City Council launched its Ecological Emergency Action Plan.

Rees previously said “we should do everything we can to protect Yew Tree Farm”.

“We have a challenge to build homes, to tackle the housing crisis, alongside ecological and climate crises and we need to successfully tread a balanced path between conflicting priorities.”

Main photo: Joe Beard

Read more: Fight continues to save Bristol’s last working farm

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