Labour councillors urge government to reconsider Brislington Meadows development

Bristol Labour councillors have urged the government to reconsider plans to build a controversial housing development on a wildlife haven in south Bristol.

Brislington East Labour councillors, Tim Rippington and Katja Hornchen, sent an open letter to secretary of state Michael Gove on Tuesday, asking him to instruct Homes England not to proceed with the development of Brislington Meadows.

The development would see 260 homes built on the site, 30 per cent of which will be affordable, as part of an ‘integrated 20-minute neighbourhood’ close to schools, shops and work opportunities.

The planning approval has been met with outcry by local environmental campaigners, and has been opposed by a number of councillors, who argue the site is a haven for local wildlife. Lib dem councillor Andrew Varney launched a petition to save the Brislington greenbelt.

Marvin Rees originally pledged to keep Brislington Meadows as a local green space in May 2021, saying that the wildlife haven was too ecologically precious to be built on.

He was later criticised by Rippington, who said the mayor had shown “a total abdication of duty” in the ongoing saga of Brislington Meadows.

A spokesperson for Bristol Labour said: “As secretary of state, the Homes England chief executive reports to him, so it is within his power to stop the development if he and his Conservative Government sees fit.”

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Read more: ‘Heartbreak’ as appeal to build 260 homes on green space wins

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“This approval was made despite the Local Plan Working Group, led by councillor Beech, removing the site from the emerging Local Plan.

“The development is opposed by all parties represented on the council, local councillors, the local member of Parliament, the mayor of Bristol, and Brislington residents.

“Councillors Rippington and Hornchen are hoping the Government will recognise the strength of opposition and instruct Homes England not to proceed with the development.

Read the full letter below:

Residents marched at the meadow in June last year to protest the development – photo: Save Brislington Meadows

“Dear Secretary of State,

We are writing to you on behalf of the residents of Brislington in Bristol to ask you to personally intervene in the case of the Brislington Meadows housing development.

In a recent TV appearance on Laura Kuenssberg, you stressed that you believe local people should have more say in the developments that happen in their area – and this is one of the most relevant cases you will come across.

For well over 15 years, the people of Brislington have been fighting to prevent the development of the Brislington Meadows, an area designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest and a beautiful piece of ecologically important meadowland in the heart of our city, which has been used by many people for recreational purposes over many years and even more so since the pandemic.

Unfortunately, despite huge local opposition, the Brislington Meadows site was included in Bristol’s Local Plan back in 2014, and since that time the council has been obliged to try to bring the land forward for housing. In 2020 the land was eventually purchased by Homes England to progress this development.

As we are sure you are aware, a lot has changed since 2014. In 2021 Bristol City Council declared both a Climate and an Ecological Emergency and recognised Brislington Meadows as a vital piece of the city’s ‘green lungs’.

The Full Council, including your own Conservative group, have unanimously been calling on the land to be left undeveloped. The mayor and local member of parliament have also put their support behind this approach, calling on Homes England not to build on the site. You will struggle to find anyone in Bristol that supports this development.

Bristol now has a new emerging Local Plan prepared cross-party, which recognises the value of this particular site and has removed it from the housing allocation, identifying many other sites which are more suitable for development and will bring forward the housing that Bristol’s people need without destroying our environment at the same time.

Despite all of these considerations, Homes England have been determined to push forward with this particular housing development. In 2022, after just 13 weeks, they lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate for non-determination.

Bristol City Council then recommended refusal in advance of the appeal, but this appeal has now gone ahead and found in favour of the applicant. This means that, despite huge local opposition at all levels, this beautiful part of Bristol is now set to be bull-dozed, destroying wildlife habitats, ancient trees and hedgerows, and much more.

We cannot tell you how much distress and upset this has caused to the local people who love this area so much and value it as an integral part of their community. The decision to press ahead can only be seen as a very short-term gain which will cause irreversible damage to the ecology and environment.

We understand that as the planning permission was granted directly by the planning inspectorate, you do not have the ability to intervene in the planning process. However, as the chief executive of Homes England ultimately reports to the secretary of state, you can instruct the company to pause their plans or indeed, not to proceed at all.

We are therefore writing to you to request that you instruct Homes England not to proceed with the development of Brislington Meadows at this time, and instead to look for other ways that this beautiful part of our city can be utilised for the benefit of all its citizens.”

Main photo: Marvin Rees

Read next:

• More details revealed for homes on Brislington Meadows which Rees pledged to stop
• In their own words: Catherine Withers
• Has a new insect been discovered in south Bristol?

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