Campaign Re-Launch 2014

With outline planning approval for the building of 2500 homes by Heron in North Yate now in place, we, the Brimsham Park campaigners have launched a Facebook page to keep everyone informed about our efforts to reduce the impact of the building works.

Unfortunately we have failed to stop the South Gloucester Core Strategy that put the land in the firing line for development. With Heron (North Yate) and Barrats(Peg Hill) between them planning to build around 3000 houses.

The focus of the new campaign is to keep an eye and ear on the developments and to influence the design to minimise the impact on Yate. We are also keen to act as a voice for the Community of Brimsham Park and North Yate.

If you have ideas, issues or observations with regard to the developments or the wider community facilities please let us know.

http://www.facebook.com/BrimshamParkCommunityCampaign

Press articles and other things

Please tell all friends and neighbours to attend if they can on Wednesday 20th July 2011 at 17:00, outside the South Glocs council offices in Nibley, in the estate opposite their New Offices in Yate for a photo for the Evening Post and possibly the Gazette.

Why?  To lobby the South Glocs Councillors and keep the issue in the press. There is plenty of car parking in front of the offices.

The councillors don't usually turn up till a bit later so we should have an opportunity to get pictures in front of the building with perhaps a couple of grumpy councillors walking by.

Other news.

• There will be an article in the Evening Post tomorrow, please look out for it.
• Signs will be appearing at all Yate town council parks across Yate in the notice boards advertising our campaign.
• An Application has gone in to build a "travellers site" somewhere between Herons proposed development, Tan house lane and Yate rocks. I have not looked at it yet but the  South Glocs Planning application reference is PT11/2001/F. I'm told its likely to have impact on the footpaths around the area and significantly increase traffic in a very rural area. Unfortunately the time for comments ends on 29/7/2011. Please note although you may have views about the type of people attracted to these sites, the council won't consider these views as it is considered descriminatory. They are only likely to consider objective issues likely infrastructure or environment.

South Gloucestershire Core Strategy Exploritory Meeting 28 June 2011

Attended the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy Exploritory Meeting 28 June 2011. The Core strategy is important as its the Councils overarching  planning document. If this can be delayed, new government legislation may give us the power to significantly affect any development.

1. The meeting was 3 hours long and focused on procedure rather than specific issues. It was a bit of an endurance test. Incredibly frustrating, as it focused on procedure, you really could not say what you wanted to, although a few people did, including me.

2. The first subject discussed was whether the councils consultation met with their legal obligations. It appeared that a QC was appointed by Britel Fund Trustees Ltd to argue the point. He seemed to make a valid case that initial consultations were stated as draft and that not all the documents were produced at the start of the consultation so people were not sure what they were commenting on. He stated that this meant the consultation did not meet the statutory obligations laid down in law.

3. The meeting then discussed housing with developers saying the numbers were too low and pressure groups including us saying they were too high. It felt like the suited developers were perched like vultures playing their own little game.

4. The green belt was mentioned then Filton Airfield. As the council had not yet met with British Aerospace. The Government Inspector agreed that he would defer his decision for 2- 3 weeks.

5. He stated that his decision would result in one of 3 outcomes. (1) use the core strategy as a working document and revise some things as they work with it as it will only be minor changes needed.(2) suspend the core strategy for anything up to 6months for further work to be done and take in Filton Airfield. (3) throw it out completely and wait for the Localism Bill to come into force. He will put his notes on the council web site.

Latest...

Been a while since the last newsletter. So what's been happening.

• The stall at the Yate Community festival 25/6/2011 80 leaflets distributed and 3 pages of signatures on the paper version of the petition.
  
  
• The leafleting campaign where most of Brimsham park has been leafleted. Over 550 leaflets distributed. this is a new improved leaflet and we are actually speaking to people this time around. If they are in.
  
  
• The picture in the Evening Post and then the Observer which goes to the whole of Yate.

• Attended the first full meeting of South Gloucestershire council and handed out leaflets to all but 5 of the councillors.

Latest News

About 10 of us met on 18th of May for the campaign's second committee meeting. Lots of good ideas and discussion. I'm afraid a busy schedule means I have not had time to write up the minutes.

Key activities decided on

1. Leaflet the councillors going to the first new council meeting on 25/5/11. This happened and I think we handed leaflets to at least 65 of the 70 councillors. Thanks to Pam and Dave, Dave L. and Barry. Also to Chris for running of the leaflets.

2. A Leaflet campaign talking to Brimsham residents and asking them to sign a petition, using our new "ybuild3000" logo of all of Brimsham Park late June. We need volunteers for this.Please help if you can. Phil has volunteered to lead on this.

3. A photo OP around mid June with placards for the press. A picture to be taken at the northern edge of Brimsham park. We need as many people as possible.

4. A march with placards to the Council offices and then if possible speak at the next meeting of the council on 20th July times not fixed but probably 1700-1900.

5. I've got a whole list of local groups to talk to ask advice of. We also want to distribute leaflets to the whole of yate but need to check on permissions.

6. Pam has volunteered to act as secretary.

7. Oh and we have a web site. https://sites.google.com/site/ybuild3000/ have a look and leave a comment. If you want to help edit or contribute to this site let me know.

A lot of people are going away over the half term so activities will resume in June.

Media Coverage

We now have media interest in the campaign

Yate and Sodbury Gazette
Please see the Yate and Sodbury Gazette published 12th May for an article on the housing development, a proposal for village green status. An idea put forward by Julian Chambers a member of the campaign and developed by Chris Willmore a Yate town councillor.
The Gazette are asking the question "do you support the bid for village green status" for the area north of Brimsham Park.

Gazette Article

Please contact the Gazette on gazetteseries.co.uk/news to say yes

BBC Radio Bristol 0700 am 12 May2011
Following the newspaper article there was an interview with Julian Chambers at 7 am tomorrow morning on Radio Bristol.

Many thanks to Alexandra Womack of the Gazette and to Ross Pollard from the BBC

Public meeting and More Information

Public Meeting
Apologies to all I have not updated this blog for while. Whats happened? Quite a lot actually.

The Public meeting took place Steve webb the local MP and Chris Willmore from the Town Council hosted the meeting and explained all the details behind the developers planning applications around Yate.  An article with regard to the meeting appeared in the Meeting Article

For details of the meeting and very good information on the Meeting see the Lib Dems Focus special edition.
http://www.paulhulbert.org/focus/brimshamspecial.pdf

Petition
Please sign the petition against the development, so far 155 people have signed it we need more.
http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/stopbrimsham

Brimsham Park Campaign Meeting 28 April 2011
 We held our first meeting at the Beaufort Hunt.
full details are on the facebook site.

key issues discussed were
Distributing leaflets in key areas of Yate – Railway, Health centre, Shopping areas.
• A competition possibly sponsored locally to make people aware of what’s going on.
• The need to find out more about the liberals petition? Do we need our own?
• To campaign more widely in Yate not just Brimsham Park
• To find out more about the South Gloucestershire Councillors and parties and to
write to them.
• To create a website with very clear information on how and where to protest.
• To try to get as many Allies as possible. Environmental Groups etc.
• To find out what is needed for media campaigns. What are the hooks, they are
looking for?
• The need for more face to face campaigning.
• To start thinking about campaign funding and how to manage it.

The next meeting is already planned.