1. The Green Belt’s original intention was to prevent urban sprawl.  Illogically, to persist with NSC’s application of Green Belt policy results in proposals such as the Mendip Spring Garden Village, a substantial 2,880 house town to be constructed in pristine countryside 15 miles from Bristol the key source of employment..  This is tantamount to ‘leapfrog’ urban sprawl but in a wholly rural location alongside an AONB with significant supporting infrastructure costs and substantially greater environmental, ecological and landscape damage.

2. The Green Belt policy requires updating or interpreting in favour of development in locations close to jobs and well serviced by public transport. There is no evidence of any Green Belt re-assessment being considered by North Somerset Council.

3. The other three adjacent Local Authorities in the JSP have decided to release Green Belt for development.

4. The Green Belt is not sacrosanct, even in North Somerset:

• The new South Bristol Link road cuts across NSC Green Belt
• Bristol Airport is on Green Belt
• Bristol Airport has just been granted planning permission (October 2018) by North Somerset Council to extend the Silver Zone car park on the Green Belt.

6. The Green Belt immediately south of Bristol:

• Is not good agricultural land
• Is not used for recreation by residents
• Has a refuse dump
• Has an industrial park.

7. 40% of land in North Somerset is Green Belt.  An alternative proposed development in Ashton Vale of 4,500 houses close to Bristol amounts to 2% of the Green Belt.
8. Green Belt could be reallocated eg to areas proximate to the Mendip Hills AONB.

Green Belt policy requires updating or interpreting in favour of development in locations close to jobs and public transport.