There is a clear inconsistency between the development strategy in the emerging local plan and the revised evidence base supporting the emerging JSP in respect of necessary transport schemes/mitigation. Highways England would welcome clarification in this respect.

3. Section 4. (p 28) Garden Villages and new communities is full of airy descriptions of utopian ideals. Public transport by bus to Bristol jobs will take too long to be viable. By train, residents will need a car to get to Yatton Station which means increased traffic on Stock Lane and crossing the A370 onto the B3133 to go through Yatton. No plan present to mitigate the already congested (at peak times) junction of the B3133 at Congresbury, or raise parking at Yatton Station

We have strong concerns regarding the allocation of the proposed Banwell and Churchill garden villages.Potential development proposals outside of the boundaries of AONBs that may have an impact within the designated area are also covered by the ‘duty of regard’.

The consultation document takes the approach of “rebranding” the Banwell and Churchill SDLs as ‘Banwell Garden Village’ and ‘Mendip Spring Garden Village’. However, neither the proposed Banwell or the Churchill SDLs meet even the majority of the criteria for such a description. The Vale is the obvious alternative to development at Banwell and Churchill.

Support opportunities for new links to the MetroBus from Nailsea/Backwell to the Park and Ride.

General comment with support to joint approach to planning, but concern over the ecologically sensitive location of some of the proposed SDLs and related road infrastructure. Extremely important that the North Somerset Bat SAC SPD is used to shape planning decisions across North Somerset.

Our broader view, and in line with our comments above, is that there remain serious question marks over their ability to deliver the proposed quantum of housing over the current plan period at several the SDL’s particularly those within North Somerset. As such, the new garden villages will need to be coupled with a flexible and sensible approach to development on smaller, non-strategic sites that can be delivered in the shorter term.

We believe the current JSP and the concentration of Strategic Development Locations ‘beyond the green belt’ will lead to a significant diversion of financial resources, which the West of England estimates at £2 billion, including £1.8 billion of public subsidy, towards transport investment that would be better spent elsewhere and which would be better able to support economic growth in the region.

The proposal at Mendip Spring does not meet the criteria of a garden Village. It is naïve to assume that it would function independently and would just become another dormitory housing estate.

The garden village and new community proposals are predicated on the adoption of JSP, which has yet to be examined and so these are at an early stage which can only attract limited weight. In view of this and in advance of the examination whilst recognising the locational rationale for these proposals we are not making any specific comments on each location at this stage.