RESIDENTS and town councillors in Bradford on Avon are united in their opposition to plans for new homes on green fields near Woolley Street.

People living near the proposedRedcliffe Homes scheme were invited to an extraordinary full council meeting on Tuesday to have their say on the plan. The Bristol developer wants to build up to 57 homes on land designated by the Bradford on Avon Neighbourhood Plan as open green space.

Residents were worried about extra traffic from new housing as well as what they say are ‘errors’ in Redcliffe’s report to Wiltshire Council.

Tracey Bollans, of Crown Court, said: “My mother is in a wheelchair and it is hard enough trying to get across that road.

“With the extra traffic caused by the development it would be so difficult to get her anywhere.”

“We have to walk on the road as it is, so it could possibly end up with her being housebound.”

Ted King, of Woolley Street, said: “The plans state that the homes at Crown Court are modern buildings, but they were built in the 18th century. Redcliffe seem to be presenting alternative facts, as the saying goes these days.

“The photo provided by Redcliffe shows that the housing estate wouldn’t be visible from Woolley or Crown Court, but this is not true. They have named the old barn on the land as derelict when it actually serves as the boundary to the conservation area.”

The busy junction at Woolley Grange is also a concern. Residents say there have already been two road accidents.

Keith Potter, of Woolley Green, said: “The busy junction is a nightmare. You are blind to both sides and there have been serious accidents on that road. With the increase in traffic it is likely to increase the danger.”

Town councillors will object to the plan. Councillor Gwen Allison said Wiltshire core strategy requires no further housing for the town.

Cllr Allison said: “I feel there is no further housing required for the town as stated by the Wiltshire Core Strategy. I would recommend an objection to the development by the town council.”

Councillor Laurie Brown added: “When we were considering the Neighbourhood Plan and looking over the developments, this was the worst of all of them.”

Redcliffe has since issued a statement dispelling any errors in the planning application, explaining how the report may have been miscontrued. 

A Redcliffe Homes spokesman said: “With regards the concerns about the road width, we are saying that Woolley Street varies in width as is shown in Figure 3 in the Transport Statement. It is four point six metres at the site entrance and four point nine to five metres in other parts.  We have never said that all of it is five metres.

"The comment about modern housing may refer to the houses generally in the surrounding area. Some The houses adjoining the site on Cemetery Lane and those to the north in Grange View are certainly more modern having being built in the 70s/80s.

“It must also be pointed out that to respect the landscape setting of this site we are gifting more public open space than is required by Wiltshire’s normal policy standards. This will be handed over to the community for full public use.

"We would also like to make it known in the paper that despite the email sent to the Friends of Woolley in January, no one has come back to us with any questions or indeed a date to meet to discuss any inaccuracies in the reports or with any questions. We feel this would be more constructive than going to the newspapers.”