Bradford on Avon Town Councillors

We are an active local branch of the Liberal Democrats, with around 200 members, holding a wide range of political and social events throughout the year.

We represent Bradford on Avon North, Bradford on Avon South and Atworth, Holt & Staverton on Wiltshire Council. The Wiltshire Council Bradford on Avon Area Board is Liberal Democrat run. We lead Bradford on Avon Town Council with seven of the 12 councillors

 

 

Bradford on Avon River Crossing Survey

In 2017 Magnus Macdonald, while a town and Wiltshire councillor, commissioned an interactive survey to look at the river crossing. Sarah Gibson was involved in leading the project at that time.

This is still relevant to the conversation over pedestrian safety 4 years later and we thought it would be useful to share.

 

 

Sarah Gibson's letter to the Wiltshire Council Spatial Planning Team:

Dear Spatial Planning team,

The new Local plan comes at a crucial moment, with the effects of the pandemic accelerating changes to our high streets and working lives along with the now ever more pressing need to foster employment opportunities within the county and provide low cost housing for those who most need it.

I am concerned that the Green Blue Infrastructure Strategy and the Transport Strategy are not available on the portal as part of this consultation as both are such vital parts of place shaping. Can these be made available to the public?

Concerning BoA directly, I am concerned that no employment land is to be proposed and would like to know on what basis this was decided. I believe that as a traditional industrial town which is a hub for our area villages, some employment land should be included.

I believe that none of the three sites identified are appropriate for allocation of new housing.

1. The golf club site is included in WC GBI Strategy and should therefore maintain its current status as a wilderness area. Its has poor access, is subject to flooding and has contaminated land issues. The opportunity to continue the green corridor from the strips towards Widbrook wood should not be lost.

2. The Woolley allotment site is an active allotment which creates a much needed green area in the north of the town, again with poor access

3. The old Greenhouses site, although partly brownfield of a sort has open field and mature trees making it of limited development potential.

There are other sites within the town that can deliver the plan period housing allocation, and provide the type of housing that is needed in BoA rather than large family homes on the edges of the town

The station carpark, identified as an area of opportunity in the made Neighbourhood plan is under study by WC at present and affordable housing can/should be part of this study.

Small sites where previous planning consents have lapsed and other infill sites would be more capable of fulfilling the need.

On the “Addressing Climate Change and Biodiversity Net Gain through the Local Plan” consultation paper, I welcome this element of the LP but think it could go further and have answered the consultation questions online.

With Regards

Sarah Gibson
Member for Bradford on Avon South.

 

Traffic Extra - Q&A With Cllr Sarah Gibson

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Download Survey Results

 

The latest Focuses are available to download here

Bradford on Avon

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Winsley and Westwood

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Holt and Staverton

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Update from Lib Dem councillors May 2020

 

 

Q&A With Helen Belcher