Bradford on Avon Town Council has launched a petition asking Wiltshire Council to remove the Former Golf Course as a reserved site from its draft local plan.
If you’re passionate about protecting the green space from development you can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/remove-the-former-golf-course-as-a-reserved-site-from-wiltshire-council-s-local-plan
The consultation on Wiltshire Council’s Local Plan is open until Wednesday 22 November.
Chair of the Town Development committee, Councillor Alison Potter said: “Bradford on Avon town council wholeheartedly rejects the allocation of the former golf course site as a reserve site for future development should several brownfield sites are not forthcoming.
“A planning application for 190 homes on this site was rejected in 2008 on several grounds which remain valid arguments for the unsuitability of this site for housing development.
“The reasons for rejection included its former use as the town tip and the access problems. Any development on this site would involve the disturbance of large quantities of toxic waste.
“This would likely cause pollution of the river Avon which forms its northern boundary. The access for a development here would bring about a huge increase in traffic both on the existing housing estate and along the Trowbridge Road.
“Since the golf course closed several years ago this site has become a rich wildlife habitat for birds, butterflies, bats, otters, beavers and river birds.
“It is important in these times of climate change that this blue-green biodiverse corridor between Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge is retained to be enjoyed and grow as a much-loved open green space for humans and wildlife alike.
“This petition calls for the deletion of this site from the reserve list to allow for the continued enjoyment of this site for people and wildlife alike.”
You can read the draft plan and make your views known on the draft document on Wiltshire Council’s website: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/8048/Current-consultation-Reg-19-autumn-2023