How should Keynsham be developed in next 20 years?

People in Keynsham can have their say on how the district in which they live should be developed over the next 20 years.

Bath and North East Somerset Council agreed a consultation document on the Core Strategy, which looks at how the district can avoid long-term decline and tackle issues such as a lack of affordable homes and poor transport.

The council wants views from residents, businesses, and community groups on how the district can respond to these challenges.

The consultation document also presents options for housing development.

B&NES, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils all have major reservations about the ability of the West of England to accommodate the number of homes set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy, currently the subject of a legal challenge in the east of England.

The options being discussed by B&NES are based on the original 15,500 homes figure agreed by the council in 2006.

Liberal Democrat councillors voted to abstain on the Core Strategy proposals citing concerns over the lack of preparation of the document.

Paul Crossley, leader of the Lib Dem group, said: "We believe that our community should set housing needs targets, not the RDA or central government in London."

Cabinet member for planning Councillor Charles Gerrish (Con, Keynsham North), said they had no choice but to include proposals for development of a mini-new town.

Councillors have always said that building on brownfield sites should be a priority, but developers have been buying up swathes of farmland in the Whitchurch area in anticipation that they will be allowed to develop on green belt land.

This land could fall in the proposed urban extension south east of Bristol, which will have a major impact on Keynsham.

Other important issues for Keynsham are the future of the town centre, local employment, affordable housing and transport.

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