Residents sign up for green belt action group

Scores of concerned residents have signed up to become members of an action group to fight plans to build thousands of new homes at Ashton Vale.

More than 70 people have pledged their support to the Dundry Residents' Action Group (Drag) in the past 24 hours – and hundreds more are expected to join the fight.

The wave of public support for Drag comes after it organised a public meeting at Dundry village hall to discuss proposals to build 9,000 homes on a 200-hectare swathe of green-belt land stretching from the A38 at Dundry, near the Barrow Tanks, right down to the A370 Long Ashton bypass to Ashton Vale.

The development, which is currently in the draft planning stages, would be built in phases over 20 years, from 2011, to meet Government targets for new housing for the region's growing population.

More than 100 residents packed into the meeting on Tuesday night to air their concerns about the proposed south west urban extension.

Drag spokeswoman Debbie Nicholls, 59, of Bridgwater Road, said she was ecstatic at the level of support for the action group shown by the local community.

Mrs Nicholls said: "We had around 100 people at the meeting and out of these people, 71 have signed up as members of Drag.

"People are very passionate about protecting the green belt and were prepared to join us and work hard to fight the proposals.

"I am ecstatic at the level of support we have received from the local community and we are expecting our membership to now grow massively."

Mrs Nicholls said the group was now looking at becoming an official action group with its own constitution and that it was considering setting up a paid membership scheme to help raise money to continue the campaign.

Work is already under way to set up a website, while petitions and maps detailing the proposed development are being delivered to local stores and garages.

Mrs Nicholls said: "We are going to have to raise some funds to help continue our fight and are considering setting up a paid membership and asking people for a nominal amount to cover our basic costs.

"We have also been busy delivering the maps and petitions to local outlets as it is important we get the message out to everybody about these proposals so they can have their say."

The group has already contacted parish councils in neighbouring Long Ashton, Barrow Gurney and Backwell and now intends to talk to similar organisations in the Bristol area.

Mrs Nicholls said she was also trying to arrange a meeting with Woodspring MP Dr Liam Fox to seek his support in fighting the proposals.

She said: "We want Dr Fox to stand tall with us and help us fight. We are also contacting other parish councils in the area to support us as we all need to be singing from the same hymn sheet. Together we will have a stronger voice to fight these proposals."

Anyone wanting more information about Drag should email debbie.nicholls@btconnect.com

The petition and map is already available at the Spar shop, Kings Head Lane, Uplands, for anyone who wishes to sign it.