Introduction
The Hicks Gate area is in the Green Belt and stretches west from the Hicks Gate roundabout to the local authority boundary with Bristol, including land to the north and the south of the A4.
The wider area, which includes land within Bath and North East Somerset as well as Bristol City Council, largely comprises agricultural fields typically used for grazing, with a network of public rights of way. This wider area includes a range of sports pitches, Brislington House, St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, allotments and the Brislington Park and Ride Site.
The centre of Bristol is within 4km and Keynsham town centre is within 2km. The A4 is a strategic transport corridor between Bath and Bristol. It experiences significant congestion in both directions during peak times.
Hicks Gate context plan
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Bristol City Council submitted the Bristol Local Plan Publication Version (November 2023) for independent examination in April 2024. The examination hearings have concluded and the Inspectors have published an Interim Post Hearing Advice note. The council is currently working on outstanding actions from the examination hearings.
‘Policy DS12: New neighbourhood – Bath Road, Brislington’ proposes removing land from the Green Belt to the south of the A4 as identified on the aerial photograph below, for the development of 500-750 dwellings. The published Bristol Local Plan also states that if appropriate proposals adjacent to this location come forward, Bristol City Council will work with Bath and North East Somerset Council to consider the impacts and opportunities, to assess infrastructure requirements and to ensure integrated and well-planned communities are created.
BCC Policy DS12 – Land to be removed from the Green Belt
The Bristol and Bath Growth Zone is a key element of WECA Local Growth Strategy. The zone will recognise the planned infrastructure improvements and housing developments along the Bristol to Bath Corridor, exploring the potential to partner with WECA to deliver key employment and housing sites as well as transport projects, especially mass transit.
Whilst Bath and Bristol centres are readily accessible by public transport, the new communities created in the locality are likely to look towards Keynsham Town Centre meeting their day to needs, and for a certain scale of leisure and cultural activities. There are likely to be significant opportunities for Keynsham Town Centre to enhance its current role and to increase its offer. The Local Plan will provide a proactive policy framework to enable this to happen and to ensure that town centre sites are developed in a way that supports the increased demands.
Land at Hicks Gate is designated as Green Belt. Any new site allocations would require the removal of land from the Green Belt, and removal would require exceptional circumstances to be fully evidenced and justified in the context of revised national policy. Measures to improve the quality of the remaining Green Belt should be explored, including accessible green spaces and nature recovery, with funding to deliver such improvements identified.
The wider area lies within Bristol City Council and B&NES Council. The local authorities would need to collaborate to enable the preparation of a comprehensive masterplan to deliver a high quality place to live and work.
This area has primarily been considered for its potential as a residential led development, with the opportunity for employment led regeneration within the existing and adjacent areas of Bristol. One of the issues to be considered as part of this consultation is whether there should be a section of the development area within Bath and North East Somerset that is more focused on the provision of employment floorspace.
The A4 is a strategic route for movement. The introduction of segregated facilities for walking, cycling, public transport, plus green infrastructure and crossing points would be expected to ensure mobility for residents and mitigate the severance effect of the strategic road.
As part of comprehensive development there is potential for the Brislington Park and Ride facility in Bristol to be relocated to land within Bath and North East Somerset closer to the Hicks Gate roundabout and in so doing becoming a transport interchange. This would mean that in-bound traffic using the Park and Ride would not pass through the proposed development area.
The delivery of a transport interchange at Hicks Gate offers the potential to provide a broader range of sustainable connections with surrounding communities, including Keynsham and Bristol’s East Fringe. This could include additional bus services, active travel connections, and shared mobility facilities such as car clubs, hire bikes and e-scooters. It also would provide access to bus services on the Bristol Bath Strategic Corridor (BBSC), which will benefit from journey time improvements provided by the BBSC project.
Whilst there are many footpaths south of the Hicks Gate site there are no footpaths in the Hicks Gate site allocation, reducing connectivity within and through the area. The A4 severs movement across the area and cycling is restricted along this busy route. Cycle routes could be relocated away from the A4 to provide active travel links and improve the air quality.
In terms of access to natural spaces, there is no connection to the River Avon and Stockwood Vale Golf Course restricts access to the wider countryside to the south.
The landscape setting within the Hicks Gate area is sensitive, particularly in relation to the land immediately to the south of the A4 before the land slopes upwards. This area has a coherent landscape with small to medium late or post medieval permanent pasture (mostly) fields and excellent original, tall hedgerows.
Existing hedgerows within the area are an important resource for associated wildlife. They need to be substantively integrated in the new development and any unavoidable hedgerow loss must be compensated at some other areas in line with the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and nature recovery requirements and strategies.
The issue of the potential adverse impact on the water quality of the stream within the site should taken into account and mitigations should be applied. There are very few residents currently in the Hicks Gate area. One of the challenges will be to create a community with appropriate infrastructure and mix of uses.