The SouthGlos Post

South Gloucestershire Council’s Conservative planning chief has accused the Labour government of contradicting itself, following its admission of shortcomings in the way it has prepared its controversial planning blueprint for the region.

The Government has confirmed plans to carry out a new ‘Sustainability Appraisal’ after admitting flaws in how it has drawn up its latest draft of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the South West.

Similar errors led to a successful legal challenge against the Regional Spatial Strategy in the East of England by Hertfordshire County Council.

However, the council has criticised the Government for contradicting itself by saying that the RSS has ‘considerable weight’, yet also admitting that the process they followed in preparing the RSS was flawed.

The news comes as Ministers face intense demands from the Council, the district-wide No Way To 33K campaign and local Green Belt campaign groups to go back to the drawing board on plans for 32,800 new houses in the district and a series of new ‘urban extensions’ to accommodate such a target, including on Green Belt land.

Cllr Brian Allinson, Conservative Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment on South Gloucestershire Council said:

“It is becoming increasingly evident that Ministers are all over the place on how to progress their discredited Regional Spatial Strategy.

“Their latest announcement for a further sustainability appraisal calls into question the pressure that the Government is putting on the council to give considerable weight to the emerging RSS when dealing with new planning applications.

We are opposed to such pressure, which we believe is no longer tenable as the government themselves are saying that the process that they followed in preparing the RSS was flawed.”

He added:

“Ministers can do as many sustainability appraisals as they like, but we will not rest until they dramatically reduce their unsustainable 32,800 housing target and damaging urban extensions.”

The Government has said it expects the new Appraisal to be completed early in the New Year with a decision expected after soon after that.

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Police are appealing for information following a serious assault in Yate, during the early hours of Saturday 26th September 2009.

The incident occurred at approximately 2.50am when a 21 year old man was found unconscious lying on the ground in Sundridge Park. He had a serious head injury and we believe he was assaulted.

Just prior to the incident he had been in the company of a group of friends who had been speaking to other people, including two females. There were also a number of motor vehicles in the vicinity.

We are keen to speak to these people or anybody else who may have information about the incident.

The victim was taken to Frenchay Hospital with a suspected fractured skull, where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

Callers should contact Staple Hill police on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 – they never ask your name and never trace your call.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police

Filton police arrested a man within minutes of a robbery in Church View, Filton, on Monday September 28 2009.

It happened at around midday, when a shopkeeper was on his way to bank his takings.

The victim was grabbed and pushed to the floor in the attack. Local people came forward to give officers information at the scene.

Police searched the area, recovering the cash, and arrested a man nearby.

A 27-year-old man from Bristol has been charged with robbery and is due before Northavon Magistrates.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police

Bristol City Planning Committee has approved plans by NHS South Gloucestershire to refurbish Cossham Hospital.

“This is a very exciting time. We have worked together over a number of years to agree what services the NHS will provide from Cossham. Now we look forward to seeing the building refurbished so that we can offer a wider and improved range of services to local people,” said Penny Harris, Chief Executive of NHS South Gloucestershire.

Roy Tippett, Chairman of the Cossham League of Friends, said, “We are pleased that we have passed another hurdle. We now look forward to work beginning on the main hospital building.”

Graham Kennedy, Chairman of the Save Cossham Hospital Group, said, “We are delighted by the decision. The population Cossham will serve are looking forward to the re-opening of their community hospital.”

Cossham Hospital, built in 1907, is a distinctive building with many features that NHS South Gloucestershire will conserve. The tower and the frontage will all be sensitively renovated and remain for future generations to enjoy while several later additions around the site will be demolished to improve the setting of the original buildings. There will be a one storey extension to the rear of the main hospital to provide modern facilities for scanners and a second one storey extension to the rear of the “stable block” to accommodate a renal dialysis unit.

In June, Bristol City Council granted NHS South Gloucestershire planning permission to extend Henshaw House in the grounds of Cossham Hospital. Work began on Henshaw House in August. The services in the main building will be provided from Henshaw House whilst the main building work is ongoing. Henshaw House will be demolished once the services have returned to the main building.

Cossham Hospital currently provides some outpatient and scanning services. After the redevelopment, the community facility will deliver a wider range of services including double the number of outpatient appointments, a new minor injuries service, X-Ray, ultrasound, MRI and CT scanning, double the number of physiotherapy appointments, other therapy services such as audiology and podiatry, a new renal dialysis satellite unit and the first stand-alone, midwife-led birthing centre in South Gloucestershire and Bristol.

The milestones are as follows:

• Work starts on Henshaw House: August 2009
• Response to planning application expected: September 2009
• Final NHS approval January: 2010
• Services open in Henshaw House From January: 2009
• Work starts on main building February: 2010
• Renal dialysis opens: March 2011
• Main hospital re-opens September: 2011

Source: NHS South Gloucestershire

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a man indecently exposed himself to two 12-year-old girls.

The incident occurred on Saturday 12th September 2009 at around 4.40pm in Littledean, Yate, Bristol.

The man is described as white, aged about 60 years and 5ft 5ins tall. He had a round face with big cheeks. He was wearing small rectangle glasses which were small and only covered half his eyes. He had dark grey, short spiky hair, balding at the front and had pale skin. He was of medium build with a rotund belly.

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Rich Worrin at Staple Hill CID on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 – they never ask your name and never trace your call.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police