Residents protest new housing by Bloor Homes near Charfield. Concerns include, safety, travel, and strain on village resources.
Officials suggest letting the 250 homes proceed, as Bloor Homes wants to build them. Some homes would be affordable housing. Local councilors will decide soon on the matter. A final plan isn’t ready yet, as experts will examine it in 2026.
Building now goes against current guidelines. Many residents disagree with the plan. Over two hundred people protested the project, and councils also object to the building. Concerns exist about travel and safety.
The original plan included work areas, but those work areas are now gone. The parish council wants the plan rejected and cites many specific reasons.
Their reasons involve strained village resources. Schools are full, and medical care is lacking. Buses are scarce, and it is open land. Officials believe good things outweigh bad ones, however. They say the village is close enough by foot.
Charfield has stores, a cafe, and schools. The village also has communal buildings. The builders need to pay for some things, including better bus service, upgrades to the library, and community center enhancements.
The railway station reopens in 2027, and builders will contribute to that. Builders will also fund school expansion. They will improve the M5 junction and plan a path for walkers and bikes.
This path links nearby villages. They will shut down a railway crossing, which means Network Rail won’t object. Early plans had a little job space; the new plan has no job space now. Another project has 525 homes and includes areas for work.
The local plan does not require it. Bloor Homes seeks approval for the first stage. They want to build 112 homes directly. The rest is a general idea currently.
There are two ways to enter. A roundabout off Wotton Road is the main way. The secondary entry comes from New Street. Play areas and gardens are also included in the plan.