Developer's test pits in Bristol leave farmer angry

A farmer says she is "disappointed" after a housing developer dug test pits next to her city farm.

Catherine Withers uses the land to graze her cattle and she understood it was now safe from becoming housing.

This followed Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees' recommendation the site should not be considered for more new homes.

Redrow has submitted plans for 200 houses on the land and dug the pits to gather more about ground conditions.

Ms Withers' family has run the farm for the past 50 years.

"I am so sad and disappointed that the support from the mayor and all Bristol political parties for the farm has not resulted in Redrow giving up on obtaining planning permission for this very special site.

"It is Bristol's last working farm, species rich unimproved, organic meadow, it should not be dug up and treated like this.

"These past few months have been exhausting and mentally challenging but I have received so much support and am grateful to so many people."

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: "The local plan, which identifies land for development, is under review. We are intending to produce a final plan in 2022.

"The mayor pledged to recommend that the site of Yew Tree Farm, as Bristol's last working farm, be removed from housing allocation. This will be considered by a working group of councillors and the final recommendation will be brought to full council."

Lee Hawker, managing director Redrow, said: "Following the pre-application enquiry relating to the land adjoining Yew Tree Farm, Bedminster Down in late 2019, we are gathering more information about the ground conditions relating to the site.

"Permission was granted by Bristol City Council for something called a 'screening opinion' to see whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is required.

"The council's housing land supply position has now dropped to 2.8 years, which equates to a shortfall of 8,597 homes over the current five- year period.

"Whilst we appreciate some measures are in place to unlock the delivery of brownfield sites through regeneration initiatives, these alone will not address the shortfall."

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