News / Development
Major setback for developers hoping to build houses on meadows
Campaigners from Save Brislington Meadows cheered in City Hall as councillors voted against approving details of the plans for 260 homes due to questions about wildlife.
The long-running saga of the site, located between Bonville Road, School Road and Victory Park, has faced another twist with the badgers, birds and ancient trees who call the meadows home – as well as local residents who regularly spend time there – are now in limbo.
The ‘reserved matters’ application covered details of the new housing estate, such as the layout and appearance – rather than the principle of building homes on the meadows.
Despite outline permission already being approved by a government planning inspector, a decision on the latest plans was deferred by councillors on planning committee B on Wednesday.
Janet Wren, from Save Brislington Meadows, said: “It’s our green lungs against the traffic pollution of the Broomhill Road, the trading estate and the Bath Road.
“It’s our green space full of amazing ancient trees, shrubs and flowers, and has tonnes of wildlife and birds.
“It’s our place to support our mental health and the simple pleasures of taking children for a walk in nature.”
Wren added that Bonville Road, leading to the meadows, was narrow, and that local residents would welcome new housing on the derelict site of a former police station and housing office next to the meadows.
Councillors were also told that saving the meadows was not too late, particularly given the council’s new Local Plan no longer earmarks the site for housing.
Campaigners took part in a walk on Brislington Meadows in February – photo: Save Brislington Meadows
Keepmoat Homes regional managing director, Ben Leather, said: “We have worked hard to listen, not just to defend the proposal, but to improve it.
“Our purpose has been to work with officers and local residents to shape the best possible neighbourhood that can be delivered on this site, for people who live nearby today and for future generations of Bristolians who need a home.”
Leather told councillors that 30 per cent of homes would be affordable, including dozens of homes for social rent; and the development would keep “significant green space” and improve biodiversity, although this was questioned by environmental campaigners and councillors.
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Read more: ‘Brislington Meadows is an utterly irreplaceable green space’
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Labour councillor Tim Rippington, who represents Brislington East, said: asked: “Can ancient and beautiful meadows be replaced by identifying surrounding fields of less ecological value, and grazing sheep on them?
“Can the impact of cutting down trees and hedgerows, and destroying countless wildlife habitats simply be offset without any real planning or by handing it over to the council?”
The questions rested on whether there would be a “biodiversity net gain”, a spurious tool used in planning decisions to measure how developers impact wildlife.
This rule aims to get developers to improve the natural habitats, either on site or at another location.
In 2025, it was revealed that Bristol has lost some habitats to development, which were replaced by developers in Barnsley.
Details of how Keepmoat Homes would achieve a biodiversity net gain are unclear, and crucially have not yet been worked out.
Other concerns include a heightened risk of flooding due to the new houses, and extra congestion on the nearby Bath Road, a major commuter route.
Several roads in the estate would be too steep for the council to adopt, with accessibility issues.
In April 2023, outline planning permission was granted for up to 260 homes on Brislington Meadows – image: Homes England
Brislington Meadows were sold by the council to Homes England, which then unveiled plans for 260 homes in November 2021.
An outline planning application was submitted in April 2022, which was approved by the Planning Inspectorate in April 2023.
Keepmoat was then appointed as the developer for the reserved matters application a year ago.
The majority of the new homes would be houses, with 69 two-beds, 79 three-beds and 25 four-beds. There would also be 43 one-bed flats and 43 two-bed flats, in four-storey blocks.
Two large flood drains would be built next to the housing estate, to avoid overwhelming the sewers.
Former mayor Marvin Rees pledged in 2021 that the wildlife haven was too ecologically precious to be built on, later calling Homes England’s plans “disappointing” but that he could not rule on planning applications as mayor – photo: Martin Booth
Green councillor Guy Poultney said: “The biodiversity net gain assessment along with the full site condition survey and habitat survey needs to come to the committee in the way the inspector outlined in his decision.
“This committee needs to see that, before any further decision is made. The flooding issue is another one we should look at. Dozens of issues have been raised.”
Voting in favour of deferring the plans were Green councillors Al Al-Maghrabi, Mohamed Makawi, Lisa Stone and Guy Poultney; and Labour councillor Fabian Breckels. Abstaining were Labour’s Don Alexander and Lisa Durston, Lib Dem Sarah Classick and Tory Richard Eddy.
Deferring the decision means the plans will come back to the committee in a few weeks.
But if councillors vote to refuse permission, that would likely be appealed, with the plans going to the government’s Planning Inspectorate for a final say.
Main image: Keepmoat Homes
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