Bradford on Avon residents campaign to protect golf course from housing – BBC News

A campaign has been launched to protect a former golf course from possible development.

Residents and the town council in Bradford on Avon want the “ecologically rich” land to be rewilded and turned into a nature reserve.

Chris Alexander, who has made a short film for the campaign, said: “I feel that the biodiversity and the wildlife that has moved into here, outweighs the need for potential housing.”

The land has been included as a reserve site in Wiltshire Council’s draft local plan but a spokesperson said it would only be considered for development if targets cannot be met elsewhere.

Bradford on Avon Town Council has launched a petition asking Wiltshire Council to remove the former golf course from its draft local plan for housing.

The golf course, running alongside the River Avon, closed in 2007.

It has previously been the subject of housing applications, one of which was rejected in 2008 over concerns the development would involve the “disturbance of large quantities of toxic waste”.

“It was a tip at one time, so there is evidence that there are quite a few toxic chemicals underground,” local resident Kate Nottage told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

“The run off into the Avon is a risk, the loss of biodiversity is a huge risk.”

Despite the concerns, it has been earmarked by Wiltshire Council as a reserve site for up to 120 homes, which could be built up to 2038.

Mr Alexander, of White Space Films, was commissioned to produce a 14-minute film showing the wildlife benefits of protecting the site, near Greenland View, from development.

Cabinet member for development management and strategic planning, Nick Botterill, said: “This is large and complex undertaking.

“We want to be sure that we get it right, so everyone’s views have been considered prior to the plan being submitted to the planning inspector for examination.”

The cabinet will consider the results of a consultation about the site’s future in October.