A new, sustainable and well-connected community in North Somerset
We are proposing to create a vibrant, new community in North Somerset. The 165-hectare site – at Woodspring Golf and Country Club and surrounding land - is extremely well-located to create a thriving, well-connected new neighbourhood that prioritises health and active community living and cleaner travel.
As well as up to 2,950 new homes, the development would provide a new secondary school and two new primary schools. Our plan includes a district centre at the heart of the new neighbourhood, with a mobility or transport hub to connect residents to public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling routes, healthcare and community buildings, shops, restaurants, cafes, and workspaces. With facilities right on their doorstep, new and existing local residents can get about the community on foot or by bike using safe, segregated routes - enjoying the benefits of cleaner, cheaper, healthier travel, and community life.
The homes, commercial and community spaces will be set in more than 80 hectares of green open space: approximately half the site would be dedicated to nature parks and green corridors for the whole community to enjoy.
The scheme is designed to make cycling, walking and public transport an easy first choice, with a network of new cycleways and footpaths throughout the development, and connections to the local area with Bristol city centre only 20 minutes by bike.
Thank you for your feedback. Our consultation is now closed. For more information please download our exhibition boards here.
About the development
Planning application
Over time, our proposals have evolved in response to technical assessments and dialogue with the council. We are now preparing an outline planning application which we will be submitting in 2026. This will run in parallel with the Local Plan process.
We welcome your feedback which we will review before submitting our outline planning application. Please note our outline application only seeks to establish the key principles of the development.
If outline planning permission is granted we would then produce a design guide which would set out the details for what the development would look like. We would then prepare and consult the community on a subsequent detailed planning application, and take further feedback into consideration.
The site
Covering approximately 165 hectares (ha), the site includes the Woodspring Golf and Country Club and surrounding land. It is bordered by Yanley Ridge to the north, Yanley Lane/Colliters Way to the east, and mature woodland and farmland to the south and west. The A38 runs east-west through the centre of the site.
Masterplan
The masterplan is the first step in this process. It will provide a flexible framework for high-quality placemaking. As you can see from the drawing, our masterplan sets out how our proposed development, open spaces and community facilities could be arranged, ensuring the development is distinctive, easy to navigate and with infrastructure built in from the outset.
A key principle at the heart of the masterplan is ensuring the location of streets and buildings sits comfortably within the landscape to help protect views into and out of the site. This includes enhancing and making key viewing points within the site accessible to everyone.
New homes and schools
We are proposing up to 2,950 new homes. The type and mix of homes will be determined by market demand and the particular characteristics of the site, but will include a range of tenures including affordable homes to rent and discounted market homes to meet local need. The actual types of homes will be dealt with through the subsequent detailed reserved matters planning application.
All new homes will meet the highly demanding Future Homes standards for sustainability. With solar panels, waste water heat recovery, well insulated walls, smart heating controls, underfloor heating, air source heat pumps, triple glazing and EV charging all as standard.
The masterplan has been designed so the densities rise closer to the community centre, and fall where the site meets open countryside or more sensitive views.
We are also proposing three new schools: two primary and one secondary. It is proposed that the secondary school and its sports facilities are made available to the wider community outside of school hours. The secondary school and first primary school would be built as part of the first phase of development.
Safe walking and cycling routes to school have been built into the masterplan, so people can enjoy calmer, active school runs and local commutes.
Landscaping
Existing hedgerows, trees and habitats will largely be preserved, with extensive additional tree and hedgerow planting. This will help form a rich network of green corridors to support wildlife, including bat foraging corridors.
There will be extensive walking and cycling routes including a dedicated ‘journey through the oaks’ celebrating the site’s existing characterful oak trees as well as newly planted ‘legacy’ oaks. Public Rights of Way (PRoW) may be realigned and upgraded to create better integrated, more enjoyable routes - and to ensure they connect with the existing PRoWs beyond the site’s boundary.
New public spaces will take advantage of the best views across the site. Further planting will also help restore the valley landscape and strengthen woodland areas along the higher ridge lines and western edge of the site.
In addition to the walking routes and nature parks, there will be play and outdoor social areas throughout the development for people of all ages to enjoy.
Access and movement
Ensuring people can move around and beyond this new community using public transport, cycling and walking, is key to our strategy. This includes a comprehensive network of walking, wheeling and cycling routes throughout the site, connecting into the existing network of active travel routes.
We have designed safe routes to school in our masterplan, with links to existing Public Rights of Way, and are proposing a new north-south active travel green corridor along Yanley Lane, which will no longer be a through route for vehicles (while retaining access for existing residents to their homes).
Transport hubs (also known as mobility hubs) will be provided at the heart of the scheme and within the local centres to the north and south of the A38. Residents could walk, wheel or cycle to these hubs to catch the bus, securely park their bike, or hire e-bikes and e-scooters, all in one place. All residents and visitors would be within 400m of a bus stop and places to hire e-bikes or e-scooters.
We are proposing to invest in new and existing bus services and routes which will serve the new community and wider area. The details of the routes will be discussed with the council’s transport officers and local bus operators.
Three vehicle entrance and exit points are proposed on the A38, each with traffic lights. A route through the site linking the A38 and A4174 would not be for through-traffic other than buses. This route would include segregated paths and cycleways, separated from motor vehicles by green verges. This route could also be used for a potential Mass Rapid Transit system.
We are proposing to reduce the speed along the A38 broadly along a section from southwest of Lime Kiln Roundabout to Dundry Lane partly down to 40mph and partly reduced to 30mph, to help people feel safer approaching the community, however they're travelling.
Our proposals features
Community hub
The local centre will be located alongside a transport hub, making it easy to get to and from the centre using public transport, by bike and on foot.
Two smaller retail opportunities are proposed in the very north and south of the development, close to the schools for potential local businesses to occupy.
In addition to this, Woodspring Golf and Country Club’s clubhouse will also be available from the outset, providing opportunities for various community uses. Please share any suggestions you have for these spaces here.
Social and economic benefits
Following completion the development would generate an estimated 1,149 direct ongoing jobs (full and part time), supporting a further 526 indirect jobs (full and part time) in the wider local economy. A further 399 additional jobs are forecast to be created from resident spending.
This would inject approximately £73 million a year to the local economy, with an annual council tax reciept for North Somerset Council of £6.8 million, plus a one off New Homes Bonus of £7.1 million.
We will work with local training bodies, North Somerset Council and the local community to ensure as many of those jobs, training opportunities and expenditure directly benefit the people of North Somerset.
Community benefits features
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