Attendance at 14 in all was much lower than last year (64) and the previous year, but on both those occasions, recent and contentious planning applications had just been released.
The 2024 AGM was booked to be held in April, but was postponed due to illness and bereavement affecting the core group, so the reports covered a period of 17 months as opposed to the normal 12. In any event NAG has continued to be very active attending 21 meetings of the Town Council for example, conducting 12 core group meetings, maintaining good contact with local housing and community interest associations and groups, making detailed submissions to seven planning applications, setting up and aiding residents’ groups in the town and monitoring 17 areas of interest.
Officers were re-elected as follows: Chair Matt Thomas, Vice Chair Antony Evans, and Treasurer Tracey Thomas. The position of Secretary remains unfilled. Antony Evans acts as Scribe.
A detailed update was given on the new government’s housebuilding intentions and the proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and its impact on the status of the green belt and consequential planning applications.
As a result of these, the public consultation on the submission (to the government) version of North Somerset Council’s Local Plan 2025-2040 will be delayed again.
An explanation of the government’s method for assessing the requirement that developers add 10% more biodiversity to a site once built, from what was found on the land in its natural state prior to building was given. The online desktop tool to do this was demonstrated.
In a power point presentation the types of green space in Nailsea were outlined, some reasons for them, why they are important particularly the smaller ones, why they are threatened and by what, where some of them are specifically, how NAG can help and what individuals can do to be aware of their own green space and what to do about them.
The Chair closed the meeting at 9.10 p.m. with thanks to all and a brief overview of NAG’s intentions for the next year:-
1. to continue to monitor closely development proposals and planning applications in and around Nailsea, and, where known, builders’ options, and to take appropriate action
2. to continue to promote the awareness of and protection of open green space,
3. to locate developers’ potential targets and inform residents to help them to create an association,
4. support residents in developing their own working groups to protect their open space
5. where building development is appropriate, and only there, support and encourage it.
6. to represent NAG at NTC (Nailsea Town Council) & NSC meetings and hearings as appropriate.