The South West regional development plan has completed the next step. The plan is called the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and sets out broadly what building will take place in the region up to 2026.

Last year there was an inquiry to make sure the plan is sound and complies with government policy. Friends of the Earth locally and regionally gave evidence to that inquiry, asking for it to be more environment-friendly. In particular, the local group submitted a petition and evidence asking for much less development in the old Avon area, particularly to reduce the 92,500 new homes to be built.

The inspectors have now reported back and have said that the number of new homes should be increased to 106,350. The main reasons were the local shortage of housing, the decreasing size of the average household and the number of new jobs that they predict will be created, attracting people into the area.

In South Gloucestershire, the number of homes to be built has been increased from 23,000 to 30,800. Some of these homes will be in the existing urban area, but many will be on the fringes of the existing built-up area on what is now Green Belt land.

We do not know yet where the extra homes will be built. The Council will have to consider carefully and decide, but the most likely sites are Harry Stoke, Emersons Green and north Yate.

The inspectors also said that the airport and port should be allowed to expand into what is now Green Belt, and the boundaries of the Green Belt will be adjusted to allow this. They also approved the South Bristol Ring Road and improved access to the airport.

The inspector's report will now be considered by the appropriate Government minister and further changes could be made. Then we will start campaigning to make sure that the new development is as environment-friendly as we can get it.

I think we can say we did not get what we wanted, but that was never very likely. Of course we do not know what the outcome would have been if we had said nothing, and at least we showed that the proposals were opposed.

It is quite possible that the houses will not be built, because of reducing economic growth and falling house prices, both of which are looking likely long before 2026. However, we must now move on to ensure that the homes that are built are to the highest environmental standard we can get.

Alan Pinder