Brooklands Park is a new and rapidly growing housing development in Stoke Gifford. Together with the neighbouring new developments (e.g. Highbrook Park) it houses over 1,500 residents, with projections rising to more than 3,000 as the construction of next phases completes.

Despite this growth, residents have limited access to green and recreational spaces, which negatively impacts quality of life and the long-term attractiveness of the area for families and individuals alike. 

As one Brooklands Park resident explained, “Whereas in Bradley Stoke I had a play area as well as a nature reserve right on my doorstep, I along with many in the Brooklands Park community feel the absence of a nearby green space for walks, play, sports or quiet relaxation in nature.”

There is a clear opportunity to address this. During the original development planning, a 2ha plot within Brooklands Park was allocated for a primary school and outdoor community space. However, in mid-2023, the South Gloucestershire Council decided not to proceed with a school on this site, with the planning application closed down in July 2024. Educational needs are now planned to be met through a new school in the Mulgrove Farm Village (over 1 mile away) and expansions of existing local schools. Even if the school is no longer needed, the open green space and recreational outdoor area is very much still required within the Brooklands Park development.

As of March 2025, the land remains unused, with no planning application submitted. The site is owned by Crest Nicholson, who developed a significant portion of Brooklands Park. Now is the right time for the Council to work collaboratively with Crest Nicholson to ensure this plot becomes a valuable outdoor community space. 

We, the undersigned, call on South Gloucestershire Council to work with Crest Nicholson to develop a planning application for this site that includes:

• A community park with trees, plants, a grass area, paths, benches, and a picnic area
• A recreation ground, including a Multi-Use Games Area (5-a-side-football, basketball, netball)

This proposal is in the public interest and supports a healthier, more livable, better connected Brooklands Park, and a wider Stoke Gifford community. 

We consulted Stoke Gifford Parish Council who are supportive of this request.

More detailed reasoning for the request is available in the Appendix 1 below.

Sincerely,
Brooklands Park & Highbrook View Residents Association Committee
And the undersigned residents

---------------------------------------------

Appendix 1 - Key reasons for our request:

1. The land was originally intended for community use
   
   An outline planning application from 2006 (PT06/1001/O) proposed a Multi Use Games Area, football pitch / playing field and a primary school.
   Masterplan documents and a planning application (PT17/5809/RM) included a primary school, a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and a football pitch, thereby providing a range of community use and open, recreational space.
2. There is insufficient provision of green and recreational spaces for the growing population
   
   The Accessible Natural Greenspace Standard set by Natural England (2010) recommends that people should be able to access at least 2ha of green space within 300m of their home. There is a small green space within the development (0.75ha) which includes the anti-flood pond, however this is for drainage & ecology purposes and is not readily useable for recreational purposes. The closest green spaces above 2ha — Meade Park (20 mins walk), Forty Acres (20 mins walk), Stoke Park Estate (35mins walk), Little Stoke Park (45mins walk) are not easily accessible on foot - for example walking path to Meade Park and Forty Acres requires passing under a railway bridge which is a known risk area with many traffic accidents occurring.
   
   Lack of access to recreational areas/MUGA is leading younger residents to use children playgrounds for sports, which can be unsafe for small children and creates tension between residents.
   
   The National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF) states that “Access to a network of high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities, and can deliver wider benefits for nature”.
   
   Crest Nicholson’s signage promotes “Creating a Community” and including “Public open spaces”. With most of the housing now delivered at Brooklands Park, this is the time to ensure the housing development truly becomes a liveable community - with public, green, open space being a key element.
   
   The Local Plan Policy LPS12 - Creating Well-Designed Places includes a requirement that  “An appropriate amount of high-quality and well-considered green and blue infrastructure has been provided, which contributes to high-quality public realm, streets, natural green spaces and climate adaptation, and which offers opportunities for play.”
   
   This green and recreational space would benefit the Brooklands Park residents but also the community at Highbrook View, Harry Stoke hamlet and other neighbouring areas.
   
   
3. The site would complement the neighbouring Nursery and Community Hall
   
   Working in conjunction with the Nursery (yet to be built, planning permission approved) as well as the new Community Hall which will be owned by South Gloucestershire Council and run by the Stoke Gifford Parish council (under construction, opening planned for end of 2025), this green space will create a hub for both indoor and outdoor activities (e.g., teams using MUGA might use the local café in the Community Hall, Nursery might use green space for outdoor activities for children).
   
   
4. A green space would enhance local biodiversity
   
   It will provide habitat extension for great crested newts (a breeding pond lies within 50 metres of the site and the passageway for newts is on the edge of the plot) and birdlife. This would support Local Plan Policy LP28 - Ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain (and other relevant policies).
   
   
5. Green and recreational space is easier to convert
   
   If in the future there is a need for a local primary school or other community amenity, it can still be built. With the housing developments in the area, the demand for educational provision is increasing, for example this year, 159 applications were received for the closest primary school (St Michael’s Primary School) which has an admission number of 90.