Proposed new development on the land east of Roundways was revealed when Bloor Homes submitted a very high-level Screening Opinion Application to South Glos Council on 26th June 2025. 

They then launched a consultation website and held a public drop-in event in The Miners Social Club on Friday 11th July 2025 to present their initial plans to the public. The meeting was publicised by your Focus Team via a locally-delivered Roundways Focus Special and was well attended by local people and ourselves. We spoke in opposition to the proposals at the drop-in and to the local press including The Gazette and The Frome Valley Voice.

It was revealed that Bloor's proposal for the land east of Roundways would be for up to 450 homes - all built on the fields behind St. Anne's Drive and Roundways from the railway line in the south to Woodside Road in the north. Bloor Homes said that 50% of the homes would be affordable (a mix of social rent and shared ownership properties) and that the application would reserve potential land for a primary school, community facilities, a mobility hub, public open space and play areas.

After the event Bloor Homes reported that 175 people attended the drop-in and 124 people responded to their consultation. We know that residents shared similar concerns to our own: the loss of much-loved countryside; the inability of local services to cope with huge population growth; the impact on already congested local roads; the dangers posed by ancient coal mining. We absolutely share the concern of many residents that the land is not allocated in the draft South Glos Local Plan, making the application entirely speculative: it is not strategic, not needed to fulfil South Glos' housing targets, and generally unsupported by the Council administration.

Final plans for the proposed development at Roundways were received by South Glos Council from Bloor Homes on 31st October 2025.

These plans had changed little from the version presented in the summer apart from revisions to only reserve land for educational use (like playing fields) instead of a primary school and to remove the second access to the site on Roundways near Watters Close / Burcombe Close.

A public meeting to discuss the plans, arranged by Westerleigh and Coalpit Heath Parish Council, was held in The Miners Social Club on 1st December 2025. This meeting was publicised by your Focus Team in another Roundways Focus Special and attracted around 100 concerned residents. Focus Team members spoke at length at the meeting, discussing concerns, explaining the proposals and helping residents engage with the planning process.

Since the meeting, residents have been commenting on the plans on the South Gloucestershire planning portal. At the time of writing there have been comments from 424 objectors to the plans and 3 comments in support.

The South Glos case officer has confirmed that comments will be accepted until the application is determined and we would encourage residents who have not yet objected to do so here. 

Your Focus Team believes there are strong arguments for why large-scale development is inappropriate here, and strong arguments to rebut the claims made by developer as to why it is appropriate.

The Objection Reasons section examines the reasons why your Focus Team believes this development is unacceptable.