The village of Backwell is making a strong appeal to North Somerset Council to reconsider plans that would see precious grade one farmland developed for housing. With a population of about 2,000 homes, Backwell is already facing significant expansion, having granted planning permission for an additional 800 houses—a scale that locals have described as “absolutely bananas.” Now, the council’s new local plan threatens to allocate more than 60 hectares of farmland east of the village for nearly 900 additional homes.
The local plan, currently out for consultation until Friday, is designed to identify sufficient land to meet a 15-year housing target set by the government. However, about 60 Backwell residents showed their opposition during a recent protest, braving adverse weather while carrying loaves of bread to symbolize their plea to “use your loaf” and protect local farmland. They warn that developing this land would jeopardize food security in the area.
Lorraine Hopkinson, a Backwell resident, voiced concerns: “North Somerset Council and the government must ‘use your loaf’—think carefully about food security before allocating our precious grade one agricultural greenbelt land, currently productive for crops and grazing. Only 7% of this high-yield land remains in North Somerset, yet plans propose building nearly 1,000 homes here, in addition to the 800 already approved—which represents a 40% increase for our village.”
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Recent developments include planning permission for 515 homes at Grove Farm to the west, and ongoing construction of 90 homes on Farleigh Fields, a stretch of “green lung” previously fiercely defended by locals. An additional 125 homes also have approval on another part of these fields. The government’s mandatory housing targets, which North Somerset Council is currently struggling to meet, have diminished the council’s ability to reject development proposals.
Hopkinson added, “The 800 approved homes largely occupy grade two agricultural land at Grove Farm and Farleigh Fields, of which only 10% remains in North Somerset. This is alarming, especially following a recent all-party parliamentary report highlighting that we are at a ‘tipping point’ concerning food security and the loss of agricultural land.” She questions, “Why is North Somerset Council still including this vital land in their local plan? It should be removed.”
The local plan outlines planning policies and identifies development sites for the years 2026 to 2041. Following an increased housing target imposed by the government last year, the plan proposes 24,495 new homes and around 72 hectares of land for employment, along with supporting infrastructure.
Most housing growth is targeted for Weston-super-Mare and the new village of Wolvershill, north of Banwell. However, three new “strategic growth areas” were also added after the target rise: Nailsea and Backwell, areas around Pill and Easton-in-Gordano, and “Woodspring” southwest of Bristol.
Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, Annemieke Waite (Green Party), emphasized the importance of community engagement: “This Local Plan will shape North Somerset for generations. While we must deliver new homes—especially affordable ones for local families—we are deeply concerned by the scale of development central government is imposing. Residents need more than just housing; they must have schools, roads, GP surgeries, and other vital infrastructure. We continue to urge developers and government to fulfill these commitments alongside new homes.”
Waite concluded, “This plan aims for a greener, fairer future—balancing housing and job needs with climate action and the preservation of our natural spaces. We understand community concerns and encourage everyone to participate in the consultation to ensure local voices are heard clearly.”
The consultation on the local plan remains open until 5 pm on Friday, December 12.