Developers Putting Profit Before Residents' Safety
- Hanham Green Belt
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
Following South Gloucestershire Council planning application P23/01330/O, developers secured outline planning permission on appeal to build 140 houses on the prized land south of Hencliffe Way and west of Castle Farm Road.
While the loss of open green space is itself a bitter pill for our community, the core issue now extends far beyond land use: it is a matter of urgent public safety.
A Warning Written in Smoke: The Hencliff Wood Fire
Just last evening (2nd August 2026) a stark reminder of our changing climate unfolded right on our doorstep. A forest fire broke out in Hencliff Wood near Gays Road. With the ground tinder-dry following recent heatwaves, the flames spread quickly through the undergrowth.
Thanks to swift local awareness and emergency response, the blaze was contained—but it leaves behind a chilling question: What happens when 140 homes are built just paces away from an active woodland fire hazard?
The 15-Metre Gamble: Pushing Profit Over Protection
The proposed development is enveloped by the ancient woodland of Hencliff Wood. During the planning process, expert guidance from the Woodland Trust recommended a minimum 50-metre buffer between the proposed housing and the ancient woodland to safeguard the ecosystem and reduce fire risks.
Instead of listening to experts, the developers insisted on a mere 15-metre buffer—the absolute bare minimum they could push through.
Reducing a buffer zone allows developers to cram more housing units onto a site, maximising revenue while pushing the catastrophic risk of wildfire onto future homeowners.
A 15-metre strip of grass or fencing offers negligible protection against a roaring woodland blaze. Heat radiation and wind-blown embers easily cross such short distances, threatening roofs, fences, and outer walls within seconds.
A Single Evacuation Bottleneck
Compounding the fire risk is the layout of the proposed site itself.
The development is designed with only one main vehicular access point and an additional emergency access road In the event of a forest fire sweeping up from the woods below, a dangerous bottleneck could occur with up to 500 panicking residents all attempting to leave the estate simultaneously, with emergency vehicles heading in the opposite direction. The consequences could be catastrophic with residents finding themselves trapped on their own smoke-filled roads.
Lessons from Wennington: It Happens in Seconds
We do not have to look far back in history to see what happens when wildfire hits residential neighbourhoods.
On 19 July 2022, during the UK's historic heatwave, the Wennington wildfire in East London swept from dry grass into the village. While miraculously no lives were lost, the wildfire destroyed 18 to 19 houses within a matter of minutes, reducing entire family homes and lifetime memories to ash.
As one Wennington resident recounted at the time, her home was completely consumed "within two minutes."
With summers growing hotter and drier, building high-density housing tightly against woodland without proper buffers or adequate evacuation routes is recipe for disaster.
Looking Ahead: Standing Firm on Reserved Matters
As the development progresses to the Reserved Matters planning stage, Hanham District Green Belt Conservation Society and local residents will be scrutinising every detail.
We will be pushing hard to ensure that:
A significantly wider buffer zone (reflecting the Woodland Trust’s 50-metre recommendation) is established between Hencliff Wood and any residential structures.
Emergency access and evacuation routes are thoroughly re-evaluated to prevent life-threatening gridlock.
If the developers refuse to adapt their layout to incorporate a proper safety buffer, it will prove beyond doubt that they are putting corporate profit before human life.
We urge all local residents to stay engaged, submit their comments during the Reserved Matters consultation, and demand that safety comes first.
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