The government has been criticised by South Gloucestershire Council over a proposed increase in housing in the district.

Baroness Andrews published her planned modifications to the South West Regional Spatial Strategy which could see new housing in the region increase from 106,350 to 117,350.

In South Gloucestershire this would mean a rise from 21,500 new homes to 32,800 - including 17,500 new homes in the Bristol urban area of the district.

An addtional 10,000 homes would need to be built on the edge of the existing urban areas such as land alongside the M32 and to the east of the ring road.

The council has stated that it does not support this level of growth and will make “strong representations” about the issue.

Cllr Brian Allinson, Executive Member for Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment, says the new housing would place “an intolerable strain on our already overstretched infrastructure, particularly our heavily congested transport system”.

“Our ambition is to achieve high quality sustainable new development. However, if Ministers go ahead with these modifications, this will pose us a major challenge and we will come under intolerable pressure just to deliver the housing numbers”