The final draft of the Urban Living Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on tall buildings has just come out and, to everyone’s amazement, the draft SPD greatly strengthens the encouragement of tall buildings by the city (https://goo.gl/N4XJsW). This is despite unambiguous rejection of the new policy on tall buildings by 85% of respondents during the statutory consultation (https://goo.gl/EY5QFA) and despite a clear promise by the planning officers at a June 13 Harbourside verbal presentation that the emphasis on tall buildings would be taken out of the SPD and deferred until the later City Plan.
This is outrageous. It is also very important. The draft SPD means that if councillors reject a tall building application, their rejection will almost inevitably be overturned on appeal. Councillors can only reject a building on the basis of policies in the SPD – otherwise they will be overuled on appeal. This is what makes the SPD so important. Councillors will be rendered powerless to resist ugly towers.
As a reminder, here is a list of tall buildings coming up:
Planning permissions granted:
- 26 storey residential tower on the southeast edge of Castle Park (Former ambulance station) (Nov 2017)
- 22 storey residential tower in Redcliff Quarter, towering above Finzels Reach (30 Nov 2016)
Projects in discussion:
- Two 20- and 22-storey residential towers on Bedminster Green.
- Three residential towers of 11, 18 and 25 storeys on Arena island, plus two student residential buildings of 10 and 12 storeys for Temple Meads Campus
- 10 blocks of up to 24 storeys on the site of the planned Arena in Temple Island
- 16 storeys on Bath Road, Totterdown
- 14 storeys in Thomas Street, Redlcliffe
- 8 and 12 storeys in Temple Circus Blocks B and C
- 11 floors in Taviner’s Buildings Prewett Street
Rumours:
- Various developments on the north side of Castle Park (Wine Street), with rumoured heights of 14-18 storeys.
- Possible high-rise city, Chinese investors willing, in the Cumberland Basin.
A city referendum on tall buildings is called for. Local referendums have been held in the UK since 1913, and are now governed by the Local Government Act 2003, which says that: “The Government believes that councils should see and use referendums as an important tool to give local people a bigger say.”
A city referendum is urgent because the proposals will have a fundamental impact on the shape of Bristol. This is a major turning point in the city’s history – the replacement of the unique historic Bristol that we know and love, by a generic high-rise city, similar to every other generic cluster of tower blocks. Cities of tower blocks are, after all, everywhere more or less the same.
The changes have zero democratic legitimacy. Marvin Rees’ mayoral election campaign did not even mention tall buildings.
If Mayor Rees believes that people support the dramatic changes he proposes, he should be prepared to put his plans to the vote.
Matthew Montagu-Pollock
Bristol Campaign Against Tower Blocks.
Bristol Campaign Against Tower Blocks (Google Sites)
Bristol Campaign Against Tower Blocks (Facebook)
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