An open letter from WHaM (Windmill Hill & Malago Community Planning Group) to all concerned with the development of Bedminster Green
On 1st April, Jonathon Parsons of the Planning Inspectorate announced his decision to dismiss the appeals by A2Dominion against Bristol City Council’s refusal of planning consent to the two applications made for development on Plot 1 (land between Malago Road and the railway). He concluded that “the adverse effects of granting planning permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”
He mentioned that “the blocks appear as one substantial building” and that “such intensity of development would adversely affect the important low rise qualities of the surrounding area”. If that is true of four blocks intended to accommodate 542 students, what about Plot 3 (NCP car park) where five blocks are planned to house 819 students? The configuration may be different but the blocks still appear as one substantial building.
No doubt A2Dominion are disappointed by the inspector’s decision but they have an opportunity radically to re-think their plans and to offer a scheme capable of attracting widespread support. Would it also be a good idea for Sydney Freed Holdings to re-think plans for Plot 3 rather than pursue a course which might well lead to a refusal of permission followed by the dismissal of an appeal?
Permission has been granted for developments on Plot 4 (Little Paradise) and Plot 2 (St Catherine’s Place), although for the latter it took an initial refusal and a dismissed appeal before the council agreed to a reduced scheme. The plans are for buildings very much higher than anything nearby and of a density, certainly in the case of Plot 4, two or three times anything previously deemed appropriate.
Is it unreasonable to suggest a substantial reduction in density on Plot 5 (Hereford Street car park and the Green) to bring the overall average down to an acceptable level? The long-term commercial interests of Dandara Living (Plots 4 and 5) might be better served over the next half a century if their tenants in Little Paradise had a view of trees across the road rather than yet another urban block. Now that Bristol University has postponed the opening of its Temple Quarter campus, would it be possible for the council to strike an agreement with the owners of Plots 1 and 3 to include some affordable housing?
The guidelines for Bedminster Green development were set a while ago. Since then, not only has Covid changed the context, but in February last year, the city declared a Climate Ecological Emergency and in November upgraded its Biodiversity Action Plan to Emergency. Will high density development and the reduction of open space become increasingly hard to justify? And then there’s mental health…
There is much to be said for a change of mind. The inspector’s decision has offered an opportunity.