Councillors unanimously approve demolition of Bristol's ice rink
THE battle over the future of Bristol's ice rink ended with a whimper as councillors voted to approve new student flats on the site.
A planning committee deciding whether to knock down the ice rink on Frogmore Street and replace it with 448 flats voted unanimously in favour at City Hall yesterday.
Just two objections were raised by the public at the meeting, one of which was withdrawn. And councillors gave little discussion to the plans they said were "difficult to get passionate about".
After the decision was made, an objector from Bristol's Civic Society, David Cave, branded the committee as "spineless".
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Addressing the meeting earlier, Mr Cave had said: "This is only one of 130 ice rinks like this in the country. It is unique and part of Bristol's standing as a regional centre."
After the meeting Mr Cave told The Post that he had hoped the council would argue for more money to cover replacement facilities.
He said: "I was disappointed there wasn't more discussion. Viability has got nothing to do with it if you consider how much (developer) Unite will be profiting in the long run."
At the start of the meeting, design and planning director at Unite Jagdeep Bhogal presented a statement which said the new developments would provide much-needed accommodation which would ease pressure on rented properties in the area. He also said Unite had invested £100 million in the city over the last 21 years.
Mr Bhogal said the developers would commit £572,617 towards community schemes in the area, as part of the planning agreement.
Councillor Mahmadur Khan (Lab, Eastville) proposed that Unite offer more money as part of the agreement.
He said: "I'm very sad to see this ice rink gone and there's no viable proposal. People from the city have been going all the way to Cardiff and Swindon. We are a huge city and we don't have an ice rink.
"I would request whether they [Unite] would think again to increase their contribution."
Mr Khan's suggestion was overruled by the chairman, Alex Woodman, who warned against "buying and selling planning policy".
Earlier, Mr Woodman (Lib Dem, Cabot) had told the meeting he was neither enthusiastic or negative about the plans.
Christian Martin (Lib Dem, Clifton East) added: "It's difficult to get passionate about this one."
Along with councillors Henry Havvock, Margaret Hickman, Derek Pickup and Alex Pearce, they voted to approve the plans.
After the meeting, owner of Bristol ice hockey team, the Bristol Pitbulls, Richie Hargreaves said the decision had been "very disappointing".
He said: "Bristol ice rink is years old for a reason. It's been a massively big part of this city for years. We've lost something that has made many people happy."
Mr Hargreaves re-affirmed fears voiced at the meeting that the closure could mean saying "goodbye to ice sports in Bristol".
Comments
by Spiggett
Friday, February 15 2013, 2:55PM
“-Cabot Circus next?
http://tinyurl.com/a6s9v7x”
by bris28
Friday, December 21 2012, 5:13PM
“Whar's all the fuss about? Without skating around the issues - if the owner says the rink is not viable anymore then he can do what he likes with it. That's a straightforward economic fact. Perhaps ice-skater should have made more use of it.”
by Fingal
Friday, December 21 2012, 1:40PM
“Ref to Lone ranger
The council's own planning policy states thAT "existing communuity facilities should be retained unless it can be demonstrated that there is no need to retain the use or where alternative provision is made".
The Council have conveniently ignored this policy. It is sad that they care so little about such things, that a major facility like this can be allowed to die.
The reality is that there is currently a boom in building flatlets for students.Half the office blocks in central Bristol are in process of being converted. The owners, Unite , are keen to get in on this piece of the action before the bubble bursts. It's more profitable than ice rinks.
The existing ice rink was deliberately allowed to become run down. There existed above it a snooker hall or night club space, but it was never used. If there had been a will to invest in the ice rink and manage the site better, it could have been more profitable. There is still a need for it”
by swrural
Thursday, December 20 2012, 7:58PM
“'Earlier, Mr Woodman (Lib Dem, Cabot) had told the meeting he was neither enthusiastic or negative about the plans.'
@BEP. It's neither .... nor. Unless it was Mr Woodman who made the error, in which case he should have been so quoted.
@ nickthompsonWednesday, December 19 2012, 3:58PM
"WOW,another blinding decision made by our planner's.
Nick, have you read Eats, shoots and leaves? (Choose any variation, I cannot remember the exact title).”
by matic_113
Thursday, December 20 2012, 3:15PM
“In this time of austerity do they have an option? In the next few years I'm sure we are going to see similar schemes being approved.”
by Lone_Ranger
Thursday, December 20 2012, 2:49PM
“Tenancy agreemenets are not plannig considerations.”
by Spiggett
Thursday, December 20 2012, 2:15PM
“-When is the election?”
by Bristol1978
Thursday, December 20 2012, 1:53PM
“Its hardly a surprise this got approved, someone has to think of the hundreds of poor downtrodden students currently residing in underpasses and shop doorways throughout our city. These roving hordes of homeless students have been ignored for years.”
by Paulienash
Thursday, December 20 2012, 1:07PM
“I believe one of the issues was the tennancy is due to expire and the building owners were asking for any potential new commercial tennants to sign an agreement over and above whats commercialy viable? making the building unleasable to a commercial operator. Another issue was the condition of the building I believe no maintenance had been carried out since the building was purchased in 97/98 and its fairly standard for commercial tennants to sign a self maintaining lease again making it unviable.”
by Lone_Ranger
Thursday, December 20 2012, 12:18PM
“Paulienash - none of what you refer to are planning considerations material to the building which housed the Ice Rink.”