Don't let new town become next Bradley Stoke
Plans for a new town on the edge of south Bristol have been branded a possible 'Bradley Stoke Mark Two' by regeneration experts.
The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) has criticised LandTrust Developments' £2.5-billion scheme for 10,000 homes at Ashton Park, south of Long Ashton.
Chairman Ian Knight says the scheme – which has not even reached the first planning application stage – is too conventional and fails to make firm commitments to "sustainability".
The RDA – which might be asked to help fund millions of pounds worth of infrastructure, including a new rapid bus link – believes opportunities have already been lost to make this an exciting project of which Bristol can be proud.
Mr Knight said: "I would like to see a genuine commitment to sustainability from the start.
"We don't want to see just concerted opposition to development. That's bad for the economy.
"But there is every reason for politicians and the public to be very demanding about what is in this scheme. No one wants to see a Bradley Stoke Mark Two."
The Bradley Stoke mini-town north of Bristol was a byword for all that went wrong with estate development in the 1980s. For many years it was without a community centre or a secondary school and, at the time, many residents described it as soulless.
However, the plans unveiled last week for Ashton Park, reported by the Bristol Post, include many community features, including several primary schools, a secondary school, shops and two district centres.
Mr Knight welcomed plans for a wide green corridor through the centre of the scheme, with parkland for residents. He also praised the use of water features in the south of the site.
But he told the Post it looked as though most of the new homes would have parking spaces outside.
The RDA wants people to be encouraged to use public transport by providing high-density housing with central car parks.
Mr Knight said that despite LandTrust's apparent commitment to build a bus link through Ashton Park to the A38, he was concerned that the main Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route from the city to Long Ashton park and ride and on to the new development might not be included. This risked the new development being isolated from public transport.
LandTrust says this fear was unfounded and it was very keen to see the rest of the BRT to Temple Meads constructed. Spokesman for the developers, John Baker of agent Baker Associates, said: "We are very aware of the need to improve public transport into south Bristol. We are talking to the planning authorities about this."
Mr Knight said he wanted the two planning authorities involved – North Somerset Council and Bristol City Council – to work together on the scheme.
And he said there should be a much greater spread of facilities – particularly, jobs – across the various neighbourhoods.
Currently, plans show a business park down in one corner of the project, where around half the 7,000 permanent jobs would be created.
But Baker Associates, of Temple Back, said employment would be spread across Ashton Park.
They also said no firm decisions had been made about parking arrangements, that housing densities would be quite high – around 50 per hectare – and that green commitments, such as an energy centre to produce heat and power for the estate, would be adhered to.
Executive director John Baker said: "On the Rapid Transit route linking Ashton Vale with Bristol city centre, we're not playing down the importance of that. We want that built and we want to continue it down to the A38."
8 Comments
by Rob, Brizzle
Monday, March 02 2009, 7:08PM
“"The RDA wants people to be encouraged to use public transport by providing high-density housing with central car parks."
But I expect potential residents would prefer low density housing with somewhere to put their 2nd most expensive possession (not in a communal car park)
I for one would not buy a house built in accordance with the RDAs vision.”
by david, bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 6:48PM
“Also why there isnt any empty houses is because they are all being rented out and as for the yearly festival thats a joke we all went last year and it had hardly anything there to do or look at”
by david, bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 6:45PM
“Bradley stoke or as it is known sadley broke by some still, is just a great big housing estate it has one big tesco and a few shops but other than that oh and a high school there is nothing of interest for anyone going to visit there its just house after house like lee at work says it has no soul to it and never will sorry”
by K, Bradley stoke
Monday, March 02 2009, 6:21PM
“I've lived in Bradley Stoke with my family for 20 years, having moved from just up the road in Little Stoke. If its such a bad place to live why is it there are no empty houses, the school is doing well, the supermarket is always full, we have a festival every year which is well attended, we have a panto at the leisure centre at Christmas and fireworks. If no-one is sociable and no-one bothers with their neighbours why does all this happen and a lot of the residents turn out for these events.
Bradley Stoke may have had its faults but its certainly much improved and a very nice place to live.”
by lee, At work
Monday, March 02 2009, 3:24PM
“I hate Bradley stoke there is no soul here what so ever”
by Singled-out!, Bradley Stoke
Monday, March 02 2009, 1:18PM
“Whats wrong with Bradley Stoke??? :(”
by Paul, Bedminster
Monday, March 02 2009, 12:40PM
“I can see in the picture - a superstore with some units clustered around a car-park. Which I guess will be the focus of the "community", and its soul.”
by bristol is fantastic, Bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 11:55AM
“This is the problem.....
Built more property, and people will buy them.
The houses will NOT be a family home but bought by single people or investers - NOT ALL, before you shout at me.
There will be plenty of families purchasing these properties but not as much as there should be.
Our society has very low family values. This is probably because of so many houses with low occupancy - single or couples only.
If we turn back the clocks, just a little, many houses (HOMES) in the UK (GREAT BRITAIN) were full of family life. Brothers, sisters, relatives and pets...
We all grew up together and left when the time was right.
Today, it is all to easy to leave the home and live in rented accommodation that is generaly owned by an invester(S). People living in these properties are aged from as young as late teens to early twenties. They live on their own, go out on the weekends - A LOT (not all of them..!!) and then probably meet a partner that again, lives on THEIR OWN in another rented apartment owned by investers...
So, we are in a vicious circle.
Build too many homes
Rental will fall
Sales will fall
Huge enviromental impact
Rick of flooding
Lack of transport
Lack of schools
Higher output of waste(s)
And, single occupancy with lack of family values and family traditions.
On top of that, removing beautiful landscapes where children can play in trees, on swings, in bushes and small streams... Just how children should be allowed to grow up - AND NOT IN COTTON WOOL
So before you all start to throw angry comments back at me, just think about how you grew up, and how your parents grew up... And remember the FAMILY (and friends in the streets)
So I simply say, NO to this ridiculous development...!!!!”