Bristol City Council’s 16-week consultation on a plan to sell off 62 green spaces is due to come to an end next Friday. 

Today, we look at Knowle, Filwood and Windmill Hill.

THE green space proposals for this part of the city could be overshadowed by the Knowle regeneration project, it has been claimed.

Plans that could see up to 1,000 homes in Knowle demolished certainly attracted more interest at a consultation event held at the Park Centre in Daventry Road yesterday.

Bristol City Council decided to hold the last of the green space plan drop-in sessions on the same day and in the same room as the last day of the drop-in sessions for the regeneration plan.

As this plan, which sets out options to invest up to £1 billion in Knowle, will arguably have a much greater effect on residents' lives it was perhaps unsurprising it attracted more interest.

But there are still four sites in the Knowle, Filwood and Windmill Hill areas that could be sold off as part of the green space plan.

They are parts of the following; Bath Road open space; Higham Street open space; Bushy Park YMCA; and Salcombe Road recreation ground.

Knowle residents who attended the drop-in session gave a mixed response to the disposal scheme. Bob Fisher said: "I think it's very good, improving facilities and the parks. They're not trying to get rid of very much."

Diane Armstrong, 68, said: "Why are they looking at green sites when there are others to build on?"

Ken Jones, 78, said: "Most people have looked at the regeneration plan.

"They can't say they have had an honest debate on green spaces when most are more interested in what's happening with the regeneration."

Consultation on both the regeneration plan and the green spaces plan also end on the same day, next Friday.

The council has put forward a number of ideas for areas that could be improved when money raised from land sales is reinvested over the 20 year period of the project.

Although it won't have the money to fund them all, the authority wants residents to say which they would prefer.

Proposals for this part of the city include moving and improving the children's play area in Redcatch Park, with a new BMX track and two new tennis courts for Victoria Park. New plays areas for children could be added to open space at Marksbury Road and Salcombe Road recreation ground.

Council spokeswoman Helen Hewitt said: "The plans give local people some suggested ideas of what the next 20 years could bring in terms of investment in our parks and land disposals.

"At this stage no decisions have been made."

To view the detailed proposals go to www.bristol. gov.uk/agsp.

What do you think of the proposals for your area? Email s.rkaina@bepp.co.uk or write to Sam Rkaina, Evening Post, Temple Way, Bristol, BS99 7HD.