We must protect our urban future
COUNCILLOR Anthony Negus, (Post, Sept 17, p4) , in charge of regeneration in our city, defends the council's stance on major redevelopments like the General Hospital in Redcliffe and the former Courage brewery site.
Let's be quite clear that big property developers do not have the long-term interests of the city at heart.
They are business people seeking to make a return – in boom times often a very handsome return – on their investment.
We need property developers of course; beautiful and popular places like Clifton and Kingsdown were created by private developers; but at the same time we need the council to make sure that after the developers have gone, what we are left with is a credit to Bristol. The council is the protection for our urban future and for the better city we want to pass on to our children. We want areas redeveloped and at the same time we want them much improved. You only have to look at the sad and shabby mess that is Canon's Marsh to see what happens when we do not support the council and the council fails to stand up to the developers.
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So I applaud Councillor Negus's statement that "any new development must help create an environment where people want to live, work and play". John Betjeman praised Bristol as one of the most beautiful cities in England. Recognise and support what the council is doing to keep it that way.
Peter Weeks
Stoke Bishop
Comments
by Jackson32
Wednesday, September 19 2012, 9:59PM
“I could not agree more with Peter Weeks' comments. I am a born and bred Bristolian now living in Melbourne, Australia (since 1988). I am fortunate to be be able to visit Bristol on average once a year and confess I have felt concerned about the lack of empathy in the design of many of the new developments eg Canons Marsh.
Bristol is now a vibrant City and has done much to improve it's image over the past 20 years or so (much needed). But to Peter's point, the Council must exercise strict due diligence when considering/approving new developments if Bristol is to retain it's appeal to tourists and new residents.
The Southgate Shopping area in Bath is an example of architectural design and construction best practice in my opinion. The new buildings look in total harmony with the surrounding architecture and is a major tourist draw card as a result. Bristol has a rich maritime heritage and offers much to inspire creative, quality design and construction in the City locations.
Come on Bristol - speak up - support Councillor Negus as he resists the pressure from big developers to build unsympathetic buildings. Don't let our great City become a playground for irresponsible developers who are only interested in profit!”