Totterdown development back in frame

Plans for 111 homes at a former petrol station in Totterdown, which were rejected last year, will be considered again at a public inquiry next month.

Developer Nicholas Hale saw his plans to build flats and houses in four blocks at the former Esso filling station on Bath Road, at the junction with Totterdown Bridge, thrown out by Bristol City Council in July.

It was ruled that the development was too big and residents living there would be disturbed by noise from the waste transfer stations on the Albert Road industrial estate on the opposite side of the River Avon.

But the Mr Hale will get one more chance to push through the plans when he appeals the decision at a public inquiry at the Council House on March 18.

However, residents are keen to ensure the plans are rejected again and have set up an internet petition, which has already drawn support from more than 30 people.

Geoff Davis, 56, an architect who lives in Hawthorne Street, says living near the waste transfer station on the Albert Road industrial estate is a nightmare.

He said: "It's a daily battle to keep one's sanity. It's like listening to cars crashing all the time. It's totally unpleasant to listen to from this distance so for someone to live a couple of hundred metres away is crazy.

"The site isn't particularly well-blessed. It's surrounded by roads, a dirty river and a waste transfer station, and by packing in a housing density four times greater than the rest of Totterdown means it's just a money-making exercise."

Mark Bailey, Liberal Democrat city councillor for Windmill Hill, is also opposed to the plans. He said: "This is the last throw of the dice for the developer and they've invested a lot of money in the plans. What I'm upset about is that they are trying to build homes next to three waste transfer stations. For the past three years I've been dealing with complaints about noise, dust and smells from people living near the stations.

"People are also worried about the design and the mass of the building. They think it's too big and would spoil views of the city."

The filling station site has been derelict for years and many residents – and groups such as Bristol Civic Society – say they welcome some development there.

The plans consist of four blocks, the tallest being 11 storeys high. The developer believes the new homes could be "a potential catalyst" for nearby derelict areas, including the Temple Meads site which at one time was earmarked for a new arena.

The arena idea was ditched by the South West Regional Development Agency in 2007 and the 14-acre site is now set to be the next phase of the £750 million scheme to regenerate Temple Quay with new offices, shops and homes.

Spencer Back, a director at Angus Meek Partnership Ltd, agents acting for Mr Hale, said the development would be sound-proofed. He said: "It would also act as a shield for homes on the Totterdown escarpment and would result in reduced noise levels there.