News / Housing
Brislington Meadows homes to be ‘in keeping with local landscape’
More than 250 new homes could be built on Brislington Meadows in what developers promise will be “a green landscape-led neighbourhood in keeping with the local landscape”.
The proposals from Keepmoat would create 260 homes including 30 percent affordable housing.
Keepmoat say their plans “are centred around the site’s natural features, which will enhance existing local biodiversity and create and maintain green open spaces for current and future residents in Brislington”.
The land has been one of the most hotly contested sites in Bristol in recent years.
Alongside Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy, former mayor Marvin Rees, now Lord Rees, pledged to keep Brislington Meadows as a local green space just days before the local elections in 2021, saying that the wildlife haven was too ecologically precious to be built on.
But despite later calling Homes England’s plans for building hundreds of homes on the land “disappointing”, Rees admitted that he could not rule on planning applications as mayor, leading to a rare public rebuke from a Labour councillor.
Homes England won an appeal over the Brislington Meadows’ planning application in April 2023, and the Labour government faced opposition from the Greens, Lib Dems, their own party members and campaigners about the controversial plans to build housing on what has been described as one of Bristol’s most “vital” green spaces.
BREAKING: we will keep Brislington Meadows as a local green space as part of our plan to tackle the #EcologicalEmergency 🌲🌳
Pleased to announce with @KerryMP, Cllr @TimTipper, and @katyenka pic.twitter.com/QVQ2pCgiWR
— Marvin Rees (@MarvinJRees) April 16, 2021
A Keepmoat spokesperson said: “This is a thoughtfully designed, landscape-led proposal that places nature and community at its heart.
“We want to create a neighbourhood that respects Brislington Meadows’ natural assets, delivers real local benefits and helps meet the city of Bristol’s clear need for new homes.
“At Keepmoat, we’re committed to creating high quality new homes and this development, in partnership with Homes England, is responding to an acute housing crisis in Bristol where local people are finding it increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder.
“By shaping the development around the site’s natural features and investing in public green space, infrastructure and affordable homes, we can deliver a place that grows out of the landscape rather than imposing on it.
“We encourage everyone to explore the proposals and tell us what matters to them.”
Campaigners march on Brislington Meadows in 2022 hoping to save the site – photo: Oren Taylor
More details of the development and an online feedback form are due to be available from July 9 at www.brislington-meadows.co.uk
On July 14 from 3pm to 7pm, a drop-in event is taking place at the 5th St Luke’s Wigwam Scout Hut on Brookside Road.
Main image: Keepmoat
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