News / planning
Plans for south Bristol’s tallest tower block approved
Controversial plans for south Bristol’s tallest ever building have been approved after councillors were told they would lose an appeal, costing city taxpayers £1m.
The city council’s planning committee granted permission for 434 flats, of which one-fifth will be ‘affordable’, and 400 student beds, in four blocks including a 23-storey tower on a site south of Princess Street between Victoria Park and the New Cut.
Members vetoed the development in January amid concerns about the height and number of apartments, along with harm to views of important buildings, and asked officers who had recommended giving the go-ahead to come back with reasons for refusal.
But despite 468 objections from residents and local heritage and planning groups, the updated report to the committee said rejecting the scheme would not withstand an appeal from developers Galliard Apsley, and the advice remained to approve.
Councillors voted 6-3 in favour after a marathon three-hour debate on Wednesday evening.
Architects say the buildings “have been designed to protect and retain views towards important historic buildings across the city, particularly from Victoria Park” – image: Liz Lake Associates
Among those who objected were Historic Buildings and Places, Avon Gardens Trust, Bristol Civic Society, the Conservation Advisory Panel, Totterdown Residents Environmental and Social Action (TRESA), Windmill Hill and Malago Planning Group, BS3 Planning Group, Victoria Park Action Group, Windmill Hill City Farm, Learning Partnership West School, St Mary Redcliffe Primary School and Structural Soils.
Historic England did not object but expressed concerns about the impact on views of St Mary Redcliffe.
During public forum, councillor Ed Plowden (Green, Windmill Hill) said: “The officer report fails to respect this committee’s instruction to write a report that justifies refusal.
“The committee should reject this report, renew its instructions and then insist on a report that does not sabotage its own decision.”
George Ferguson is a past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects – photo: Rob Browne
Former Bristol mayor George Ferguson, an architect and adviser to Historic England, said: “Of course we support more homes.
“We remain strongly opposed [to the plans].
“I ask you to stick to your guns and refuse.”
He said a late engagement exercise undertaken by the developers, which resulted in 36 letters of support and just four against, was ‘suspicious’ and appeared to have been written by ‘hostages’.
Ferguson said the development “fails dismally on design, environment, heritage, landscape, and social grounds”.
He said: “It is quite wrong for the officers to try to override the democratic process in this way by threatening a lost appeal, especially when there are a host of reasons why this scheme should never have seen the light of day.”
Bristol City Council’s planning committee voted in favour of a 23-storey block of flats in Bedminster – photo: Rob Browne
Voting in favour were Labour councillors Lisa Durston, Kye Dudd and Louis Martin, Tory councillor Richard Eddy, Lic Dem council Andrew Varney and Green councillor Patrick McAllister, while Green Cllrs Poultney, Bryher and Ralston were against.
Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol
Main image: Liz Lake Associates
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