After a long process extending over 8 years from 2018 till now, a revised Local Plan is nearing completion and adoption. Bristol Civic Society made representations at the Examination a year ago and it has now made its final comments on the resulting ‘Main Modifications’ to the Plan.
Most of our concerns were not addressed in the Modifications, but we are pleased that the Inspectors asked Bristol City Council to start an immediate review of this plan, in order to better meet its housing target, as required by the latest revision of the National Planning Framework (NPPF). A new Local Plan has to be completed within 30 months from now.
We feel the City needs a new Local Plan that has a strong vision for a growing City, that works with the adjoining authorities and acknowledges the impact of growth in how the City should be developed. This vision would properly plan for housing growth, have an accurate and realistic assessment of student housing needs, resist the development of high-density housing such as ‘co-living’, and genuinely protect employment land for our growing city. This new plan should also build in realistic proposals and mechanisms to achieve affordable housing.
The Civic Society has made the point many times that Bristol needs an explicit Tall Building and Densification Policy that sets out an assessment of the views and heritage impact, allowing for the topography of the city. This should now include the new ‘town centres’ such as at Brabazon, Hicks Gate and Ashton Vale, indicating height at these hubs and prescribing medium-rise development to ensure the housing numbers are achieved. We will do our best to get a Tall Buildings and Densification policy included in the new Local Plan.
The Society’s full response makes a number of detailed comments on the Plan. The Council has made a large number of modifications to the Plan, and some of the Society’s comments highlight where modifications have unwittingly resulted in inconsistencies within the Plan. This is an indication of how long and complicated a document the Plan is.
Alan Morris
2024 Bristol Civic Society consultation response.