The proposals have been met with both scepticism and support from Bristol Live readers
How the new homes at Redford Crescent in Withywood would look (Image: Bristol City Council/Emmett Russell)(Image: Bristol City Council/Emmett Russell)
Bristol Live readers have been engaging in a lively debate over the recent announcement of plans to construct nineteen new council homes in Bristol, with opinions ranging from scepticism to support.
The proposal includes 12 homes to be developed by the council on unused land behind gardens in Withywood and an additional seven in St Anne’s, but there is doubt that the number will make a difference to the city’s housing crisis, with lack of parking also cited as a concern.
For the South Bristol location, off Redford Crescent, the plan is for nine two-bedroom houses and three three-bedroom houses.
Architects stated in planning documents: “We have proposed a row of houses that back on to the gardens of numbers 34-48 Redford Crescent.
“These are council-owned properties that do not have any rear access from the site. This back-to-back arrangement provides enhanced security for both the new and existing houses. The layout will allow for a large area of public open space to be created towards the centre of the site and also the retention of the public right of way across the site.
“The main access from the south will be widened to 6m and designed as a shared surface that is safe and functional to use. To achieve this, a slither of land on either side that is within the curtilage of adjoining council-owned properties will be used. The existing northern entrance will be retained for pedestrian use.”
In St Anne’s, the project envisions seven council homes – comprising four two-bedroom flats, two three-bedroom flats, and a two-bedroom bungalow – alongside a play area, all set to replace a car parking area on Wootton Road.
Architects have expressed: “The site currently has a high amount of antisocial behaviour. The proposal will improve this by giving the site a more active use with natural surveillance over the street and adjacent green space.”
Planning agents have also conveyed: “There will be no off-street car parking provided but instead, new on-street parking will be created in the form of a new parking bay and footway inbound to create on-street parking with a widened carriageway.”
Both plans have been submitted by the council’s housing delivery team and are being financed through its designated housing revenue account.
One reader, Bristollivefanaccount writes: “Labour with that mass building they promised. 19. But its ok the politicians friends will be paid well for each one.”
Mindless says: “WOW! NINETEEN?! That’s an amazing amount….especially compared to the NINETEEN HUNDRED student bedsits recently built/proposed.”
Blackbeard83 comments: “The student flats are privately funded. They didn’t promise the mass building would be council houses. Obviously councils across the country don’t have much money.”
Covid-51 asks: “Who draws these magical pictures showing how amazing it will look, when in reality they build eyesores of properties?”
Burles54 says: “All a smoke screen , barely this amount built in Bristol the last 10 years. The land they’re built on should be a requirement of the land purchases, to go to funding Council Rental Homes.”
Rockingallovertheworld writes: “It’s good to see the CONTINUING delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation, as promised in the Labour Party manifesto. This will displease the Tory Party’s private developer mates – in fact, Tory enthusiasts everywhere (or Rocking Reform voters, as they should now be known).”
Covid-51 questions: “The proposal for the 12 in Withywood shows there will be 8 shared parking spaces. Work out how that will end up with the surrounding roads already congested. The tarmac entrances have now turned out to be an accessible surface for pedestrians and motorists (so probably won’t be tarmac!)
“The accesses for properties who currently have garages/off-road parking was promised to be tarmac, but will now be gravel beds to work as drainage as well. I’m seeing more U-turns in both the government’s and councils than a winding road, and they wonder why we don’t have trust in any of them.”
Thecookedsock writes: “Great to see houses being built in a housing crisis. Fantastic to see what a change in Government can achieve after the previous incompetent Tory Government, thanks to embarrassing and humiliating Tory U-Turns delivered the lowest number of planning approvals in England in a decade.”
Grockel1 says: “Really? 19 houses in the whole of Bristol and not clear if they are for key workers or those on the housing list. At least the Green’s are trying unlike the previous BCC leaders.”
Do you think that new 19 council homes is at least a start in the right direction or not enough? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.