A PETITION is calling for half of the new homes on three big housing developments planned for Fishponds to be made available for social rent.

A group called Fishponds Neighbours for Social Housing says the owners of the three proposed Atlas Place developments – Graphic Packaging International, Castel and Central Fishponds – should make the sites 50% social housing.

The petition, which had been supported by 120 people as the Voice went to print, is the idea of Tom Youngman (above, left), a researcher in economics at the University of the West of England, who has experience of working in housing cooperatives and campaigning, and lives about 100 metres from one of the Atlas Place sites.

‘Rents have skyrocketed’

Tom said: “Finding a house in Bristol is getting impossible – rents have skyrocketed to 45% of incomes and house prices are little better.

“People are being forced to leave their own city, or to live in vans.” 

The council’s planning policy sets out a target of 30% ‘affordable’ housing, available for social rent or shared ownership schemes, in developments of more than 15 homes.

So far only one Atlas Place development, on the site of the former Graphic Packaging International factory between Goodneston Road and Enfield Road, has been given permission.

GPI’s outline application said 22% of the homes would be affordable.

But it is expected to sell the site on to a developer who will make their own detailed application – and could propose a different percentage of affordable homes.

The campaigners want GPI to sell the site to a housing association.

Meeting targets is ‘unviable’ – developer

Central Fishponds, which wants to demolish and redevelop the sites of Verona House and Filwood House in Filwood Road, produced a financial viability report claiming that any level of affordable homes above 5% would “become unviable”.

That means only 19 of the 380 homes proposed would be affordable, rather than 114 under the 30% requirement.

Castel, the owners of development site known as Timber Mills, have not yet made a formal planning application.

An informal consultation website says a “significant proportion” of homes will be affordable, adding: “The exact number will be agreed with Bristol City Council through the planning process, in line with local housing policies and needs.”

Tom said he was “shocked” to see developers avoid meeting affordable housing targets, and says as little as 2% of Atlas Place could be for social rent as it stands.

Writing on the petition site, he said the current plans will “make Bristol’s housing crisis even worse”. 
The petition can be found on the 38degrees website.

Picture: Fishponds Neighbours for Social Housing members including Tom Youngman in front of the Graphic Packaging International development site.