The council is consulting the public about the plans
The site where the new housing would be built(Image: Google)
A hotspot for fly-tipping at the site of an old community centre could soon become an affordable housing project. The former Hillfields Park Community Centre, in east Bristol, could be turned into around 10 new homes.
The plans include improving an access road, which would benefit future residents and people who already live in the area. Details of how the housing could look are so far unclear. The community centre was demolished, and a football club building was used for changing rooms.
Bristol City Council is consulting the public about its plans, ahead of submitting an outline planning application. The consultation runs until May 29, and can be accessed on the council’s website. A grant from the government will help pay for improvements to the access road.
A map showing where the housing would be located in red(Image: Bristol City Council )
A council spokesperson said: “We want to enable the delivery of a small-scale affordable housing scheme on the site of the demolished community centre and the currently derelict former football club, which is prone to anti-social behaviour including incidents of fly-tipping, break-ins, and vandalism.
“We want to ensure that any new housing scheme incorporates the needs of existing and future residents, by providing good quality and well-designed housing. The intention for the site is to provide new affordable housing for residents of Bristol, and we will work with any future delivery partner to ensure the amount of affordable housing delivered meets local requirements.”
A CGI showing how the housing could look (Image: Bristol City Council )
Pedestrian footpaths to Hillfields Park would also be improved. At the moment there is a lane to the park from Thicket Avenue, but this is poorly lit and obscured by overgrown plants, which can be off-putting. By developing the site for housing, the council would upgrade the lane, making it safer and more welcoming.
Tall trees would also be kept where possible, to reduce overlooking and the impact on the park. According to the council, developing the site for housing would reduce the risk of fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour. The homes are likely to be two or three storeys tall, along a terrace.
The access road would be made wider, preventing drivers from needing to reverse back around the bend. Cars would be able to pass each other safely, and binmen wouldn’t need to mount the pavement, according to the council.