etter ristol B The Bristol Civic Society magazine B Issue 01 Autumn 2012 bristolcivicsociety.org.uk

IN this issue

Your guide to the city’s first mayoral election

The good, bad and bizarre visions of developing Bristol

News, Reviews and Events

Campaigner’s plea to help save Ebenezer Chapel

Bristol’s transport: can we solve a century of mistakes?

BRT inquiry: What the inspector was told

An independent force for a better Bristol FREE BIG EVENT

Bristol Civic Society Public Event CATHY PARKER, Professor of Retail and Marketing Enterprise, Manchester Metropolitan University, will give the keynote address, introduce the issues and give examples from other KEEPING BRISTOL’S cities of how the problems might be addressed. 1 HIGH STREETS ALIVE COUNCILLOR ANTHONY NEGUS, Bristol City Council Cabinet MON 19th NOV 7.00PM COLSTON HALL No 2 Member for Housing, Property and Regeneration will respond with the actions the City Council is taking. Free and open to all: doors open 6.30pm TONY MILES, Chair of the Clifton Village Traders Association will speak about the proposal for a Clifton Business Improvement District. In her report published last December, retail expert Mary Portas set out her vision for Britain’s high streets and warned that “after BEN BARKER, Secretary of Greater Bedminster Community many years of erosion, neglect and mismanagement they will Partnership will speak about Bedminster’s successful bid for disappear forever unless urgent action is taken.” funding to become a “Portas Pilot” area.

This major public event, free and GEORGE GRACE, consultant from “Towncentred” will talk about open to all, is intended to inform regenerating Gloucester Road and the Town Teams Initiative. Bristolians about what is being done in this city in response to these findings, to stimulate ideas All speakers will then form a panel on the stage for an hour and act as a catalyst for of questions/debate from the floor. further action. The event will close around 9.00 – 9.30pm.

FEATURES BCS News AND INFORMATION 3 Unbuilt Bristol - Eugene Byrne 18 Civic Day 2012

5 Choking city - Christopher Brown 19 Environmental Awards 2012

7 We need courage - Chris Chalkley 20 Student Award 2012

9 Ebenezer Chapel - Mariateresa Bucciante 21 Planning Application Group

10 Bristol’s transport troubles - Dave Cave 22 Tribute to Gordon Tucker

12 BRT Inquiry - John Frenkel 23 Major Sites Group

13 Bristol’s mayoral election - Eugene Byrne 24 Public Spaces Group / Bearpit Improvement Group

15 Local planning groups - Nancy Carlton 25 Historical Group / Civic Voice news - Alison Bromilow 26 Society communications

16-17 Bristol Books - Haydn Mason 27 Society events 2012/13 - Gordon Young - Mike Manson CONTENTS

Join us Editor Heather Leeson Sub-editing Christopher Brown Designer Spencer Tilley Bristol Civic Society - an independent force for a better Bristol - is a registered charity. Distribution Alex Dunn Thanks to Beth Hargest and Becky Attwood A large part of our income, which comes from membership subscriptions, The Editorial Board and is spent on producing this magazine. distribution volunteers Cover Image Bristol in Motion - Matt Smart If you are not already a BCS member and would like to support us and have Better Bristol magazine delivered to your address, please consider joining us. Web bristolcivicsociety.org.uk Printed by Sebright printers Individual membership for the first year is £10 if you set up a standing order and £20 Printed on FSC paper annually thereafter. Contact Maureen Pitman, Membership Secertary • [email protected] • phone: 0117 9743637 • downloadmembership form bristolcivicsociety.org.uk/membership/membership form A Warm Welcome society. I agreed to edit this issue; in future I buildings on the Harbourside? Should there be Hello and welcome will be Commissioning Editor, Beth Hargest provision for a primary school to help create to the first issue of will be Assistant Editor. a balanced community? Also, a stone’s throw away in the City Centre, around Corn Street/ 2 Better Bristol, the Better Bristol will appear twice a year in the Nelson Street/ Colston Avenue, there are new Bristol Civic Autumn and Spring. There will be a paper several applications for conversions of offices news sheet produced in the Summer and to student accommodation. We are losing Society magazine. Winter to keep you up-to-date with the latest the Ice Rink on Trenchard Street, a large BCS news and events. You can also keep in part of this complex is proposed student April 2012 saw the last BCS Newsletter being touch through the BCS website, e-bulletins, accommodation.This new community will edited by Haydn Mason whom I would like to Facebook and Twitter ( see p 26 for details) also need more amenities in their thank again for his time and commitment over neighbourhood. If you have comments to the last four years. Also, thanks to Alan Cole for Sadly, Gordon Tucker, a past society make on these applications, why not join his design work. Chairman and Secretary, died suddenly in one of our planning groups? March, just as the last newsletter was going to press. It was a pleasure and an honour to have On November 15th we vote for the first known Gordon; I learnt much from his calm elected Mayor of Bristol and for the local and measured approach. He will be greatly Police and Crime Commissioner. Read about missed by the society. Please see tributes on the candidates and voting system on page 13. page 22. The election is closely followed on Monday, Notwithstanding work and personal 19th November by our own ‘Big Event’ in commitments, several society members found Colston Hall 2. ‘ Keeping Bristol’s High Streets time to attend the six-week-long Transport Alive’ will be an interesting evening with the and Works Act Public Inquiry into the Ashton chance for everyone to express their ideas. Vale to Temple Meads Bus Rapid Transit I look forward to seeing you there. scheme (BRT2). Many thanks to James Smith and John Frenkel who spoke on behalf of A big thank you to contributors and everyone the society and Stephen Wickham, an who has helped produce the first issue of independent objector, who kept us informed Better Bristol. of daily events. I found the inquiry process fascinating and revealing. It was also most helpful for BCS Heather Leeson Just a word in edgeways from the Chair to work alongside other objectors who came under the umbrella of STOPBRT2.

( stopbrt2.org.uk )The inspector’s report is The Newsletter Management Group started expected in early 2013. looking for a new editor, but without success. How should we proceed? Was this to be the In spite of the economic recession there is end of the Newsletter? Did we need a paper some movement on the planning front, publication? After all, we do have our website, particularly around the Harbourside. e-bulletins and emailing to communicate Applications, at various with members. stages in the planning However, not everyone uses the Internet process, include Redcliffe NEW MEMBERS - INVITATION and we cannot reach out to potential new Wharf, Bristol General members at events and festivals by electronic Hospital, Wapping Wharf, It is most encouraging to see the society’s membership growing. means. Harris Warehouse, Welcome to: McArthur’s Warehouse, We listened to opinions outside the society, Huller House and the Carol Williams, Alexandra Pickford, J A Phillips, discussed and learned that there is a view that Cheese Warehouse. Christopher Parker, L Niven, M Lee,Moira Kray, Samantha Jewell, there is indeed a place for a magazine that The majority of these George Rynholdt, Chris Carley, Babs Evans, Maureen Wright, ‘talks’ about pertinent issues in Bristol, are for apartment Chris Chalkley, Ronald Sims, Anita Sims, Diana Hayns, something with a wider content than the accommodation. Should newsletter. An Editorial Board was formed; John Waldron, Ben Appleby, Roger Ayton we be thinking more about format, content and budget were considered, and Mr and Mrs Ray Smith what the residents of these and this first issue of Better Bristol is the result buildings are going to do in We are meeting in the Llandoger Trow on Monday, 26th November of the process that we have been through. their leisure time, from 7.30pm for a chat and a drink. should there be more As well as the usual BCS items, there is a new entertainment, sports Members and non-members are welcome to join us. section of features from invited writers, whose facilities and activities in the opinions are not necessarily those of the Hope to see you there. Illustration: ‘The Invisible Woman” from an original by Sue Macartney Snape www.smsoriginals.co.uk with thanks to Sue Macartney Snape The good, the bad and the bizarre visions of Bristol FEATURE

3 Dockisation Unbuilt Bristol

Victorian Bristol was gripped by an increasingly urgent debate Scattered across the pages of Bristol’s history is a wide range which went to the heart of the city’s economy. How to adapt the of plans and structures which never made it off the drawing harbour to the modern age? board. Eugene Byrne, who is writing a book about them, takes a look at some of the grand ideas the city has had the fortune To get in and out of the Floating Harbour, ships had to travel (and misfortune) to witness. along the long and winding River Avon, and then only at high tide. As ship design improved, and vessels started getting bigger, the danger also grew that they would run aground, Bristol Civic Society has often taken the lead role in campaigning especially on the river bends. against all manner of plans which could have blighted several parts of the city. This actually happened on several occasions. It disrupted the port’s normal commerce, and it generated terrible publicity, One of the most celebrated periods in the society’s history came losing the city more and more business. in the 1960s and 70s, when it led the local revolt against big road schemes and big concrete buildings. Brunel’s ss Great Britain, for instance, may have been built in Bristol, but getting her out into the Bristol Channel had been so At this time, the city’s planners proposed covering parts of the hazardous and stressful that she never returned to Bristol under Floating Harbour with roads. There was an equally contentious her own power. scheme to build a massive hotel on the side of the Avon Gorge, along with a number of only slightly less controversial ideas, The obvious solution was to build a new port on the Bristol such as tower blocks in Clifton Wood, or the General Post Office Channel coast, which of course is exactly what happened in (as was) and its plan to build a massive tower block smack in the the end. middle of town. But for a long time, the city fathers considered another option - The footnotes of Bristol’s history for the last 250 years or so are to turn the whole Avon from the City Centre to the Bristol Channel into one enormous floating harbour. They would build littered with schemes and structures which never got built. a dam at Avonmouth, bung up the river so it was permanently filled with water, and ships could come in and out through a One should not, however, believe that bad architecture was system of locks. The scheme was known as “dockisation”. just another by-product of the 1970s, along with flared jeans. There were some equally horrible plans before that. The engineering challenges and potential costs were immense. The idea was finally abandoned after several decades of Consider, for instance, some of the visions for rebuilding engineers’ reports and civic dithering. Bristol after the Blitz; the Western Chapter of Architects came up with some drawings which would have filled the City Centre But now the idea is back on the table - in theory, anyway. with dreary blocks straight out of the worst nightmares of Stalin’s Russia. Late last year, local business organisation Business West published its Bristol2050 vision, a set of ideas for how the city Go back further and you find some of our Victorian forebears might look in 40 years’ time. It’s not intended as a blueprint for wanted Queen Square to make way for the city’s main railway the future, but Business West hopes it will start public debate station. To progress-minded Victorians it made perfect sense to about how the city should be run in the future. put the station close to the centre of town and right next to the Floating Harbour. To them, Queen Square was old and shabby Its suggestions include improved footpaths and cycle networks and held a lot of unpleasant memories of the 1831 riots. The and improved public transport, a massive remodelling of the Cumberland Basin area and an Avon Barrage close to the M5 plan was defeated by local politics (long story); nobody even bridge at Avonmouth. This barrage would generate electricity, mentioned conservation back then. and it would also turn the Avon into a “linear water park”.

This is Victorian dockisation all over again, only this time to create a huge facility for boating, fishing and other leisure Vision for rebuilding Bristol after the Blitz activities.

# See www.bristol2050.co.uk

EB The good, the bad and the bizarre visions of Bristol FEATURE

4 While we can only feel relieved that many plans never left the drawing board, there are a few cases of ideas so visionary that we should lament the fact they never happened.

If history had worked out differently maybe Brunel’s ‘original’ Clifton Suspension Bridge would have been built. The bridge completed after his death is Brunel’s in all its structural essentials, but his original proposal had been for something elaborately ornamented in an ‘Egyptian’ style, complete with sphinxes. The Bristol Pyramid

Or you can go back further. In the late 18th century, William In the run-up to the Millennium, Frank Drake, artist-in-residence Bridges proposed a structure spanning the Avon which would at the CREATE Centre, came up with an idea which most also have contained housing, shops, and even a museum and Bristolians remember to this day. He wanted to build a huge library. It’s rather fanciful to imagine this astonishing thing pyramid on top of the building, using 320,000 wine bottles and ever being built; quite apart from the stupendous cost, the leave it there for a year. engineering challenge in supporting such a heavy structure The 400-tonne structure was to be the largest ever artwork would have been considerable. If it had been realised, though, made from recycled materials, comprising 1,024 triangular tiles, it would now be Grade I listed, and a tourist destination all of each of 300 bottles. It would be lit inside with solar-generated its own. electricity to provide a glowing green landmark at night.

Recent years have seen a large number of schemes which got The project would also have a website where you could post a dropped, some at least of which would probably have proved virtual “message in a bottle” while the real bottles would also great assets. Take the Harbourside centre for the performing contain letters from local schoolchildren. arts, for instance, an astonishing thing designed by Behnisch Architekten of Stuttgart and likened by one wag to an Planning permission was secured, the Bristol Pyramid Founda- exploding greenhouse. tion was granted charitable status and Drake and his team set about raising the money. Bath-based musician Peter Gabriel The 1990s and the early noughties were, in retrospect, a golden proved an enthusiastic backer, and sponsored the first ‘tile’. age of failed, or at least postponed, schemes, good, bad and indifferent. Everything from the Bristol Arena through to the St By the autumn of 2001 the original scheme had collapsed. Mary le Port development, or the Bristol City FC stadium. If you Bristol City Council, which owned the building, announced want to drive yourself mad, try to unravel all the different plans that the Pyramid Foundation’s business plan failed “to address down the years for Bristol Rovers stadiums both at the Memorial serious concerns relating to the financial and structural viability Ground and elsewhere. If you want to drive yourself completely of the project.” It was not convinced the project could raise the estimated £2.5m cost. mad, devote yourself to all the various tram, light rail and bus schemes which never left the terminus. Avon Metro anyone? The Bristol Pyramid Foundation disagreed strongly with the verdict. In a press statement it said:“It is the firm belief of Frank Ten years ago, there were probably days when the local press Drake and the trustees of the Bristol Pyramid Foundation that featured more artists’ impressions than photos of real, actual the business plan submitted to Bristol City Council gave more things. Now, with our ongoing economic woes, we’re in a new than enough detail for a project at its current stage of phase. There are few really visionary proposals for anything development. Especially as the council was not being asked to that’s likely to happen anytime soon, though this doesn’t stop contribute to the construction costs and ... no construction work lots of people having all manner of great ideas for the future. would be undertaken until all necessary monies for construction And some terrible ones, too. and eventual dis-assembly had been found.”

Eugene Byrne The Pyramid Foundation, however, is alive and well. ‘The Cell’ which is 1/64th of one side of the Pyramid, was on display at Proposal for Harbourside Centre for the Performing Arts, the University of the West of England’s Bower Ashton site until recently. It’s going, says Frank, to the Bearpit, St James Barton “as soon as we can muster the muscle”.

Eugene Byrne Is currently researching and writing a book on Bristol’s failed or postponed building developments for Redcliffe Press. It is due to be published next spring or summer. Choking city must take FEATURE 5 deep breath and reject ‘car is king’ agenda

From the moment we are born, few issues Experts in the city say that while this has “But the effect is very localised, and does have as great an impact on our health partial benefits, to really address the is- the mayor even have the powers? as the quality of the air that we breathe. sue, then a cultural, long-term shift needs The M32 is a Highways Agency road, so And for Bristol’s new elected mayor, to be to be maintained - only by reducing the you need to agree any speed reduction chosen in November, few issues will be number of cars on our streets will we truly with them. But when we have spoken to as important to his/her brief. Reducing improve the air we breathe. them before they have said there is pollution in the air means tackling one no legal remit to change levels on of the city’s most controversial political Steve Crawshaw is the city’s air quality environmental considerations, only debates - that of Bristol’s creaking programme coordinator, responsible safety. It’s a great idea but I question if it is transport network. for the monitoring and reporting of air achievable.” quality from ten monitoring stations There is no time to lose, either. Dozens of across Bristol, and explains: “We have Improving air quality has to be one of streets across Bristol exceed European air been one of the leading cities for the results of an overall, long-term, pollution levels, with nitrogen dioxide monitoring air quality for many years. region-wide strategy of improving the levels more than twice the EU limit in The problems have changed over the last transport network. A cultural change some roads. The European Commission 30 to 40 years - from the black smoke needs to take place, so that streets (EC) has already threatened to prosecute produced by open fires, then to lead in become safer and people feel more the UK Government over air pollution in petrol in the 1980s.Over the last few years, confident to cycle and walk. 12 cities, including Bristol. traffic levels have remained relatively stable. Roads are at capacity and our The change is glacial, though. Angela During the summer, a group of cycling colleagues in transport have been doing Raffle, who works for the director of pub- and environmental organisations called their best to reduce traffic, hence the lic health in the city, says that even since on candidates for elected mayor to investment in buses and cycling. the 1890s, the cyclist has been the target explain how they will improve air quality We are broadly in line with other of anger. Some 120 years later, the debate in the city. European countries in terms of the has hardly shifted. problems faced. But the bottom line is Living Heart for Bristol said it was “ironic” the need to reduce the traffic levels and But with the evidence that being exposed that while Bristol was praised for its improve technology to reduce emissions to poor quality air contributes to monitoring of air pollution, during its from each vehicle.” respiratory disease, heart disease and failed bid to become European Green strokes being “incontrovertible”, it is a Capital, the UK government was facing Mr Crawshaw says that while a speed debate that those fighting for healthier prosecution for poor air quality. reduction on the M32 would make a small air have to win. positive difference, he questions whether “You have to start at fundamentals - The issue was raised almost immediately the new mayor would even have the the aim of our transport system is the the mayoral campaign began, way back power to make that happen. movement of people and goods, for work, in July, when independent candidate “Engines running at medium speed play, and access to service for residents, George Ferguson mooted the idea of produce less nitrogen dioxide than those workers and visitors,” she says. reducing the speed limit on the M32 to running at normal motorway speeds, or at “Ultimately, we want the region to be a 30mph. slow speeds,” he says. great place to get about. But if you look at FEATURE

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Traffic on TempleWay Bristol

the history of transport in Britain, where present, chronic levels, as workers have no [cyclists] all ride on the pavements, they the Europeans in the 1950s and 1960s incentive to use alternative options. don’t pay road tax’ and so on. saw the flaws in the maths of the ‘car is king’ argument, in the UK we ended up Ultimately, the language that is used over “These are the same arguments as the with Beeching ripping up the branch rail the next few years needs to be carefully 1890s. Our discourse about the bicycle lines and the deregulation of our buses in chosen to bring the debate around to hasn’t evolved since then and it needs to, the 1980s.” focus on the benefits of getting people if we want a civilised society.” out of their cars - and away from the Ms Raffle adds that there are already “firecracker” arguments still used. good projects making a real difference in the city. The residents parking scheme in “We have 45,000 car trips made a day Kingsdown has been a success and under 5km that are work related. If we residents have done their bit over the can shift just 10% of those trips to buses, years to stop some of the more bicycles or walking you can really help to hare-brained schemes to come out of transform things. Creating a better road the planning department. environment encourages more people out of cars and this improves things But there are still areas, such as the city further in turn,” she says. centre gyratories, which make the environment too hostile to persuade “We were really successful in helping the inexperienced cyclists to get out of their public campaign against smoking indoors Christopher Brown cars. And, she says, businesses need to in public spaces, by focussing on the Editor of the online newspaper Bristol 24-7 “wise up” to the fact that opposing health issues and the rights of workers. Tel: 0117 2309 247 workplace parking levies simply ensures But with transport, we still have these Email: [email protected] that rush-hour traffic remains at its ‘firecracker’ arguments such as ‘they

Air Quality monitoring station, exhaust fumes Bristol Traffic Old Market Bristol We need courage FEATURE 7 to build a better Bristol

Better Bristol? The need for hard, could all be worked out in a classroom on in exchange for a few shiny baubles and a informed debate, followed by a piece of paper, and nobody batted an lot of one-stop shopping? Was the real action... A Rant eyelid. lure of cheap disposable furniture, food Chris Chalkley Over the ensuing years, we have seen the and clothing really all it took for us to effects of growing corporate power on give away our cultural heritage and an Part 1. How Did This Happen? our city. When I came to Bristol, Eastville economy in which we were able to I studied Economics and Philosophy at boasted a football stadium, a dog track, fully participate? Bristol University in the late 1970s. There I the Bristol Bulldogs Speedway team, and learned about the Dismal Science, how its a thriving local food and produce market Part 2: Stokes Croft simplistic theoretical framework on Fridays and Sundays. Gloucester Road - Platform for Debate made it the roughest of fits for the and Stokes Croft had many furniture shops, complexities of reality. I learned how the new and second hand, and open markets Neglect and Defiance market could not take into account thrived. When IKEA and Tesco opened In recent years, Stokes Croft has made a anything that was not measurable by on the former stadium site, these shops lot of noise and consequently been a money, such as clean air or ecosystems. began to disappear, and the open markets thorn in the side of corporate business I also learned that growth per se was across the City went into rapid decline. and local government - both used to not necessarily a good thing and that Sunday trading delivered the coup de getting on with what they do unhindered. certain types of economic activity could grace. I ran an independent wholesale have a net negative effect. For example, business in Montpelier that supplied the Since World War II, a litany of poor increased tobacco sales and subsequent small independent businesses and when planning decisions meant that the area increased expenditure on hospitals might they closed, we closed. remained a shabby oasis, largely look great on the balance sheet, but untouched by rampant development. would likely have a net negative benefit to Nowadays the trading centre of our City Low property values, cheap rents and society. is Cabot Circus at the bottom of the M32, dereliction attracted a queer mix of artists a £500m corporate extravaganza, where and long-term property speculators. Studying corporate structure, it was even the streets are privately owned. Graffiti artists took advantage of the quite clear that the inexorable growth of Elsewhere the Memorial Ground and dereliction and hostels and drug agencies transnational businesses would mean that Ashton Gate are currently up for sale to found it a place they could be without too these companies would become more supermarket chains, the heart of our much opposition. powerful than government and that the docks is occupied by Lloyds, £20m was With so many empty properties owned directors of these multinational organisa- spent on a staircase at the Colston Hall, by absentee landlords waiting for the next tions would effectively wield great and and throughout the city we have a glut boom, a strong squatting tradition was largely unaccountable power due to the of apartments built by over-enthusiastic also established. institutional set up and consequent lack developers in pursuit of profit. Add to that a long tradition of musical of accountability between directors and and theatrical entertainment and religious their shareholders. As a result, the sover- To me it seems that Bristol has sleepwalked groups occupying the area, then slap a eignty of notionally democratic nations into this state of affairs. Did we mean to major arterial road through the middle, would be outrageously compromised. It surrender our right to self-determination and you have a microcosm of society with

Before After: Turbo Island: Jamaica street transformed by paint and a few statues FEATURE

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1 2 3 Photos: Chris Chalkley

its issues writ large. It’s the kind of which had been empty for more than 20 the1. Tesco‘Tsunami incursion of Roses’ into- a testament Stokes Croftto the in community that moves things along in years when they were squatted in 2007, idea of gentle, positive, incremental change in Stokes Croft. its own sweet way. It is also a community are used, sometimes noisily and anti- 2. Mural Stokes Croft prepared to defy government if needs be. socially, but generally with positive intent, 3. A panel on the Carriageworks, making by skint locals, and have hosted landmark a case for the buildings potential use Paint and Regeneration art exhibitions and offered a service to the By simply painting in the holes in Stokes most marginal of our community, at no Croft’s gap-toothed smile, the local public expense. community, of which graffiti writers are a 2009. Meetings were called, polls were part, had started to turn the area around, The philosopher John Locke (1632 - 1704) taken and almost 3,000 written objections inculcating a growing sense of pride and posited that ownership of property was were delivered to the council. But the confidence. The grey squares of related to the amount of work put into it council felt unable to fully back the government were steadily banished, by the occupier. If one were to accept this community as it was afraid of losing in and a wave of colour, opinion and, of position, then the squatters would now court against the legal and financial might course, rant washed through the streets, have more right to that property than the of the supermarket. and with it flowed the idea that a do-it- long neglectful landlord. In any case, it is yourself approach to regeneration was clear that current property law does not When things finally erupted in April 2011, possible: reinvent and care rather than serve the best interests of the local I would argue that the so-called riot was demolish and build. This approach has community, and the nature of ownership about lack of voice. Polls had shown that not stopped, while the latter option is a subject ripe for debate. as many as 93% of locals opposed the new continues to nudge its way in, but at least Tesco, so why was it there? And why did the first is now on the agenda as Addiction: our police force seem to be on their side? an alternative. Moving the Problem Elsewhere In 1831, the riots in Bristol were about lack The struggle with the Council’s Clean Stokes Croft has an intimate relationship of voice, too. Only 5% of the population and Green anti-graffiti team however with drugs, both legal and illegal. For the had the right to vote. Half the city burned continues, though the debate over the longest time, government and police have and hundreds of people were slaugh- criminality or otherwise of graffiti has been trying to move the problem on, tered by the 3rd Dragoons led by Lt. Col. become more nuanced. shying away from getting to the core of Brereton. the issue. Unenforceable no drinking Property Ownership: zones have been created, the worst of the Tesco is still open on Cheltenham Road, Absentee Landlords v. Squatters cheap alcohol brands are banned in local but the huge Boycott Tesco mural remains In Stokes Croft more damage has been shops, methadone continues to be doled as a reminder of opposition. done to buildings by absentee landlords out as a matter of course, and people con- acting legally than by the easily blamed tinue to drink, take drugs and die. What to Do? squatting community. The Carriageworks, To build a better Bristol, we need to a masterpiece of Bristol Byzantine It is entirely appropriate that the debate have the courage to face the very real architecture by Stokes Croft’s Patron Saint, about drugs should take place here challenges of climate change, globalisation E.W. Godwin, which has stood empty for and we should be taking the lead on and growing corporate power. To consider 25 years and fallen into chronic derelic- radical reform policies rather than simply what the need for sustainability, and tion, is the most startling example. It is a moving the problem elsewhere as the economic and food security will entail. speculative token in the property develop- area becomes more attractive. All the To discuss, debate and to have the ment game played between the building’s conditions are right, we just need to courage to act. owners, the Comer Brothers and Bristol summon up the political courage. City Council. (If there was ever a case for government to help the local community to buy a property and effect a gentle and Corporate Power, Government Chris Chalkley, Chair PRSC Tel: 01179444540 appropriate refurbishment, then this is it.) and Planning Law Email: [email protected] By contrast the Free Shop and Emporium From the outset, a large section of our www.prsc.org.uk further down Stokes Croft, buildings community stated its opposition to After: Turbo Island: Jamaica street transformed by paint and a few statues FEATURE Ebenezer Chapel 9

The story of an incomplete list - Ebenezer Chapel

This is a little story about Ebenezer Chapel - a historical gem in the heart of St Philips which I fell in love with soon af- ter I came to Bristol, and which needs your help to survive.

The charming chapel in Midland Road was used as an architec- tural salvage business when I first came across it, and has a Ebenezer Chapel today rich history, which is now under threat. An application for listing status was refused by English 1833 two missionaries of a new Heritage in 2011 because movement named the “Primitive it is not of “national importance”. Methodism” preached in the If it cannot be protected, this open air. They established a embodiment of the area’s group which in 1849 managed Methodist history could be to open its first chapel in Bristol demolished for yet another just in front of St Philips Station. block of flats. H.O. Wills III (Wills Memorial) It is now absolutely necessary laid the foundation stone for to gather new evidence to Ebenezer Chapel and its renew the request and keep the congregation. Forever in debt, Chapel as an open window to it was continuously supported observe the people, the ideas by famous philanthropists and the great transformations concerned about the miserable that created our current values conditions of the people and lifestyle - that of Method- working in local industries. ism and religious tolerance, philanthropy and how Sunday Ebenezer Chapel was built in schools triggered compulsory an original Norman design education, slum clearance and even if the Methodist privileged the history of our railways. architectural forms were Gothic or Classic. The architect is In February 2011 the Neigh- unknown but Dr Christopher bourhood Planning Network Wakeling of the Chapel Society asked Old Market Community saw a connection with the simi- Association to be involved in a lar design of the more imposing still ongoing pre-planning Baptist Chapel in City Road. application: the little chapel could be demolished to build flats. The basement underneath the chapel was used as a Sunday school and the This prompted me to spend of a couple of months researching the history Bristol Mercury continuously reported about its rich social events: meetings of the building. of the Teetotal Society, bazaars and lectures as that delivered by the famous colliery owner and MP Handel Cossham on the life of the late Starting from a few lines in the photographic book “The Dings and St MP Samuel Morley. Philips” (Stephenson and Willmott) I visited the library of The New Room in Broadmead and the Records Office supported by my friend Jayne Pucknell, In the 1930s with the construction of the Central Hall in Old Market and the former archivist, who discovered important documents. Finally the reports in Union of the Methodist groups, while local slums were cleared and people the 19th-century newspaper, the Bristol Mercury, shaped this research into moved to the suburbs, Ebenezer Chapel became redundant. With minor a journey into the life and culture of a vibrant district in the last years of the damage in bombing during the Second World War it became a Christadel- Industrial Revolution. phian Hall until the 1980s when it was converted into a business.

Around the 1830s, with the construction of the Floating Harbour and the Notwithstanding the changes in use the building was never modified and development of the railways in Bristol, the area to the south of Old Market, retains an intact religious structure with the original galleries, pulpit, wooden previously occupied by orchards and fields leading to the forest of floors and basements. It is a precious building which has been at the centre Kingswood, filled up very quickly with railway stations and their huge of deep social transformations and we are lucky that it has been preserved. secondary infrastructure, with factories and houses for a large population So it would be tragic to see it disappear. of workers. A large number of churches and chapels, a stone’s throw from each other, were built for the most diverse religious movements: Anglican, Wesleyan, Zoar, Christian Brethren. none of them are left apart from one. Mariateresa Bucciante Just round the corner from Midland Road, in Broad Plain, John Wesley had If anyone wants to have more information or is concerned about the preached in the open air for the first time in England in 1739, so the future of the Chapel please contact me at [email protected] Methodist community was already deeply rooted in Old Market when in or call 07962 832654. Bristol’s transport problems

- are they solvable? FEATURE 1210

The problems with Bristol’s traffic More roads, more traffic That Bristol has a serious traffic problem is no surprise to anybody, The love affair with the motor bus and motor car had taken hold but the fact that it has some of the worst congestion in the UK is even before the war. A map of the city in 1902 shows a dense maze a cause for concern. It has been estimated that average peak time of narrow streets, with few main thoroughfares. All this was speeds in Bristol are 16 mph (26 km/h), the lowest of the eight Eng- changing in the 1930s. Borough engineers saw it as their mission to lish “core cities”, with 23% of journey times spent stationary. drive great highways through the ancient city, like railways through Consequences of slow moving and idling traffic are poor air quality darkest Africa. The local paper of 1938 excitedly reported on the and much wasting of time. The trend for new home completions plans to demolish part of Old Market to make way for the “Eastern in suburban and satellite towns around Bristol is likely to continue, Road”, (now Temple Way), and drive a swathe through Georgian bringing thousands of additional car movements on the city’s roads Redcliffe and across Queen Square for the “Western during the rush hours. Relief road”.

Causes For many there is no option: journeys from outlying villages and suburbs are next to impossible by public transport. For others, this inconvenience is preferable to relying on erratic, unreliable bus services. Much of the traffic is generated outside the city, and arrives from the satellite and suburban towns in an arc north around the city from Weston to Keynsham.

History and geography Bristol is both victim and beneficiary of its physical location. The great natural harbour that brought its maritime trade also provides a barrier to easy movement across the city. Road traffic is funnelled into a few river crossing points. After the Cumberland Basin high-level bridge, the next crossings are concentrated in the very heart of the city, with few further crossings on the east side.

Railways, too, were never conceived to provide suburban passenger services. The acres of sidings at the Great Western Goods Depot and the Midland Cannons Marsh were developed to move goods to the docks and the new harbour at Avonmouth. ©Thanks to brizzlebornand to bred ©Thanks THE RISE AND FALL OF BRISTOL’S TRAMS Old Market in the 1920s. White’s electric tram and overhead Far from being backward, or suffering lack of investment, Bristol led cables. The Temple Way underpass now runs through the fore- the way in the development of electric trams, being one of the first ground, where the ‘Empire’ stands on the left. major cities in Britain to have such a system. The first electric tramway was opened in Bristol by the flamboyant entrepreneur Sir George White in 1895. This line from Kingswood to Old Market The motor racing mania with its inner and outer circuits continued grew into a network throughout the city. London followed about and accelerated until its peak in the 1960s, when Temple Way was eight years later. lowered into a vast chasm under Old Market. Monster roundabouts severed old communities such as Old Market and Stokes Croft from The death of the Bristol tram is attributed to a direct hit on the the rest of the city. power station during the blitz of 1942. Of course it could have been A brave new world had arrived where pedestrians would stroll on repaired, but there was not the political will. The system needed raised decks or sunken gardens away from the traffic. Reality turned massive investment, and the modern diesel powered bus was out to be a bit different. adaptable, could go anywhere, and above all, the new post-war consumer society was in love with the freedom brought by the Taming the car motor car. We have now discovered that the car is an insatiable monster, the more space it is given the more it wants, the wider the streets, the more clogged up they get. Yet we can’t kick the habit of using it. The coming of public transport Policy is now to discourage the car from the city centre, in Public transport arrived with the city’s first horse-drawn tramway accordance with the ‘Living Heart’ philosophy. However, any system in 1875, soon followed by a pioneering electrical system. attempts to bring in congestion charges would be political suicide, With the demise of the tramways, control of the buses passed to a even if the council had the legal powers to impose them. What will new Corporation-controlled Bristol Omnibus Company, who bring the “modal shift”? Traffic patterns will never change until the continued to run the buses without much flair, imagination or bus or tram or cycling or whatever become more attractive, or Peak regard to the changing world until privatisation in the 1980s. Oil makes the car prohibitively expensive. Cont... Public transport in private Regenerating the suburban railway hands - the Showcase bus? Showcases buses, BRTs – will they work? The jury may still be out In the last decade nearly £80 on them. But there is a definite new enthusiasm for rail transport. million has been spent on ten “ Not just the lonely voices of a few green activists, but a chorus across Showcase Bus routes “ across the the political scene. The West of England Partnership (WoEP), a body FEATURE Greater Bristol area. representing the four local authorities of Greater Bristol, is in favour The scheme includes a range of the Greater Bristol Metro, and enthusiastic about re-opening the 11 of measures that will improve Portishead line. WoEP has said: “Reopening the rail link to Portishead the speed, reliability, comfort is a priority for the West of England. The project would increase the and image of conventional bus UK’s passenger rail network by 10 miles and connect an additional travel. A major feature is the 30,000 people to the network. The Portishead to Bristol corridor

creation of bus lanes throughout ©Roland Harmer (A369) suffers severe congestion and journey time reliability the region, with raised problems.” Smart new buses with shelters and kerbs and height adjusting electronic information displays...but The new franchise for the Great Western route, expected to start in suspension on the buses, is this good enough to get people out 2013, has provided an opportunity for the development of plans for to ease access for all users. of their cars? the Metro. This has wide support and backing from business, local cross party THREE RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS ARE CURRENTLY politicians and community stakeholders. PROPOSED FOR BRISTOL: New funds released to the city from central government appear to promise funds for re-opening the Portishead branch and BRT2 the Henbury loop, with new or re-built stations at Ashton Gate, A bus rapid transit from Temple Meads to Ashton Gate via a loop Horfield, Ashley Hill, Saltford and Henbury. Rachel Villiers, Minister through the city.This was described in the last issue of the for Rail announced in July that funds for restoring the quadruple newsletter and was the subject of a public inquiry in July. tracks between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway to provide See the report in this journal. the capacity for the Greater Bristol Metro will be made available to SBL - South Bristol Link Network Rail. A bus rapid transit running on a new relief road linking the A370 at Long Ashton to the A38 and the existingSouth Bristol ring road at Hengrove. The society doesn’t like this because we see little public benefit, and it relies on joining the discredited BRT2 at Ashton Gate to reach Bristol. It will encourage development on Green Belt land. BRT3 A bus rapid transit system from the north fringe in South Gloucestershire to Hengrove, via the city centre. It is a package of measures totalling £102m (50% funded by the Department for Transport and 50% from local contributions) designed to improve the transport links between residential areas and employment, leisure and retail centres in the area. Clear information, faster boarding and `smartcard’ ticketing linking with wider bus and rail services, creating a new way of travelling travel across the West of England area, is promised. In the city it will run from the M32, via N. SOMERSET RAILWAY St James through the Centre. Improvements around the Cenotaph will follow. The route will reach Bedminster via Princes St and a Proposed Bristol Metro new river bridge. The Metro promises to bring much of Greater Bristol within reach of A great deal of information - far too much to reproduce here - is frequent local trains. There are large areas which will still not benefit available and can still be viewed online at the official website : in east and south Bristol. The trackbeds of the Midland and north http://www.travelplus.org.uk/north-fringe-to-hengrove Somerset railways still exist and are used as cycle/footways. Would it We see merit in the case for the BRT3 route because it fulfils the need be heretical to suggest that a modern electric light rail system might for a mass-transit tram service from Bristol northwards. share part of these routes? But it is a high price for what is basically just a bus. Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) Will the government stand by its pledges to support the local system? Will the local authorities have sufficient ‘clout’ to make it The Bus Rapid Transit systems (BRTs) happen? There has been much co-ordination between the four local More recently, we have had plans for Rapid Transit bus systems. authorities through the WoEP, but local interests and prejudices still The rapid transit vehicle is a strange beast, neither fish nor fowl, surface. The 2008 Transport Act allows for the creation of ITAs. Bristol which seems to have been invented by a committee in the last councillors voted for the creation of a Strategic Transport Authority, Government. They would not finance full tram lines because of the but neighbouring Councils, perhaps fearful like turkeys voting for expense, but looked favourably on this hybrid. Not a real bus be- Christmas, are less keen. Such an authority has much power to cause it is partially guided, and not a tram because it runs on conven- determine transport in its area. The six ITAs that already exist –includ- tional street wheels and road tyres. ing Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear - have been far more successful in dealing with their transport problems, maybe it Greening up is time for Bristol to follow them. Extravagant claims have been made for Bristol’s position as a Cycling City. There have been some notable successes, particularly where cycle routes offer an attractive alternative, away from the main road, Dave Cave but in some places the paths are little more than white lines on Tel: 0117 300 9392 pavements. Much more needs to be done before Cycling City can Email: [email protected] offer a truly practical system. BRT inquiry: What the inspector was told FEATURE

12 Prince Street Bridge photo by H Leeson by Bridge photo Street Prince

Ashton Vale to Temple Meads grown up around it created by a huge has been a steady average 880 cars a • AVTM did not offer good value for Bus Rapid Transit – Transport and investment of public and private day for the last five years. money; it offered some benefits to Works Act Public Inquiry money. The society challenged the assump- some users. The locally sourced To support the visitor attractions, tion that economic growth would funding risks are high. Last February’s Newsletter carried the city council proposes to develop generate a 42% rise of use to meet Bristol Civic Society’s concerns about a new square west of M Shed as an the cost break- even point. The LAPR • A better-value-for-money the AVTM BRT2. The Promoters pro- outdoor museum to show off the use will only increase when the city transport investment would be a posed a concrete bus track from the dockside exhibits and the working council completes a ring of residents’ bus priority scheme around the Long Ashton Park and Ride (LAPR), steam railway. Through this virtually parking schemes in the inner central area, which would greatly across the Portishead railtrack on a pedestrianised visitor area, the Pro- suburbs. Generally, commuters will benefit all bus operators, and the new 300m fly-over, then along the moters plan to drive up to 42 diesel always choose free on-street parking, completion of the bus priority former Bristol Docks Railway (BDR) buses an hour, at peak times. if it is available. measures on Hotwell Road/Anchor track under the high level roads and The society said that the AVTM Road. These low cost interventions across the Ashton Avenue swing should instead run along Cumber- What Transport for would deliver significant journey bridge. The route would run along land Road to avoid the Harbourside. Greater Bristol (TfGB) said time savings for all passengers on the BDR track beside the New Cut, This would save construction costs TfGB commissioned Keith Buchan, the 903 bus. through the Cumberland Road and avoid the risk of cost overruns the current chair of the Transport tunnel, through the Harbourside, by construction beside the New Cut Planning Society to give evidence. What other objectors said around the back of the M Shed tideway. Among many other matters, There were many other objectors. Museum and into Wapping Road. he said: Long Ashton Parish Council gave At Prince Street Bridge, the separated Where will the council find its local evidence about the need for busway would join the roads to contribution? • AVTM scheme is not a new transport additional works to mitigate the follow a one-way circuit via Temple The council must find £42m to fund initiative, but a 905 bus service effect of AVTM on the green belt. Meads, the Centre and then back to its share of the local contribution to replacement. Stephen and Anne Wickham spoke Prince Street Bridge. Double-decker three schemes: the AVTM, the of the need to conserve the Ashton buses from Portishead, Clevedon and Hengrove to Northern Fringes bus • AVTM does not directly serve landscaped park and other items of Weston-super-Mare could also use rapid transit schemes (BRT3) and the Temple Meads Station or the new street furniture such as the BDR the separated busway for the last two South Bristol Link Road. Even if the Enterprise Zone. railings. John Grimshaw and Sue miles of their journeys. council invests the whole of the new Carter said that although the AVTM The capital cost of the scheme would Community Infrastructure Levy (from • The one-way circular route does claimed to offer benefits to cyclists be £50m; Bristol City Council and January 1st 2013), it still needs new not resolve journey time problems. and pedestrians, the scheme was North Somerset District Council sources of money to repay borrowing Some passengers would gain but bus-led and in critical areas it did not would together contribute £15m. to fund the transport schemes. others would lose, especially in the adequately plan for other road users. During the six-week-long Public The council has appointed Grant central area. The 903 bus provides a Other cycling witnesses described Inquiry, between May and July 2012, Thornton to advise how to introduce fast journey to the Anchor Road and the effect on cyclists and pedestrians James Smith gave the society’s a Supplementary Business Rate Centre stops, which AVTM does not of the Prince Street Bridge bottle- evidence and he and John Frenkel and / or Workplace Parking Scheme, reproduce. neck. David Martin predicted that cross-examined the Promoters’ both of which would be controversial. the AVTM operation would reduce witnesses. The Inquiry Inspector will • The Promoters over-estimated the the working steam railway to a static deliver his report to the Secretaries The council has not yet established journey time benefits and reliability exhibition. of State for Transport and Communi- a settled plan and timetable to of AVTM. The evidence shows that ties this autumn. The society’s final source supplementary funding to the 903 bus maintains its timetable in The final day submission to the Inquiry is on pay its share of the local investment congested conditions. The Inspector met witnesses to walk our website. within the Department for Transport’s the AVTM route on the final rainy day timescale. • There was no analysis of key issues of the inquiry. He had previously What the Society said such as the use by buses of one car- borrowed a bike to cycle along The society recognises Greater Will AVTM need an riageway of Prince Street Bridge with the route. Everyone agreed that Bristol’s need for investment in rapid operating subsidy? the other reserved for pedestrians whatever his final advice, the Inquiry transport and supports any improve- The Promoters said that the AVTM and cyclists. Inspector was courteous, helpful and ment to Bristol’s public transport fare box would meet the operating well prepared. system. However, the society’s major cost of the busway, which is to be • The Promoters’ evidence shows that objection is the substantial harm that revenue neutral. Last year, 18 years AVTM would not reduce the quantity it believes the AVTM and feeder buses after the LAPR opened, the council of traffic. would cause to the visitor experience still paid a £100,000 subsidy to John Frenkel around M Shed. The BDR track may the 903 bus service. The council fore- • A workplace parking levy would Tel: 0117 924 0853 be a preserved transport route but a cast that by 2016 the LAPR’s use will produce new patterns of demand highly successful visitor attraction has rise to 1,250 cars a day. Current use that the AVTM would not meet. Email: [email protected] Bristol prepares for elected mayor plunge

Bristol goes to the polls on 15th November The mayor should also have a lot of influence taxpayers’ cake. FEATURE to elect its first mayor, or in the worn-out par- and “soft power”, especially if they’re elected As one council insider told me: “I don’t know lance of the local press, “Bristol’s Boris”, our very with a convincing majority. They can make a who to vote for yet, but I do know that I’m not 13 own equivalent of the Mayor of London. lot of things happen simply by demanding voting for a political party. I want the person them. who will be best able to bang the table for Under the current system, Bristol is run by Bristol in Whitehall.” councillors, each serving a four-year term. They Whoever wins this first contest gets the chance elect a council leader who heads a “cabinet” to shape the role of mayor for the future. S/he The mostly ceremonial post of Lord Mayor of executive members responsible for various also becomes the public face of Bristol both to will continue. For the conceivable future council functions, such as education, transport, the local electorate and to the wider world in councillors will annually choose one of their museums & libraries, refuse collection, and a way that former leaders of the council could number to spend 12 months opening things, social services. Usually, this leader and cabinet never be. and being photographed with pieces are all drawn from the party with the majority of machinery, schoolchildren and visiting of councillors. It’s also a magnificent opportunity to set the foreigners. agenda for the city for years to come. The Under the new system, the elected mayor issues in the mayor’s in-tray include the In the local media, and Bristol’s blogosphere becomes the city’s chief executive, making all obvious ones like transport, education and and web forums, this is the most exciting the major strategic and executive decisions housing. But the hope is that the mayor will local election in decades. The contest, and the regarding the city, and setting the budget. The also have sufficient clout to move the city for- referendum before it, have got a lot of people mayor will also have a cabinet appointed from ward on matters like investment, sustainability talking about how to take the city forward. the ranks of councillors, who will continue to and green technology, as well as other issues Some of the people behind the original ‘yes’ represent the interests of those living in their like extending the city boundaries. campaign in the referendum, for instance, are wards, and will serve on various committees, S/he will be expected to bring new business to hoping to influence things by persuading including planning committees. the city and to demand a bigger piece of the voters to come up with a crowdsourced

THE CANDIDATES

Please note that these are all the people who had declared an interest in running as we went to press. No-one is confirmed as a definite candidate until nominations close, and some may not stand, and others might come forward. This list is simply to give our readers some idea of the range of people standing.

Where possible, we have mentioned Craig Clarke (Independent) Tim Collins (Independent) Mr Corrupt Self Serving Lying candidates’ Twitter feeds, websites Radical whose CV includes Former Labour councillor on Avon Thieving B’stard (Independent) or blogs, but they may have other campaigning against NHS County Council, Collins later stood Changed his name by deed poll (in online information later. privatisation and who has stood for for the Conservatives. The main case you hadn’t guessed) and while the English Democrats in the past. plank of his campaign is to save he may look like a joke candidate, This list is in alphabetical order, and Filton Airfield from development. he does have a coherent radical the Civic Society does not endorse On Twitter as @TimCollins5 programme. any individual candidate. Web: corruptbstard.wordpress.com

Spud Murphy (Independent) Daniella Radice (Green) Local businessman and former Longstanding local green activist Conservative councillor for whose CV includes working in the Avonmouth waste and rail industries and the Environment Agency. Web: daniellaformayor.wordpress.com Twitter: @green_mayor Bristol prepares for elected mayor plunge

manifesto for the city. go forward to the second stage. Police and Crime See www.bristolmanifesto.org FEATURE At the time of writing, there are at least eleven Then, all the second preference votes for these Commissioner candidates - see panel - but since we go to remaining two candidates are added to the votes 14 press before nominations close, others may they received in the first stage, and the one with On the same day as Bristol is have entered the race by the time you read this. the most votes after adding together the results electing a mayor, the whole from stages 1 and 2 is elected. country gets to vote for its All the major parties have put up candidates, but local Police And Crime there’s also a wide choice of independents, from Confused? You will be. Council officials privately Commissioners. the radical fringes through to sober-suited busi- expect a sizeable proportion of ballot papers to be nessmen who pride themselves on their common declared invalid because voters won’t know how sense. to fill them in properly. So remember; vote for your These are one of David This is going to be nothing like parliamentary favourite candidate as first preference, and your Cameron’s big ideas, elected or council elections. Aside from the huge range second favourite (or the one you hate the least) as officials who replace the of independents, the elections will use a different second preference. former local police authorities. voting system to the usual first-past-the-post See www.electoral-reform.org.uk/supplementary- The plan is for commissioners system. We’re using the supplementary voting vote for a full explanation. to shape local policing system. Under this, you pick two candidates, your strategy and the hope is that first choice - the one you most want to win - and The voting system and the range of different they will be more accountable a second, the one you like best if your favourite candidates make it very hard to predict who is doesn’t get a majority. Any candidate winning going to win. With national opinion polls the way to local people. more than 50% of first preference votes is the they are, you might expect Labour to make a strong winner. If nobody wins more than 50%, then the showing, but there’s no way of calling it when The move dismayed many folk two candidates with the highest number of votes people’s second preferences are taken who fear a populist race to the bottom by the hang ‘em and flog ‘em brigade, though there are no signs of that happen- ing yet. Indeed, there are few signs of the campaign coming alive at all. The only publicity the contest garnered at all before the end of the summer was the story of how Avon & Somerset’s Labour candidate Bob Ashford had to drop out because of a conviction over 30 years ago when he was aged just 13.

George Ferguson (Independent) Cllr Geoff Gollop (Conservative) Neil Maggs (Respect Party Anti Ashford’s place is now taken Well-known local businessman Well-known Bristol councillor who Cuts)Trade unionist and school by well-known Bristol and architect, former president of recently served as Lord Mayor. bursar, he took over the Respect business figure John Savage. RIBA, owner of the Tobacco Factory, On Twitter as @GeoffGollop candidacy from well-known local wearer of red trousers. activist Paulette North who had to The Conservative candidate Web: bristol1st.com stand down for personal reasons. is former Somerset County Twitter: @Bristol_1st Web: www.maggsformayor.com Council leader Ken Maddock, while the Liberal Democrats have selected Horfield Councillor Pete Levy, a former soldier and police officer. As with the mayoral election, nominations close in mid-October, so other candidates might declare themselves by then.

Further information:

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ police/police-crime-commis- sioners/

Marvin Rees (Labour) Cllr Jon Rogers (Liberal Democrat) Andy Thorne (Independent) CV includes stints as journalist, TV The former GP took early retirement Local businessman (MD of Thorne www.policeelections.com presenter, director of the Bristol and is currently deputy leader of Security) who wants to make Partnership and more, plus two Bristol City Council. the council more efficient and politics degrees and spells working Web: jonrogers.org.uk streamline the planning system. Eugene Byrne in the US. Twitter: @DrJon4Bristol Twitter: @Marvin4Bristol Bristol Civic Society has its origins in the Bristol Kyrle Society, estab- Bristol Neighbourhood lished in 1905 by Miss Mary Clifford, with support from Professor G H Planning Network Leonard. Mary Clifford was inspired by a meeting, held in York, of the National Union of Women which discussed various ways of beautifying NPN was set up in 2006 to build the capacity of the towns community to get involved with the planning Alison Bromilow Alison FEATURE and cities. (Read more of this story bristolcivicsociety.org.uk system in Bristol through their resident-led planning groups. 15 Today in Bristol, as well as the Civic Society, there are many Since the adoption of hard working local planning and amenity groups which are supported the Statement of Community Involvement (CI) in October 2008, the process for involv- ing the commu- Community acts nity in discussions about proposed developments before the planning for positive change application is made (pre-app CI), has been improved through a number of Bristol City Council (BCC) processes. The Planning Protocol, which sets out the importance of early community involvement, Heather Leeson recently spoke to was agreed by BCC, GWE Business West and Bristol Nancy Carlton about her involvement Property Agents. More specific BCC ‘Guidelines’ with a local planning group. for pre app CI have been produced. Community members are now invited to briefings with planning committees, so they are able to raise issues of concern with the developers and the planning committee members. The local planning agents, architects and planning consultants now Nancy Carlton are regularly talking to local communities through their network planning groups and the results of those discussions have led to a number of good HL. Why did you want to set up a local because people didn’t feel they could com- results for both communities and applicants. planning group? mit the time required to make a planning In addition, a number of groups have been NC. Some of the residents in my area, group work. People tend to coalesce around involved in the emerging Bristol Local Plan Windmill Hill, felt that there were a number issues. consultation process, helping with the Character of issues that we wanted to tackle, such When our local green spaces were under Appraisals for their conservation areas, working on as inappropriate development, traffic threat from the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT3) compiling planning evidence for their area though management and safer routes to school. proposed route, there was a lot of local street surveys and agreed planning principles and We were also keen to improve our green interest. We won that argument and local in the ‘front runner’ Neighbourhood Development spaces and increase the green corridor from interest died down again. Plan process under the Localism Act. the Mendips to the New Cut, along the More recently, residents have become Malago. There’s a good sense of community interested again in planning issues and The importance for each area of the city to have in Windmill Hill, and we felt that it could be were willing to set aside the time to a local planning group is widely recognised, and strengthened by making improvements to lobby for some improvements to traffic there is now good coverage of Bristol by over 45 our local environment. management and the environment. groups; some of which cover a whole ward or We’ve recently started to reorganise and Neighbourhood Partnership Area, and some a few How did you go about start working again. streets. Issues with boundaries, which continue to setting up a planning group? dog the Neighbourhood Partnership organisation, We already had a local ‘green’ group that have long been dealt by Network groups by regu- looks after our green spaces, and we lar ‘cross boundary’ working between groups. amended the constitution to include activ- What barriers have you encountered ity on issues that impact on our neighbour- in setting up your group? There is still a misunderstanding that the Network hood. Then we joined the Bristol Neigh- Our first task was to agree what makes up is a body with a few people who speak for the bourhood Planning Network, and they gave our neighbourhood. We decided it included whole organisation. This is not the case; each us a lot of support and some training about where we live, but also, crucially, where group speaks for its own community and no how the planning system operates. we shop. Our shops are located in another ‘administrator’ or ‘chairman’ can speak for the ward, Bedminster. Any developments to the network. The network is coordinated through How has the group operated local high street and the land surrounding it e-bulletins and the website by a ‘network since it was set up? would have a huge impact on our administrator’; individual volunteers from Network Through the NPN, in 2010, we took part in a community. planning groups share their experience and project that involved working with 2 UWE However, because the shops are outside our expertise with other groups when invited, and the Architecture and Planning students, who ward our ability to influence developments pre-application process is monitored by a small acted as our planning consultants as part of in that area are limited because our ward group of volunteers who direct the developers to their coursework. They consulted our group councillors don’t deal with that area.There the appropriate network planning groups to carry and then drew up some suggestions about is already a well-developed planning group out their pre-application community involvement. how we could improve the street scene and in Bedminster and Southville, the BS3 Plan- thus strengthen the identity of Windmill Hill ning Group, which looks at all BS3 planning as a distinct community. Their report was applications, including Windmill Hill. excellent and gave us some good ideas for Our solution to the problem of boundaries Alison Bromilow making positive changes. was to join up with that group. We felt it Email: [email protected] However, once the momentum produced would give us a better means of making by that project ended, we hit a hiatus our views known, and it gets us around the BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOLReviews BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKSIMAGES BRISTOL OF BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BRISTOL: CITY ON SHOW aerial view of the plan and an informative, reliable. I felt that, The History Press, 2012. evocative detail of the great north perhaps, the account of the ss Great 16 ISBN 978-07524-7000-9. porch. An overhead view of the Britain might have laid less stress on 127pp. £ 9.99 Harbourside with its recent its lack of commercial success, but buildings goes with photos of Welsh that may be the result of a recent Back in the 1920s and of the Docks a visit to that splendid ship, when I decade later. The Suspension Bridge was reminded once again of its is given its due, appearing at least high points as well as its few eight times in all. But how many disappointments. My only real would have thought of the children’s quibble, however, is with the slide alongside, ‘polished by many captions, not for what they say but Our city, so diverse and provides a lucid and balanced bottoms over the years’ (p.106)? for what they leave out. beautiful, never ceases to attract narrative. Here is a team well worthy Many a Bristolian will surely feel a Many illustrations are left irritatingly authors keen to present its ‘compel- to tackle the ambitious task of pang of nostalgia at this picture of unexplained – starting with the ling mix’ (as Dan Brown puts it in the putting the city ‘on show’. lost childhood. Fascinating too are angel (p. 9), Castle Park (p.18), the Foreword). This book takes a new The resultant ‘show’ is stunning. pictures of that enduring problem, stone (?) object (p.23), the young approach, seeking to capture the The visual quality is superb, while the Centre (with a helpful note for girl and the face in the background essence of Bristol by linking up past the documentation provides a non-Bristolians as to why it is not a (p.35), and several others. and present with historical images, faithful account within its necessary Centre!), splendidly arrayed for the drawn heavily from the important limits. The book cover here gives a 1953 Coronation. The brilliant pastel But it would be churlish to end on Braikenridge Collection which the pretty good idea of how wide is its colours of Totterdown also deserve a negative note. This is a must for City Library fortunately possesses. spread. All the buildings you would a place – and they get it – as seen anyone who cares about Bristol, This record of 19th-century Bristol is expect to see are included, often from a balloon: a clever recourse to past and present. Enjoy its ‘slightly supplemented by a wealth of presented in attractively innovative ‘two for one’. edgy…profile’ (p.7); as for Bristolians contemporary photographs from ways. When as here economy of space is in exile, what better gift for David Martyn and many others. A magnificent photo of St Mary a constant challenge, the writing of Christmas or a birthday? Andrew Foyle, author of the Redcliffe is set against a glowing captions becomes a minor art; that comprehensive City Guide (2004), (winter?) sunset, and facing it is an too is a great success: witty, Haydn Mason

SOME RECENT BRISTOL Miner’s Memories of Bristol Radical History Group the battle for a board school in BOOKS AND BOOKLETS the South Bristol Coalfield Since 2006 the Bristol Radical History Keynsham, 1870 -1893. Fiducia Press Group (BRHG) has organised a range by Elizabeth White £8.00 [email protected] of history events; staging walks, talks, No.7 The Friends to Literature: Bristol Library Society 1772-1894. An Architectural History of Bristol It is difficult to realise now that at the gigs, reconstructions, films, exhibitions, beginning of the last century, and for trips through the archives and fireside by Kathleen Hapgood. Andor Gomme and Michael Jenner many years before, Bedminster and story telling. They also publish a range No.8 Morning Stars of the Reforma- Oblong Creative Ltd Ashton were mining communities. of pamphlets. Recent titles include: tion: early religious reformers in the ISBN 978 09556576 5 8 Bristol Region. by Joseph Bettey. £68.00 (includes p&p) Naked Guide to Bristol (3rd Edition) No.16 The Peculiar History Of The Sect No.9 The Bristol Microscopists and the The first edition, published in 1979, Known As The Quakers. by Jim McNeill Cholera epidemic of 1849. was written by Bryan Little, Andor Gil Gillespie No.17 The Life & Family of William Penn by Michael Whitfield. Gomme and Michael Jenner. This is an Tangent Books – 260 Years of Bloody Colonial History. No.10. Redland: the making of a updated version. £9.95 ISBN 978-190647750-9 Victorian suburb. Witty and informative; takes an by Jim McNeill, No.18 Bread or Batons? Unemployed by Peter Malpas Banksy – the Bristol Legacy irreverent look at Bristol. Workers’ Struggles in 1930s Bristol. Paul Gough (Ed) The booklets are all priced at £3.50 and Public Sculpture of Bristol by Roger Ball, Dave Backwith. Redcliffe Press No. 19 Ben Tillett. by Jim McNeill. are available from the City Museum, £14.99 ISBN 978-906593-96-4 Doulas Merritt and Francis Greenacre No.20 The Bristol Strike Wave of 1889- Bristol Record Office and Durdham assesses the impact and legacy of the with Katharine Eustace 1890 Socialists, New Unionists and Down Bookshop. 2009 Banksy Museum Show. Liverpool University Press. New Women – Part 1: Days of Hope. For further information: £30.00 ISBN 9781846316388 by Mike Richardson, www.avonlocalhistandarch.co.uk Harriet’s Family Never before have Bristol’s monuments No 21. The Bristol Strike Wave of 1889- been so meticulously catalogued. List compiled by Mike Manson. Sheila Hayward 1890 Socialists, New Unionists and Mike Manson’s book ‘Riot!’ The Bristol Trafford Publishing New Women – Part 2: Days of Doubt. Sir George Oatley - Architect of Bridge Massacre of 1793 is to be ISBN 142517784-0 by Mike Richardson. Bristol re-published by Bristol Books, A valuable resource for the family All of these pamphlets can be bought 0ctober 2012 historian, and a ‘must read’ for anyone Sarah Whittingham from Hydra Books, 34 Old Market interested in early 20th century Bristol. Redcliffe Press Bristol, BS2 0EZ. They are also available £49.75 ISBN 978-1-904537-92-2 from Bloom & Curll, 74 Colston Street, Shows just how important Oatley was at the top of Christmas Steps. Memoirs of a Black Englishman in shaping the face of Bristol. Avon Local History and Archaeology Paul Stephenson OBE and Lilleith Trenches to Trams (ALHA) Booklets Morrison –The Life of a Bristol Tommy Tangent Books ALHA (representing over 80 local £9.99 ISBN 978-190647739-4 Clive Burlton history societies) has started Charts the life of one of the leading Tangent Books producing a series of booklets by black civil rights activists of £14.99 ISBN 978-190647746-2 respected experts in their field. Most his generation. A vivid social and military history recent titles include: bringing to life the story of an No.5 The Bristol Dock Company 1803 ordinary Bristolian who experienced -1848. by Peter Malpas (44 pages) extraordinary times. No.6 For the Benefit of the Children’: BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOLReviews BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOBKANKSYS BRIS TOLRVE S UBOOS FAKMS EBRIS ANDTOL BOOFORTUNEKS BRISTOL tivals, spin-offs from the show how much he leans to the left. and who won the “Banksy versus Banksy – the Bristol Legacy, Bristol Museum” contest. There’s There are insightful views on 17 edited by Paul Gough also a review of an earlier RWA new ways to engage visitors Redcliffe Press, show, “Crimes of Passion”, lively with museum collections and ISBN 978-1-906593-96-4, criticism of Banksy as an artist spaces. An evaluation of the 158pp, £14.99 (many claim his work has no exhibition’s economic benefits depth or stamina: it’s just visual concludes that the long-term puns and parables), and a benefit of persuading entre- user-guide to Banksy’s weapon preneurs to set up here is more of choice, the stencil (a team of significant than the immediate assistants produce them in an boost to the local economy. industrial, rather than a hand-crafted, process). It was Park Street graffiti that changed the city council’s We learn that he is Robin attitude from prosecuting artists I’m not keen on graffiti. crowd-pullers (the Balloon Gunningham, born 28 July 1973. to marketing them. In 2006, a The painted Leigh Woods Fiesta and Harbour Festival), it More details are on Wikipedia mural showed an adulterer quarry face in the Avon Gorge was free, but a snaking, but still he refuses to reveal hiding from a cuckolded defaces the world’s most three-hour-or-more queue for himself. Why does he shun the husband but in full-frontal view spectacular entrance to an entry was vivid vindication. spotlight? If he ‘comes out’ he of the Council House. The city inland port. Graffiti’s heavily Banksy – the Bristol Legacy could pen an autobiography council polled us and we intertwined letters, explores and examines the and appear on chat shows. wanted it to stay. Current stat- comprehensible only to equally show and its impact. The book He responds: “I have no interest ute law decrees that graffiti and intertwined fellow-artists, do a looks like a glossy brochure, in ever coming out, I figure there street art be removed, rather disservice to font design. all sans serif text, unjustified are enough self-opinionated than preserve it. Should a Even ground-breakingly setting and plenty of colour assholes trying to get their ugly transitory art form, that still modern Google respectfully photographs, but it is little faces in front of you as it is.” divides the public, be awarded doffs its hat at classical multi-authored, with 18 In an informative backward legal protection? letterforms – its logo name well-considered contributions. glance, there’s mention of (when not festooned with And don’t be put off by the Pompeii smut, and closer to This intriguing book asks more lively graphics) replicates a slightly user-hostile home, anti-Catholic chalk daub- questions than it answers, which 15th-century Venetian typeface appearance of the chapter ing in Clifton, criminalised in is as it should be. Banksy would (the sloping bar on the ‘e’ is the endnotes – there’s lots of 1837. Even Redcliffe Caves and approve . . . giveaway). In contrast, a graffiti fascinating background detail Broadmead’s Wesleyan New artist’s signature ‘tag’ merely in them. Room Chapel weren’t spared by FOOTNOTE: I’ve spotted demonstrates an ability to the scribes. wonderful public art at dangle, one-handed, over a The editor, Paul Gough, has Harbourside – Julie Verhoeven’s bridge parapet. assembled a rich mix of views, Paul Gough explains the adver- Red Herring, at The Crescent and contributes three of his sarial ‘versus’ in the exhibition’s entrance on Canons Way. But I like Banksy because there own. Even the publisher, John title. Banksy knows Bristol’s Beautiful, asymmetrically-posi- is a clear distinction between Sansom, makes a Hitchcockian tribal north/south factions - two tioned tiled murals, bafflingly his street art and mindless appearance, questioning the disparate football teams and hidden from general view, are tagging. And he takes so much artistic merit and impact of one elevated Anglican, Tory, Clifton ruined by intrusive official trouble to conceal his identity legacy of the Banksy show merchant venturers versus signage alongside. Banksy in this age of celebrity; a bit – the metamorphosis of south-of-the-river Nonconform- would not approve. like another reclusive local lad, monochrome Nelson Street ist industrialists. Thomas Chatterton. In 2009 into a colourful canvas in 2011. By Gordon Young Banksy loaned exhibits to Bristol Banksy donated a souvenir Museum, but on his terms. The chapters span biographical poster depicting a Tesco- Curators bravely relinquished details, some mention (but not labelled Molotov cocktail to control and the “Banksy versus much, to maintain Banksy-ian the People’s Republic of Stokes Bristol Museum” exhibition secrecy) of the organisation Croft. At this time of writing attracted 308,719 visitors in 12 involved, its political context eBay offers one for £229. Banksy weeks. Yes, like other Bristol and influence on follow-up fes- still leaves us guessing as to

SEE NO EVIL The legacy of the Banksy show – the metamorphosis of monochrome Nelson Street into a colourful canvas in 2011. Photos: Photos: Young Gordon BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL BOOKS BRISTOL

18

Planetarium - Christian Key St Andrew’s Churchyard and Birdcage Clifton - Mike Murphy BCS NEWS Bristol Civic Day was picture perfect

Civic Day is a national celebration of civic to see a range of skills and ages taking We rounded up the day with a prize pride, initiated in 2011 by Civic voice, the part. We had more photographs of presentation to the competition national charity for the civic movement Bristol’s buildings than open spaces, winners. The Lord Mayor of Bristol kindly in England. which shows the pride that people have attended this, presented the prizes, and in our architecture. We also saw many took part in the voting and filming. Students, Heidi Tremlett, Carys Rea and shots of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Jason Butler volunteered to organise this which, of course, is a great local landmark. We really enjoyed viewing all of the year’s celebration of our city. photographs as they came in, and the We engaged with the public further on support from the public was encourag- Saturday 23rd June – Bristol Civic Day – ing. We managed to collect a fantastic The Bristol Civic Day project 2012 by asking people to finish the sentence. visual catalogue, depicting what people consisted of a photography competition “I love Bristol because…”, and captured love about Bristol, and we hope that this with the theme, “I love Bristol because ...” their responses on film. The aim of this highlights the diversity of the city’s built and a Civic Day event on June 23rd at the was to collate a range of views on our city, and open environment. Bearpit in Bristol city centre. We asked and to produce a short film to highlight members of the public to take a photo what people in Bristol feel is important to The winners of their favourite building or open space improve or protect for future generations. Overall winner: Matt Smart - Bristol In in Bristol, and to send this to us. We had We also had a display of all of the motion (cover photo) a great response, with more than 130 photographs that were entered into the entries in total, all of which can be viewed competition at the Bearpit on June 23rd. Buildings: Christian Key - Planetarium at www.flickr.com/photos/bristolcivicday We set up a voting system, where members of the public could vote for Open spaces: Mike Murphy - The best of these photographs were their favourite photo to win the people’s St Andrews Churchyard and Birdcage, awarded prizes, based on creativity, choice award - a family photo shoot Clifton imagination and originality. Photography - donated by Clifton Photographic Made Simple www.photographymade Company. Despite the rain threatening Highly commended: Dicky Goldthorpe, simple.co.uk kindly donated prizes of a all day, we had a great response from the Lauren Welch, Christian Key, Sam Sneed, day’s xphotography course at Ashton public, with many people coming down Jen Land, Mike Hancock, Sian Tudor Court for each category winner, and to the Bearpit specifically to see us, having Davies, Juliet Oakhill one-to-one tuition for the overall read our article in the local newspaper, competition winner as well as vouchers The Post, or heard our interview on BBC for eight highly commended. It was great Radio Bristol. Carys Rea Photo: Stephen Wickham Stephen Photo:

Photos: Photos: Young Gordon Heidi Tremlett Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Peter Main Heather Leeson (Chair BCS) Carys Rea Jason Butler ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS 2012

This is our 22nd year and we have had from members. Our panel, Quentin Alder, Broadly, the criteria are for: fewer nominations than ever, a sure sign Wendy Pollard, Roland Harmer, Peter • Environmental improvement for a of our straightened times where building Weeks, Charles Fox and welcome new new building 19 is concerned. Our nominations have come member Simon Birch have chosen five, • Improving an existing building or primarily from nominees of past years which we believe deserve an award, from • Alterations that improve landscaping. (Architects, Developers and past a list of 10 nominations. members) but sadly few, if any, BCS NEWS AWARDS SITES to be AWARDED Photos: Roland Hammer

ST JAMES PRIORY, Whitson Street. Bristol’s oldest building, greatly upgraded and restored. Architects: Ferguson Mann.

228 MINA ROAD, ST WERBURGHS. New-build housing on the Ashley Vale estate, a unique private development.

HORFIELD LODGE, Kellaway Avenue. Enhancing the view St Jude’s Court, Lawford’s Gate, Easton. across Horfield Common, this is a A new development by PG Enterprises comfortable and well- appointed providing quality housing in a rather care home for elderly residents, run-down area. some with dementia. Architects: O’Leary Goss. Architects: KWL.

The Society is most grateful for the continuing support and interest shown by Bristol Water who sponsor the awards. CYCLING CITY. A city-wide scheme The elegant, oval plaques, now seen displayed across the city, run by the council which will provide have been produced by Wards of Bristol for more than 10 years. many benefits for Bristol, especially by the removal of some traffic and the encouragement of an Olympic The award ceremony will be held at St James Priory, sport. A key site will be chosen to display the award plaque. Whitson Street on 6th November in the upstairs café at 11.00am, all society members are welcome – please let Charles Fox know if you wish to attend, by 15th October. Charles Fox - Awards Organiser Email: cfox [email protected] UWE student award winner 2012

We are delighted to introduce Laura Mitchell, with drawings showed the amount of thought and the Civic Society’s 2012 award winner from the work she had put into the project; she had come 20 Architecture and Planning Degree Course at the up with something buildable and interesting. University of the West of England. The given site was a 1,200 space car park in central Salisbury About Laura with residential, retail and cultural neighbours. Laura has secured a job with the Nash Partnership in Bath, a Design, Planning and Regeneration Multi BCS NEWS AWARDS Maggie’s Orchard Disciplinary Consultancy. Architecture is the main Her project, Maggie’s Orchard, provided a cancer focus of Laura’s long-term ambitions but she is very help and respite centre linked to apple orchards. pleased she will have the opportunity to use her Laura master-planned the whole site, addressing planning skills. the water feature and referring back into Castle Street and an extant doctor’s surgery. We wish Laura well in her career and look forward to following her progress. Laura’s project appeared more grounded than Laura and Wendy many and her documents and modelling together Wendy Pollard

Maggie’s Orchard

Images: Laura Mitchell

The project proposal is for a Maggie’s cancer of apples. This aspect allows the orchard Once in the centre, connections to the care centre in one of Salisbury’s most crucial to provide a secure setting for a Maggie’s orchard are made through defined and regeneration schemes, a nine hectare city centre. undefined vistas, some broken strategically centre site called the Maltings. The master by the building’s timber frame structure and plan derives from the desire to permeate Maggie’s centres support, not only to those louvres. Further interaction with the orchard green links throughout the city, reconnect- suffering from cancer, but friends and family is encouraged by a range of orchard activi- ing the city with its surrounding countryside too. The concept of a cancer care hospice ties taking place in the grounds. Activities by the means of a city wide orchard, like Maggie’s is centred around domesticity. such as grafting, juicing and woodcutting emphasising Salisbury’s unique designation re-affirm a medical innovation to introduce as the city in the countryside. A space to heal, away from institutions, Biophilia (human’s inherent tendency to focusing on atmosphere and elements of affiliate with nature) into spaces of healing. Traditional orchards are thought to have nature. The journey to the centre itself plays The overall concept of my project utilises declined by 60% since the 1950s, lost to a key part in atmospheric healing. The main an orchard setting for a Maggie’s centre, a intensification, neglect, or felling to make entrance from the hustle and bustle of metaphoric relationship of what man is to way for development. However, due to the Castle Street, allows visitors to ascend on a an apple, an orchard is to a city. scale of the site introducing an orchard spiritual journey, glimpsing the orchard. allows the public to interact with a new kind The journey allows visitors to leave of green space. Throughout history, fiction behind their worries as they enter the centre refers to the protective and healing nature through a protective rammed earth wall. Laura Mitchell Help develop

PAG Bristol’s future

21 Why does the Society have a Planning Applications Group – PAG

Every city street, each urban location comprises an amalgam of buildings, spaces, trees, road signs and so forth. Some places have a BCS NEWS dominant or historic character which needs to be nurtured or maintained. Others have a vibrant mixture of styles attracting diverse activities. Whatever the character of an area, any development there should raise its overall appearance and quality of life, and proposals which would harm its overall appearance or the wellbeing of residents or other users should be resisted.

It’s not only the large developments which have an impact on the city. Small changes in the wrong setting can have damaging results. For example, a single illuminated sign high up on a tall building can dominate the night-time skyline. A replacement of a single shop unit with another use with a dead frontage can diminish the retailing developments or redevelopments which can involve the society feel of a shopping street and reduce footfall. A poorly designed roof in months of pre-application comments and discussions with devel- extension can destroy the quality of a residential street scene. opers. PAG aims to get a rapid response to applications submitted, The use of materials which look fine in drawings can weather into often after only a short period of pre-application consultation. drab street frontages after a few years. Change from single family When we assess planning applications, PAG considers the effects the occupation of a house in a residential area into flats or multiple proposals would have on their surroundings and, where appropriate, occupation can herald a change in the social composition of an on the wider city scene. Our assessment considers issues raised by area, particularly if it encourages further such changes. the application including, primarily, the setting, size, design, activities that will take place at the building or site and traffic and footfall that In Bristol there are more than 4,000 applications for planning might be generated. Where appropriate we think about changes permission each year. Within the Civic Society, it is Planning Applica- that the proposal might bring to the social and economic character tion Group’s (PAG) role to keep a watchful eye on those applica- of the location. tions and respond, where appropriate, to represent the society’s We also try to determine whether proposals help to deliver the views. Whilst most applications have no great significance beyond council’s planning policies. Our comments on an application are sent their immediate location, there are always some which PAG feels directly to the case officer dealing with it at the city council. When could have a more significant impact and so we meet every three we feel it is necessary, we follow up our written representations with weeks to consider 12 or so applications submitted to the council in a statement and appearance at the appropriate council committee the preceding three weeks. Looking through the lists of planning considering it. applications every three weeks also helps us to pick up trends in development in the city. New participants welcome We are keen to welcome new members to PAG. If you are interested, How does PAG operate? please contact me, John Payne (contact details below), and talk it Our main focus of interest is the central area of the city where there over. You do not need to have a professional background in design are fewer, if any, groups to represent local opinion. We do, however, or development. The important requirement is enthusiasm for consider proposals in other parts of the city which we feel could Bristol and its built environment and the capacity to spare a few affect, for example, key views, an historic or other particularly hours every three weeks to consider the selected applications. interesting area, or a major route into the city centre. In these Participation in the group helps us all to hone our skills at comment- circumstances, we aim to link up with and, generally, support ing on planning proposals. PAG usually meets on a Monday evening, local opinion. at one or other of the group members’ houses. Whilst our discussions are serious, our approach is informal and we aim to PAG considers a wide variety of applications. These might involve finish sufficiently early to repair to a local hostelry for demolition and rebuilding, development on open land, changes further discourse. of use for example from shops to offices or from offices to student accommodation, changes in the way in which houses are occupied, advertisements, particularly internally illuminated ones and proposals for street furniture such as communications equipment. John Payne, Chair of the Planning Applications Group Tel: 0117 924 0634 NB. Our role is distinct from the society’s Major Sites Group. Email: [email protected] The latter addresses proposals for large, often comprehensive Tributes to Gordon Tucker I first met Gordon in the Autumn The Planning Applications Group of 1999 having just moved to (PAG) often met at his house: the Bristol from London. I’d been manicured lawn, the disciplined 22 invited to go along to the row of shoes in the hall, the Planning Applications Group Gordon Tucker, an active bakelite telephone with the (PAG) meeting but only knew member of the society for shrill ring; and that impressive one other person there. However, many years, died suddenly collection of cards and artistic Gordon instantly made me feel on March 22nd, 2012, ornaments on his monumental welcome without fuss or mantelpiece. Pride of place was formality. He involved me in aged 81.

awarded to the John Makepiece BCS NEWS TRIBUTE the discussion and I’ve never clock; was I the only member looked back. of PAG that would glance at it towards the end of the list of Much has been said about applications under discussion? Gordon’s work for the society After all, we needed to allocate in the many positions he held. Gordon has been a most effective All of Gordon’s family wishes to time for tea and biscuits and our I’d just like to share a few more convenor and chairman of PAG take this opportunity to sincerely adjournment to the Clyde Arms personal recollections. He would and it was always a pleasure to thank society members for their or The Port of Call for further gently push people into attend group meetings. overwhelming support by letter, discussion, embracing civic developing new skills. In PAG, He was a most warm and friendly email and telephone following matters, but also straying into he always listened courteously to person, and extremely patient. his sudden death. It was of great art exhibitions and stately homes everyone’s views and would only His technique was to let com- consolation at the time and the and gardens that Gordon had nudge us back to the topic under ments ramble on somewhat and number present at his funeral was visited or Saturday’s Daily discussions when we digressed wait to see if a clear point of view very much appreciated. Telegraph motoring column wildly. Gordon had a subtle or a consensus was emerging, be- He is so greatly missed by all of by Honest John. sense of humour and accepted fore getting a concise comment us and knowing that his efforts Gordon was an aesthete and with good grace and a wry smile drafted and moving on. Some of and work for the society will be a gentle man. At PAG meetings the gentle teasing from PAG us rather indulged ourselves by carried on is of great help. the sound of grinding axes can members particularly relating going off on some tangent which Thank you all so much. be deafening; he’d let us sound to his IT skills. Above all he just he would eventually close off in off and we knew when we were kept working for the society right the most good-humoured making valid points because to the end – a very decent and manner. His sudden and he’d be scribbling notes. Either dignified man. unexpected loss is a matter of that or he would wait until we great sadness for us all. had fully burst forth and run out John Payne. of argument. Then he’d quietly Convenor PAG Martin Lee move on to the next item on the list. If he was on holiday, walking Gordon will be remembered and Gordon was most generous with I knew Gordon from the early with long-time colleagues from missed as a rare and true gentle- his time, not just to us but to 1970s when I first joined the his dental-school days or visiting man of the old school. He was architects in need of a society, and soon became the world cities, ranging from always kind and patient enough pre-application before that honorary secretary. When I re- Las Vegas to Venice, he would to accommodate a diverse range became the norm. He was tired, five years or so later, Gordon ask me to convene the of views from participants in PAG efficient at Brunel House, followed me as honorary meeting. I found the task of over a long period of time, and is gutting selected plans and secretary. He then went on to give distilling everyone’s views into missed by us all. documents from the PAG list fully many years of invaluable service letter form really difficult. But His appreciation of art and in under two hours. And beyond to the society – vice-chairman, since he entrusted me with his beautiful things in their diverse the society contribution he chairman, vice-chairman again battered blue correspondence and varied manifestations often followed up major applications as well as another (long) spell as folder I could resort to surprised us and was always a at the Development Control honorary secretary. On top of this underhand tactics – trawling source of energy and inspiration Committee as theatre, clearly he ran the Planning Applications through past letters to glean we’ll never forget. rating the individual councillors’ Group for many years. his phrases and appropriate One way in which Gordon’s contributions on some kind of In my opinion, he was never objections and try to make love of fine and beautiful things points system independent of fully recognised – I thought he them my own. manifested itself was in his ap- their politics. He felt we had good deserved an MBE. The best I could Gordon’s absence at PAG preciation of highly-accomplished years and bad years as the do was to arrange a Certificate of meetings is still palpable. I miss filmmakers and cinema. cast changed. Honour for Voluntary Work from him, and I miss glancing at that I recall he admired the work of While not born in Bristol his my local Rotary club. He deserved mantelpiece clock, as it Italian film director, Luchino local knowledge out-dated and more. A great man and a measured out our meetings. Visconti, citing the film outranked many of us who were, dedicated worker for the society. Il Gattopardo (translated as and he was a steady hand in the Gordon Young The Leopard) as one of the finest society from years before the day James Briggs films he’d ever seen. I met him until the day he died. His diverse interests were a great His huge life contribution to Bris- strength and we could always rely tol is largely unrecognised. on Gordon for balanced, intelligent and interesting perspectives on a Stephen Wickham wide range of issues. His benign, benevolent style and guiding hand in PAG will be a hard act to follow.

Helen Pillinger HELP IMPROVE TRENCHARD STREET News from the Major Sites Group The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter planning group and the Bristol Civic Society ask that Unite, the ice rink developer, contributes substanti ally to Ugly car park in Trenchard St Ice rink’s fortress-like street frontage improvements to Trenchard Street. Councillors can help achieve this! The Major Sites Group (MSG) engages with Linden Homes to design a residential-led The street looks horrendous. Unite’s development will double the local 23 the Bristol City Council and developers in the development with an element of employment residenti al populati on to more than 1000 students, making it even more pre-planning application consultation about space. The society works closely with the site’s important to create a welcoming and safe environment for pedestrians. the development of major sites. neighbours, the Underfall Trust, the ss Great HELP IMPROVE Britain Trust, Aardman and the city council. New student accommodation in the The society remains uncertain about Linden’s city centre proposals, which have evolved further than The February Newsletter examined the those seen by the society.

BCS NEWS MSG TRENCHARD STREET principle of the conversion of buildings in the city centre into student accommodation. Wapping Wharf The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter planning group and the Bristol Civic The city council has refused a planning The developer now has detailed planning application to convert the former Gaumont permission and finance to build the first two Society ask that Unite, the ice rink developer, contributes substanti ally to TrenchardUgly car park Street in Trenchard is a race St track IceHatche rink’stt fortress-likepub surrounded street by frontage speeding traffi c Cinema in Baldwin Street because the blocks at the west boundary of the site. Ugly car park in Trenchard St improvements to Trenchard Street. Councillors can help achieve this! proposal was over-intensive; the society The development will include the layout of a The street looks horrendous. Unite’s development will double the local cautiously supports a revised proposal. new public walk to link Goal Ferry Bridge to residenti al populati on to more than 1000 students, making it even more The society supports the conversion to the harbour and a new public space, important to create a welcoming and safe environment for pedestrians. student accommodation of some but not ‘Museum Square’ to the west of M Shed. HELP IMPROVE all of the huge, empty Froomsgate House, between Lewins Mead and Nelson Street. South Bristol Link road The society prefers mixed use. Proposed new road from the A370, the Weston Road via the A38 to Hengrove, The society The society reluctantly accepts the closure supports Transport for Greater Bristol, which TRENCHARD STREET of the Ice Rink in Trenchard Street because does not support the SBL because: the operator’s lease has expired and no one The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter planning group and the Bristol Civic else wants to lease this aging facility. The • The rapid transport benefits are low and Desolate concrete concrete canyon canyon between between ice rink Hosti le publicSociety right askof way that to Park Unite, Row the ice rink developer, contributes substanti ally to society actively supports the Christmas Steps rely on the AVTM to reach the city Trenchard Street is a race track Hatchett pub surrounded by speeding traffi c Ugly car park in Trenchard St Iceandice rink’srink car park andfortress-like car park street frontage between ice rink and car park Arts Quarter who put forward a plan to the centre – see Public Inquiry article page 12. improvements to Trenchard Street. Councillors can help achieve this! city council to improve the dismal Trenchard The street looks horrendous. Unite’s development will double the local Street, to be part-funded by the development, • The employment benefits are unclear. residenti al populati on to more than 1000 students, making it even more by Unite, of a block to house 450 students, to importantHELP to create a welcoming IMPROVE and safe environment for pedestrians. be built above the former entertainment • The new road would encourage more centre. The society has commented on the private motor traffic and it would split mass, height and design of the proposed communities through which it passes. new building. TRENCHARD STREET • The environmental losses are Bristol General Hospital disproportionate to the benefits. The city council has refused the developer’s The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter planning group and the Bristol Civic application for planning permission. Society ask that Unite, the ice rink developer, contributes substanti ally to The council approves the scheme but refused The NorthernUgly car park Fringes in Trenchard (Filton St and beyond) IceDesolate rink’s fortress-likeconcrete canyon street between frontage ice rink Hosti le public right of way to Park Row Trenchard Street is a race track Hatche Ice rink’stt pub fortress-like surrounded streetby speeding frontage traffi c improvements to Trenchard Street. Councillors can help achieve this! planning permission because of the lack of to Hengrove Bus Rapid Transit and car park between ice rink and car park affordable housing in the project. Everyone The NFHRT is the second scheme that the The street looks horrendous. Unite’s development will double the local wants the scheme to proceed as soon as Government will support with a transport residenti al populati on to more than 1000 students, making it even more possible and the developer and the council capital grant. The society welcomes the important to create a welcoming and safe environment for pedestrians. continue their discussion around the level of transport initiative to link north and south the developer’s contribution. Bristol. The route would run from Filton, down the M32, along Bond Street, through the Whiteladies Road TA Centre Centre and across the New Cut into The society supports local residents’ groups Bedminster. The society’s concerns relate to who oppose the clearance of the site and conservation and place making between the redevelopment as a supermarket (Waitrose) St James Barton roundabout and the new with student accommodation blocks. The bridge over the New Cut. In the public drill hall is worth preserving. The open space consultationTrenchard the societyStreet is said a race that track the next Hatchett pub surrounded by speeding traffi c Desolate concrete canyon between ice rink Hosti le public right of way to Park Row makes a major contribution to the character of redesign of the centre must integrate the Hostile public right of way to Park Row and car park between ice rink and car park this part of the conservation area. council’s urban design team with the between ice rink and car park There is a strong local feeling that this site is highways / transport design team to produce inappropriate for the proposed type and scale a better outcome than those recently built of development, which is outside recognised in Old Market and Whiteladies Road. retail areas. The society supports the Bristol Urban Design Forum’s proposal that there should be an John Frenkel McArthur’s Warehouse architectural competition to design the new, Tel: 0117 924 0853 Email: [email protected] The bank who owns this site, has appointed New Cut Bridge.

Desolate concrete canyon between ice rink Hosti le public right of way to Park Row and car park between ice rink and car park Action transforms our city centre

24

Public Spaces Group Progress report July 2012

The Public Spaces Group (PSG) has concentrated on four areas where it was felt some impact could be achieved: reduction of street clutter, improvements to Castle Park, the Old City and the “Bearpit” at St James UK Disability BCS NEWS PSG / BIG Barton roundabout. Council Mural in the Bearpit A pilot street clutter audit was carried out and a presentation made at one of the council’s rights-of-way sub-groups as well as to the City Design Group. As a possible result of this, some redundant and confusing signage has The Bearpit Improvement Group has started improving the already been removed from the city’s streets and spaces. The most Bearpit site according to a number of themes: noticeable improvement has been to the “Triangle” area of Clifton, which was previously a tangled “forest” of signage and street clutter (see picture below). Greening. Hundreds of bulbs have been planted by the group. The BIG has arranged for local organisations and companies (including the Soil Association, AXA, Immediate Media, Oxfam and the Avon Organics Group) to “adopt” hexagonal planters on the site. Flowers, fruit and vegetables are now being grown in these planters. Artwork. An ever changing “outdoor gallery” of artworks is being curated. In addition, colourful “bear-prints” have been fused to the floorscape. The Arts Council has awarded the BIG a grant to continue with this work.

Photo: HenryPhoto: Shafroe Play. A permanent outdoor table tennis table has been installed. The funds for this were raised entirely independently, from local firms and cake sales etc. A stage is proposed for the site to allow for occasional theatre and acoustic music events. Trading. The BIG has arranged for selected independent traders to operate on the site. Currently there is a daily fruit stall, coffee cart and gourmet sausage grill. On Saturdays this expands into a market with additional food outlets and craft stalls. Seating. With funding from the University of the West of England’s “Better Together” programme, the BIG has purchased and installed a number of moveable chairs and tables for the use of customers and passers-by. Plans are afoot to erect canopies for protection against the elements, as well as more communal seating. Historical Interpretation. The St James Barton area has a rich history which the BIG wishes to articulate by installing illustrated boards. These will be produced in conjunction with local historians and schools. Re-design. The BIG is working with the council to implement some structural and traffic management changes that will enable pedestrians and cyclists to access and cross the Bearpit at road level. This will mean that people will not have to use the subways at night if they don’t want to and will allow a safe view into the Bearpit before entering or crossing. Linked to this will be friendly lighting and additional facilities on the site. Triangle street furniture before de-cluttering

Roger Mortimer from the group has been the main negotiator over Castle Park, coming up with some achievable designs for improving some of the more problematic or neglected parts of the park.

A number of members of the group have been involved in meetings and proposals related to making the Old City area more pedestrian-friendly and attractive; this fits well with the council’s Central Area Action Plan to which the group submitted comments and recommendations.

The most substantial impact on public space by the group has been the involvement of several Civic Society members in improving the Bearpit at St James Barton. The Bearpit Improvement Group (BIG) consists of a team of Early visualisation of how the Bearpit could look after physical improvements volunteers (four of them Civic Society members) with various skills (including architecture, urban design, horticulture, planning, financial management, arts and play) who have formed a community interest company to transform the “Bearpit” (the sunken area at St James Barton roundabout) into a space Henry Shaftoe that is welcoming, safe, diverse and inclusive. The BIG is working towards Tel: 0117 929 2983 these aims in collaboration with Bristol City Council, which has designated Email: [email protected] the site a “Community Action Zone”. The next meeting will be on 29th November at 7.30pm, at Historical 92 Sefton Park Road, St Andrews, BS7 9AL.

It will be an illustrated talk by Mike Manson 25 Group on the growth of the Victorian suburbs – with particular reference to St Andrews. The Historical Group has held one meeting since our final newsletter. Ideas for future meetings and offers of In May, Ken Jones gave a talk on the help welcome. history of the old city centre, illustrated from his personal selection of old maps

BCS NEWSand HG pictures, and including his own memories of Bristol going back to the Second World War. Alan Morris Tel: 07766 442495 Email: [email protected]

NEWS New director: following the Strategic review: a number of individuals AGM: The annual Civic Voice AGM and departure of the previous from across the country were invited to a Convention is in Coventry on 19th - 20th director, Tony Burton, to the workshop in Birmingham on August 4th October. Hosted by the Coventry Society Design Council, Civic Voice (CV) has to help frame the strategy. Alan Morris at the Herbert Gallery, there will be appointed Steve Graham for six months represented Bristol Civic Society at the walking tours, visits and opportunities to develop a strategy for the next three workshop. One view expressed at the to meet civic colleagues from across the years. Civic Voice needs more funding workshop, given CV’s stretched resources, country. The event costs £25 and any than it receives from subscriptions from was that CV’s trustees should take a more Bristol Civic Society member is welcome member societies, and a focus will be on active role. to attend. strengthening the financial base. Alan Morris

FREE DAY PASSES THROUGH BCS CUPPA CIVIC VOICE WHILE STOCKS All Bristol Civic Society LAST members also belong to Civic Voice – the national charity for Bristol Civic Society has commissioned the civic movement in England. a limited edition of these fine English Just over a pound of your bone china mugs from Stokes Croft annual subscription goes to China, Bristol. Civic Voice which has over 75,000 individual members The design, by Heather Leeson, shows coming from 290 civic societies. the 1878 Fairbairn steam crane and the 1951 Stothert and Pitt electric cranes As amember you are eligible for on Princes Wharf, Bristol. free National Trust and English Heritage day passes. Download The mugs, which would make ideal a pass at www.civicvoice.org.uk/ presents, are for sale at £8 each; they about/partners/ or write to the can be bought at society events/talks Civic Voice with a SAE. or contact: [email protected]. Civic Voice Unit 101, 82, Wood Street, The Tea Factory, Liverpool All profits go to BCS. L1 4DQ. Tel : 0151 708 9920 Hurry whilst stocks last! Get online and let us keep you informed Who’s who in the society GENERAL ENQUIRIES MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Maureen Pitman [email protected] 0117 974 3637

‘The Art of e-Communication: PRESS OFFICER Beth Hargest Next Steps for Bristol Civic Society’ Get involved [email protected] 0117 909 6741 26 / 07841 610567 The Marketing Group, chaired by Alan Morris, Managing these various supports the society with an array of GENERAL ENQUIRIES Alan Morris [email protected] 07766 442495 e-communications tools including the channels of communications website, e-bulletins, Twitter, Facebook and is a huge challenge for the ORGANISATIONAL Flickr. CHAIR Heather Leeson team and would benefit from [email protected] 0117 923 1322 Aim BCS NEWS INFO additional resource. If anyone VICE-CHAIR Stephen Wickham [email protected] 0117 966 3848 The team’s main aim for e-communications would like to offer content is to draw in new people to the society, ideas or contribute editorially SECRETARY John Payne whilst having a better dialogue with current [email protected] 0117 924 0634 members. then do write to enquiries@ TREASURER John Jones bristolcivicsociety.org.uk. [email protected] 0117 962 0477 Social media channels COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS Social media, especially Facebook and MARKETING GROUP Alan Morris Twitter, are becoming increasingly important. [email protected] 07766 442495 Facebook is growing in popularity and we are We need new members and it’s now possible MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Alex Dunn using it for news and discussions: the format to open a subscription online via PayPal. [email protected] 0117 962 2475 is simple and it’s easy to make comments New members, by the way, get a 50% discount and provide pictures. To find our Facebook for the first year. The website will be reviewed E-MAIL BULLETIN EDITOR David Cave page click on the link provided on the Society over the next few months to make it easier [email protected] 0117 300 9392 homepage or type “Bristol Civic Society” into to follow. WEBMASTER John Gillett the Facebook search field. [email protected] 0777 979 8328 This year we plan to move the website to a Twitter is a relatively new service (it was start- more up-to-date platform. We would like to EVENTS Jeff Lucas ed in 2006) where messages can have up to make it more accessible using mobile phones [email protected] 0117 962 1801 140 characters. Writing short messages comes which have web browsers but rather VISITS AND WALKS David Bruce naturally to a generation brought up on SMS small screens. [email protected] 0117 973 1787 (the Short Messaging Service used for text messaging or “texting”). In consequence, the Technological advances for BCS AWARDS SCHEME Charles Fox use of Twitter is rising and is becoming almost [email protected] 0117 927 9578 as popular as Facebook. Politicians, including Many of you may our councillors, are getting on board and to have noticed CAMPAIGNING “trend on Twitter” is the ultimate accolade these curious MAJOR SITES GROUP John Frenkel unless, that is, you’re a gaffe-prone politician. square codes [email protected] 0117 924 0853 now showing up PLANNING POLICY Jasmine O’Shaughnessy Facebook and Twitter are available on in newspapers, [email protected] 07905 900357 smartphones and desktop/laptop computers posters and signs. making your accounts available everywhere These “Quick TRANSPORT David Cave at any time. Response” or QR [email protected] 0117 300 9392 codes as they are PUBLIC SPACES GROUP AND Our Twitter account, @BristolCivicSoc, is known can be BEARPIT IMPROVEMENT GROUP gaining momentum and we plan to make read by a QR application, which is available on Henry Shaftoe better use of this tool in the future. So far we most smart phones. The QR code pictured [email protected] 0117 929 2983 have 255 followers. below will appear increasingly on Civic Society documentation; it encodes the PLANNING APPLICATIONS GROUP John Payne [email protected] 0117 924 0634 Website update website address of the Civic Society. HISTORICAL GROUP Alan Morris This year we introduced “blogs” so that we A QR application will decode a QR code and [email protected] 07766 442495 could explain what the society is doing and at take one directly to a website without typing the same time provide a discussion a single character. LINKS WITH OTHER BRISTOL GROUPS PLANNING NETWORK opportunity. Do take a look at the recent blog [email protected] concerning the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads As you can see we’re continuously looking at (AVTM) Rapid Transit Inquiry which ended in ways of bettering BCS in order to make the TRANSPORT ALLIANCE James Smith July. organisation work smarter. [email protected] 0117 914 1010 CONSERVATION ADVISORY PANEL Stephen Wickham The website, because it provides an events [email protected] 0117 966 3848 calendar, a blogging ability and document storage (for eBulletins, documents and society ENGLISH HERITAGE John Frenkel archives) will continue to play an important [email protected] 0117 924 0853 role; the website home page provides quick You can sign up to the society‘s e-bulletin at access to our Twitter stream and links to www.bristolcivicsociety.org.uk Facebook and Flickr. Past copies of the e-bulletin and the magazine are also available to download. Bristol Civic Society, Registered Charity No: 244414.

John Gillett, Webmaster BETTER BRISTOL magazine [email protected] Email: [email protected] The opinions expressed in this magazine do not Tel: 0777 979 8328 necessarily represent those of Bristol Civic Society THURSDAY JANUARY 10th Events BRISTOL’S LOST RIVERS Melvin Wood

TUESDAY 6th NOV GROUND CONTROL – FEAR AND HAPPINESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY This talk will describe the location and catchment of the Anna Minton underground and buried rivers in Bristol. It will provide some of the historical aspects of how Bristol has developed around the rivers in Bristol and how flood risk will be a challenge for the future. A Joint Event with Spike Island and Bristol and Bath RIBA In the last decade Britain’s streets have been transformed Melvin Wood is a civil engineer who works in the by gleaming business districts, mega malls, and gated Environment Agency and is charge of providing and developments watched over by CCTV. But have these led to maintaining the flood defences across the catchment of ‘regeneration’, or have they intensified social divisions and the Bristol Avon. made us more fearful of each other? In this talk author and 7.30pm Upper Meeting Room, Friends Meeting House, journalist Anna Minton discusses her acclaimed 2009 book 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE with the above title, recently updated. Members £2 (voluntary) Non-members £5 She passionately contests the way that the privatisation of previously public space is changing not only our cities, but the nature of of citizenship and of trust. WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13th THE BRISTOL CITY URBAN DESIGN GROUP – PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE Anna Minton is the recipient of five national journalist Andy Gibbins awards. She writes regularly for the Guardian and formerly for the Financial Times. She is the author of The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Viewpoint on fear and distrust and is a member of the writers’ panel for The Commission for The City Design Group has contributed to the development of Architecture and the Built Environment. Bristol for over 40 years in various incarnations. Its work has 6pm Spike Island Arts Centre, 133 Cumberland Road Bristol, been recognised nationally and internationally. Its practition- Avon BS1 6UX Café open until event begins. ers include architects, urban designers, landscape architects, archaeologists, conservation specialists, planners, and public art Members of Civic Society and RIBA £2 (voluntary) professionals. Projects include regeneration of College Green, Non-members £6.00 Queen Square and in St.Pauls and the ” Know Your Place” web Booking essential : [email protected] site allowing community involvement in recording the city’s or phone 0117 929 2266 historic environment. Andy Gibbins, who has led the Group since 2008, will provide an insight into the work of the Group in place making and planning. Andy is an urban designer and town planner with over MONDAY 19th NOV 25 years experience in both the public and private sectors. KEEPING BRISTOL’S HIGH STREETS ALIVE BIG He has been involved in a range of urban design projects throughout the counrty. EVENT 7.30pm Upper Meeting Room, Friends Meeting House, A Presentation and Debate open and 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE free to all at the Colston Hall, 7pm. Members £2 (voluntary) Non-members £5 See page 1 for details.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 13th WEDNESDAY 12th DEC PERMACULTURE IN BRISTOL KINGS WESTON HOUSE AND ESTATE Mike Feingold David Martyn

The word ‘permaculture’ comes from ‘permanent agriculture’ and ‘permanent culture’ - it entails living lightly on the planet, Sir John Vanbrugh’s magnificent house and estate was once and making sure that we can sustain human activities in nationally famed and has close connections with national harmony with nature. It combines three key aspects: ethics, figures and events as well as the development of industrial an attitudinal/philosophical approach and an understanding Bristol. It has been much neglected and the historic importance of how nature works. These principles then inform the design overlooked. This illustrated talk highlights the importance of this of sustainable, agriculturally productive, non-polluting and historic estate and shed a little light on recent discoveries by the healthy settlements, either adapting what exists or starting Kings Weston Action Group. from scratch. David Martyn is a Bristol Based architect who helped set up Mike Feingold will explain Permaculture in detail and tell us the Kings Weston Action Group to focus attention on a much of Permaculture activities and projects in Bristol and how misunderstood part of the City. He now runs the group with you could get involved. Mike is a member of the Bristol other like-minded volunteers, regularly taking direct action Permaculture Group and has been working with and teaching to salvage the gardens and restore the fortunes of the Permaculture in various countries for over 20 years, mainly in historic estate. India and Nepal. 7.30pm Upper Meeting Room, Friends Meeting House, 7.30pm Upper Meeting Room, Friends Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE Members £2 (voluntary) Non-members £5 Members £2 (voluntary) Non-members £5