JOINT STATEMENT TO DEVELOPMENT CONTROL (WEST) COMMITTEE MEETING, to be held on Thursday, 19th October 2017

AGENDA ITEM 14
Planning Application:  PT14/3867/O

Site:  Former Filton Airfield, Filton, South Gloucestershire

Members will also receive cross-Party representations from Bristol City Council’s All-Party CPNN Working Group about concerns over the impact of the Cribbs Patchway New Development on our city’s road network.

The recommendation to grant outline planning permission (subject to certain conditions) is, in our view, premature, without first completion and analysis of the traffic modelling data on the impact of this huge development. You will know that transport considerations and the need for further master planning and phasing detail was required in order for highway planners to be able to determine the effect of the CPNN. Without this information, it remains difficult to properly assess the challenge ahead, set aside the necessary resources or even to plan adequate mitigation measures.

We understand the commissioned study into this matter will be available sometime next month (November 2017), so it would seem sensible at this stage to defer consideration of this application until after that time. Not to do so risks giving approval to a scheme and schedule of works which have the potential for creating unforeseen and uncontrollable consequences. For these reasons, we endorse the position of our CPNN working group.

In addition, as councillors for the adjacent Henbury & Brentry Ward, we wish to strongly object to the new ‘tall building’ feature that will form part of the proposed town centre. This 30-storey structure (125 metres high) is of such a scale that it will not only be a focal point for this part of the development on the old airfield. It will dwarf neighbouring buildings and completely dominate the skyline across the whole of North West Bristol.

Furthermore, it would create a precedent in this locale for further sky scrapers. This is not an inner city development, but an outer suburb. This should be reflected in its design rather than seek pretensions that are both unwelcome and unnecessary.

It is regrettable that this construction has not been radically reduced in size or significantly changed since its surprise unveiling in the revised master plan last May. This aspect of the planning application before you today remains completely unacceptable and needs to be revisited.

Councillor Mark Weston                                             Councillor Chris Windows

(Henbury & Brentry)                                                   (Henbury & Brentry)