Yahoo News Plan for 88 new homes at old Bedminster industrial site stirs up parking fears for locals
A new development of 88 residential dwellings has been proposed on Hope Road in Bedminster. Current residents, however, have expressed their concerns surrounding the current lack of parking in the area and are worried that the new development will compound these issues.
National property business Godwin Developments are working in partnership with local development managers PG Group to redevelop the disused industrial unit on Hope Road. According to a letter delivered to local residents, developers hope to bring "much-needed sustainable homes to the city", and plan to replace the unit with "high quality" one- and two-bedroom apartments.
The proposed buildings will range in height from three to seven storeys, "with the taller elements placed furthest away from the neighbouring houses." The letter also describes "sensitive landscaping" that will be used to ensure privacy is maintained, as well as visual amenity.
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The development will be centred around a communal green space and will emphasise sustainable travel options such as walking, cycling and public transport. Residents are particularly concerned about the "limited on-site car parking" proposed.
Sam Peliza, who lives on one of the neighbouring roads to the development, said: "The issue is not with new properties being built, but it's that people have already moved off of this road because they can't park. There have been times when I've had eight bags of shopping and a one-year-old and there's been nowhere to park.
"They're not adding new shops or doctors, and they're going to chuck a hundred cars into the mix. There is no physical space for more cars. They literally need to build a massive car park under these developments."
Simon Boreham, Managing Director of Residential Development with Godwin Developments, said: "We are pleased to have launched a public consultation for the redevelopment of a land parcel in Bedminster into 88 sustainable, high-quality homes. The site contains a vacant industrial unit which has been disused for several years, presenting an excellent opportunity to repurpose it into a modern, thoughtfully designed residential development that better serves the local community and the wider Bristol area.
"Recognising the city’s acute housing shortage and lack of readily available brownfield land, our proposals have been designed to make optimal use of the location while enhancing the visual appeal of the neighbourhood.
"As part of Bristol’s ongoing commitment to combating climate change and promoting health and well-being, we have proposed a predominantly car-free development which aligns with the evolving travel preferences of future residents. The site is ideally located within walking and cycling distance of numerous amenities, including employment, healthcare, education, retail, and leisure facilities. It will also benefit from excellent public transport links, with Bedminster station only 650m away, Parson Street station 1.1km, and Bristol Temple Meads station 2.3km.
Addressing the concerns around parking for current residents, Mr Boreham added: "This project will be marketed as car-free from the outset, ensuring future residents are aware of the lack of on-street parking in the area and no parking spaces available to them in the development. We therefore anticipate that the majority will not own private cars before moving in, minimising the need for parking. Our plans also include ample bicycle storage within secure facilities, and spaces for deliveries and accessible parking.
"We are aware of the wider ongoing discussions surrounding resident parking zones in Bristol, which fall under the jurisdiction of Bristol City Council. We will work with them to address this matter while focusing on delivering much-needed housing to meet the city's growing demand.”
The public consultation for the development is now live until October 7. There will be an in-person event at Bedminster Methodist Church on Wednesday, September 18 for local people to "provide feedback and have their questions answered."
