Out and About

Out and about this week in Brislington with Jos and Andrew

Wyevale update:

Here is a summary on the state of the various planning applications submitted by the owners of the former garden centre on Bath Road. So far, four of the five current planning applications have been determined by the Local Planning Authority. Three have been refused and one has been approved: 21/00783/F - Creation of hardstanding for the purpose of ancillary storage (resubmission of planning application 20/00574/F) REFUSED 21/02117/F - Temporary change of use of site to Sui Generis (car sales) REFUSED 21/02287/F - Temporary change of use of site to mixed use B8/E/Sui Generis (builder's yard, car sales and scaffold storage yard) REFUSED

21/02131/F - Temporary change of use of western section of Garden Centre car park to Car Sales for an additional five-year period (extension to planning permission 19/01381/F) APPROVED A fifth application 21/03227/F - registered on 10.6.21 for temporary change of use of part of Class E storage area to a scaffold storage yard (Sui generis) is still at consultation stage. Regarding enforcement measures fo previous infringements, the landowner and their agent have been advised that two of the cases are nearing completion and planning enforcement notices are about to be served. These cases refer to the formation of hardstanding without permission and earth moving and regrading of the land, including the formation of bunds and storage of construction plant and equipment and portable buildings without permission. There is a right of appeal against the planning decisions and the planning enforcement action and as always we will keep you updated.

Callington Road Nature Reserve update:

This week we had a meeting with representatives of the Friends of Callington Road Nature Reserve together with council conservation officers. We are hoping to do a biodiversity survey of the pond to see what species are currently present and how we can promote wildlife. We also discussed the upper slopes and new signage to remind dog owners to keep their dogs on the lead when in that part of the nature reserve in order to protect the deer. The Friends are also planning to have an open day on Saturday 4 September from 10 to 2pm. There will be nature trails, owl-oiling, painting of signage, a litter pick and removal of litter from the pond, among other activities. We’ll post more details when we have them.

Next March, the contract to run Jubilee Pool ends and the Friends group are working hard to ensure a Community Asset Transfer.

However, there is likely to be a delay in completing the legal paperwork and we are worried the pool will be forced to close while the paperwork is completed. This week, your local Liberal Democrat Councillors wrote to the Mayor to seek his assurance that there will be a plan in place to ensure the pool can remain open. Here is the text of the letter: “We are writing with news of Jubilee pool and seeking an assurance. The pool since reopening has gone from strength to strength.

Membership has increased significantly and now is currently over 500. This may of course vary but even at half this level the operation is viable financially. Prior to 19 July sessions were constrained and the biggest complaint was the difficulty of getting a vacancy in the completely full sessions. The number and size of the sessions has increased significantly and the friends group are doing a great job of assisting and advising the operators. The friends are also busy preparing for an asset transfer but we all know that the council legal department will have no chance of completing the paperwork before next March. The local community has been ready since 2017 to take up the reins and we repeated this in our petition last year. The operators have been given confidence by the community backing but as of this moment there has been a refusal from officers to respond positively to make sure that there is no gap in arrangements between next March and any future date for handover. An extension of the arrangement with the operators will cost nothing but will give them the ability to plan staffing and investment and further increases to service provision.

We look forward to your confirmation of continued opening of this extremely valuable and successful public facility.”

Fencing repaired: We are delighted the damaged fencing on the riverside path from Water Lane to Tesco has been repaired. Having written to the City Council about the issue, we were concerned that budgetary constraints would mean the fencing would not be repaired for some time. However, Tesco got in touch with us to say that although it was not their responsibility, they were going to repair the fencing as many of their customers used that route to and from the shop. Well done Tesco!

By Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.jos.clark@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 370429 Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.andrew.varney@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 183381