Sainsbury’s and City respond to refusal recommendation with fears over regeneration
By Hannah2009 | Thursday, February 24, 2011, 12:02
Following Bristol City Council’s planning officers’ recommendation to refuse Sainsbury’s application to develop Bristol City FC’s ground at Ashton Gate, concerns have been raised about the potential loss of investment and regeneration for south Bristol.
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Would a Sainsbury's store at Ashton Gate help regeneration in south Bristol?
The planning officers in their report decided that, on balance, the negative impact of a superstore at Ashton Gate on Bedminster’s North Street and East Street outweighed the positive benefits that the scheme would bring.
Click here to reading the planning officers’ report.
Sainsbury’s
In response to the planning officers’ report, Sainsbury’s has told Bedminster People that not enough weight has been given to the potential regeneration the development of the site will enable in south Bristol.
Jamie Baker, Sainsbury’s Head of Property Development (South), said: "We are disappointed by the Council’s recommendation, which we believe undervalues the contribution that our proposal will make to regeneration in South Bristol.
“The report notes that a different conclusion could be reached depending on the weight individuals give to, for example, the benefits of a new stadium or more housing – both of which this proposal enables.
“Councillors will make their own judgement as to whether Sainsbury's and Bristol City Football Club’s proposals, which represent an investment in excess of £100m, are an opportunity not be missed.
“A vote for this proposal will send a clear message to the people of South Bristol that Councillors are serious about securing the regeneration of the area.”
Bristol City FC
Meanwhile, Bristol City FC chairman Steve Lansdown has told the Bristol Evening Post that the club will continue to fight for the new stadium at Ashton Vale, and that a new superstore at Ashton Gate is crucial to the project, because of the funding it will provide.
He said: "You cannot take 20 per cent of the funding out of a project of this size and expect to find it elsewhere, despite what some people might think."
The club's chief executive, Colin Sexstone, said: "The club is disappointed with the officers' recommendation. It fails to recognise the many benefits this development will bring to the wider area.
"It is important to remember that this is one of three major projects in south Bristol, along with the new stadium and regeneration of the Winterstoke Road site, which between them will bring over £100m of private sector investment and thousands of jobs to the area.
"Between them they will help the local economy grow which in turn means that any potential impact on local shops will be far outweighed by the substantial positive economic impact of the major developments.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that cannot be overlooked in today's economic climate."
The Development Control (South and East) committee meets to decide on Sainsbury’s application next Wednesday, 2 March 2011. The meeting starts at 6pm at the Council House and is open to the public.
What do you think?
Do you agree with Bristol City and Sainsbury’s that to refuse planning permission for the store and the stadium would be to miss a great opportunity to secure investment for the area and regenerate south Bristol? And should that matter more than the impact on Bedminster?
Comments
You asked for my comments on the Sainsbury application. I'm not on the Planning Commitee so can offer a personal view as follows.
My view as one of the Bedminster Councillors is we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure over £200m investment for South Bristol. At a time of savage public spending cuts (£76m for Bristol alone), can we really afford to turn away this possibility?
Council officers are saying the latest proposal is a significant improvement (on the previous application) in terms of environmental standards. Officers also say that the traffic and air quality impacts can be managed. I prefer the latest store proposal to the one turned down last year. as, yes, they are radically different, particularly in terms of public transport access and sustainability.
And, impact assessments are trying to predict economic circumstances 5 or more years away. A slight adjustment in the factors used or their weighting can produce radically different results. Can we accurately predict what's going to happen with the economy this month, let alone in 2015?
I also know residents are divided in their views. Both Colin Smith (my co-councillor) and I have been consistent in our support for the stadium and store proposals, but we have also encouraged people to comment; whether for or against the applications.
People expect their politicians to have views and be clear about what these are (and to keep their pledges). I'm convinced that the store will retain and create jobs for Bedminster and BS3. It would enable the stadium to be developed and this, together with the store and existing Winterstoke Rd site, will create jobs during construction and beyond. There can be no doubt about this.
I also respect opposing views but I would say that those opposing the store application (and probably the stadium too) should look at the specific details, stick to the facts and look at the wider gain for Bristol as a regional capital. We lack first class sporting and entertainment venues - this is damaging our city economy.
Madcap proposals grabbed out of thin air for a stadium at Temple Meads, for example, are just not viable or do-able. They are red-herrings. I've estimated that if all the schemes proposed for Temple Meads were to be built we would be looking at a new city!
I may not hold a currently fashionable view and expect a further online battering from those who believe (but rarely practice themselves) that everybody should shop for 100% of everything in local independent retailers. That was a bygone age. We all know that the vast majority of people find that shopping in a mix of local shops and bigger stores works for them and suits their pocket and time availability. Convenience and affordability remain very important to most of us.
And, before readers ask, unlike some commentators I haven't got a particular axe to grind from having property and other investments in the area. Politicians have to decalre such things.
Bringing visitors into Bedminster is a good thing, particularly if they spend in our local shops (large and small), places to eat and stay. A state of the art stadium would be the attraction to do this. Without the store, the stadium must look very doubtful given the funding gap it would result.
Mark Bradshaw
Cllr for Bedminster
By bedminster06 at 14:00 on 25/02/11
ReportThat is what really annoys me! We’ve been bottom of the pile for years. But we have to be careful what we wish for with the ring road, look what the council came up with last time they thought about it! Another great example of grand plans going pearshaped and the damage that can be done to communities that are left to suffer for decades is Totterdown. It had the heart ripped out of it by that ridiculous ring road plan with all the shops and houses along the Wells Road, St John’s and St Luke’s pulled down and it has hardly recovered 30 years later. No shops = no community heart and that is the prospect staring Bedminster in the face now. It seems what we’re looking at here is regenerating the rest of South Bristol by driving Bedminster into the ground! And considering City’s links with Bedminster that’s a nice parting stab in the back for the community that’s supported them all these years.
By Mrs_W2009 at 18:19 on 24/02/11
ReportWhats new - Bedminster and its surrounding area is always bottom of the pile when it comes to dishing out any benefits or services. I have lived for 25 years on parson street gyratory and there have been promises since I moved there in 1985 about the ring road to take much of the traffic away from such a congested and residential area but we are still waiting. The traffic and the pollution increases year on year. If the stadium goes ahead then that might just speed up the traffic management plans so that we may actually get some advantage. Parson Street school couldnt wait and have actually built the new addition around the edge of the site to keep the traffic fumes from poisoning the children!
By brhosjm at 17:48 on 24/02/11
ReportThey have carefully worded their responses to address the benefits that would be felt across 'the wider area', South Bristol, and citywide – well, that may be so, but if the report is to be believed then the flip side appears to be that Bedminster will be disproportionately disadvantaged. What they’re effectively saying is that Bedminster should 'take one for the team'. Difficult.
By Gambit72 at 17:15 on 24/02/11
ReportBoth City and Sainsburys have their own selfish reasons for this to go ahead.Leave this alone and let the experts[?] at the council get regeneration of the area underway,starting with the severe traffic problems which they have made worse with their own anti - car ideas.
P.S. I'm a City supporter and season ticket holder and cannot see why City do not stay where they are and get their football sorted out first.
By dumper1 at 17:10 on 24/02/11
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