Former Swimming Pool site on Crow Lane

The date for determining the future of this site with Aldi's detailed application for a store and outline planning permission for 40 units of housing was postponed to 14th January 2009 from the previously announced 17th November 2008. Two days before the hearing on the 14th Aldi withdrew the housing application in the face of a recommendation for outright rejection by the planners. At the public hearing on 14th January the application was approved by all members of the Planning Committee after the Chairman proposed the following additional requirements:

1. “The Committee fully expects Aldi to deliver on their welcome offer to financially aid a sustainable community transport option.”

2. A plastic recycling point to be provided.

3. A scheme for CCTV surveillance of the site and public road adjacent to the site must be submitted to and approved by the Council. The approved scheme must be implemented before the store opens.

The Aldi Store on the former Swimming Pool site

An application for full planning permission was submitted by Aldi on August 18th with full supporting documents. The planning committee will sit on November 17th 2008.
Following the presentations made to the full Community Council and also to the SEARCH Group, the Futures Group met to consider how to respond to the application. There were three main strands to the discussion in the group. Clearly (and increasingly in these difficult times) a discount store with good quality and low prices would be welcome in the area. The location of the store is nearly 300 yards / 4 minutes walk from the centre of the existing shops and as Aldi will not stock newspapers, toiletries or cigarettes people will have to visit two areas on foot or by car / bus. The proposed building would have a significant impact by on the green area along Crow Lane. We need to ensure we enhance our green areas as they are a considerable value in our urban surroundings.
It was clear that opposing the application on the grounds that the proposed store was in the wrong place could lead to eventual refusal and the loss of any discount store in Henbury and Brentry. Thus the Futures Group resolved that we should support the application but press for significant improvement in local transport in Brentry and Henbury funded by Aldi, who of course would benefit from more customers being able to get to their store. This was the substance of our formal response to the planning department about the application. We welcome your comments on this issue on the website.
http://henburyandbrentrynewsletter.blogspot.com

Tim Parkinson
H&BCC Futures Group

Community Conference - 28th June 2008

Our Community Conference on 28th June will start at 9.30 at Wesley College. One of the workshops will have the theme of “The Future for Henbury and Brentry's Built Environment”. Two developments which will contribute to the lively debate are the possible Aldi supermarket on the old swimming pool site and South Glousester plans to build up to 2600 houses on land immediately adjacent to Henbury and Brentry area. Do come and voice your opinions on these and related subjects.
A mini-bus is being provided to take people to the conference leaving at the following times:
Station Road shops 9.15am
Crow Lane Lay-by 9.05 and 9.20am
Charlton Road shops9.00am
Please ring Richardon 950 4000 to be sure of a seat on the bus.

Young Peoples View: ALDI

Question: Do you think the council are right to make the old swimming pool into an Aldi?
As youths do you think that Bristol city council were right to knock down the old Henbury swimming baths and decide to make a new Aldi?
Answer: “Because all the youths hardly have anywhere to hang about and they are worried about the crime.
And yet they are rapidly knocking down all the places to go for youths of which then is increasing the amount of crime committed on Crow Lane. Now I am not saying that it is all youths because it is not but at the end of the day some youths are going out and doing vandalism and shoplifting etc on shops because they are bored and surely you as youths are fed up of going out with mates and having no where to go. Isn’t it about time the council started to build something where we could hang about. If you would like to share your opinion with me please email talenkennedy@hotmail.co.uk
Thank you.”
By Talen Kennedy (13 years old)

Planning the future of Henbury and Brentry

The old swimming pool site
Supermarket group ALDI has recently purchased the old swimming pool site on Crow Lane from Bristol City Council. ALDI intend to submit a planning application to build a supermarket and housing on the site. Residents will be able to comment on these proposals as the planning process unfolds. However, this is the third suggestion for the re-use of this site as previous proposals for housing and a church have been withdrawn. It would seem that several parties have attempted to identify what we both need and want from this prime site, and what the community can sustain from a business perspective. It seems therefore, that the community needs to have more influence on the planning proposals that affect us.

Bengoughs House closes, Brentry House to follow?
Bengoughís House, a 40-bed elderly people's home in Henbury, closed in January. It was run by Bristol Charities who will now convert the site (incorporating the neighbouring area once occupied by the John Milton clinic), into a very sheltered housing scheme, aimed at providing elderly people a more independent life. Additionally, we now hear that Brentry House, another 40-bed elderly peopleís home run by Bristol City Council is also under threat of closure. Whilst the new very sheltered housing provided by the Bengoughís facility will undoubtedly be a more suitable home for some, the local, 24 hour, specialist, City Council provided care offered by both Brentry House and the old Bengough's House is much needed by many elderly people in our area.

How to have your say:

Apart from your right to review and comment upon planning applications submitted to Bristol City Council in your locality, how can you influence what building and development happens where you live and work? 

• The issue of developments in Henbury and Brentry will be discussed at our Community Conference on 28th June 2008, at Wesley College from 9.30 to 2.00pm.
  
• If you would like to join the campaign to save Brentry House from closure, please contact Carole Pyle on 0117 950 4000