Community Consultation

Come and See and comment on the plans for the Park at Crow Lane

On Saturday 12th of September
From 10am-4pm
At the Crow Lane
end of the Park

The Crow Lane Open Space area has been identified by the City Council as under valued . It now proposes to improve it. Views of local people, community groups and Bristol City Council have shaped a plan for making the Park more attractive to be used by those who live near it.
For further information contact Sarah Foster.
Tel. 01249 750168
email: sarah@sfplanninglink.co.uk

More details on the article Crow Lane Open Space Project

PRC Redevelopment Project

Background
38 council, unrepaired Woolaway type PRCs in Henbury are to be knocked down and the affected areas redeveloped, with brand new council homes and private homes for sale.
In addition to the homes, there are some garage sites which will also be used as part of the PRC Redevelopment Project to provide additional housing.

What has been happening so far?
Since the last article, the following has been happening on the PRC Redevelopment Project:
· The Project Team are still going through the selection process to find a developer.
· As part of this process, Officers have been involved in detailed discussions with the short-listed developers about all the complex issues related to the PRC Redevelopment Project.
· Site investigation surveys have been happening across all 4 estates, including Henbury. The surveys were carried out to assess the information needed to produce detailed designs for the redevelopment, such as the levels and makeup of the land.

What will be happening next?
Once the detailed discussions stage has been completed, short-listed developers will be asked to produce their final tenders for the Council to assess and then make a final decision.
The final tenders will be submitted in Summer 2009.
How does this affect PRC Tenants?
PRC tenants affected by the redevelopment proposals are all aware that they will need to move at some point. We don’t know yet who will be moving where. We do know that:
· Tenants will be moved in small phases
· When a phase has been identified all tenants within it will become top priority for rehousing – we will contact you ahead of this
· We will accommodate all PRC tenants’ needs, and their wishes as far as possible
· All newly built properties will be offered to PRC tenants first.
The Council are aware that there have been delays to the timescales previously given in the newsletter and also in the PRC Newsletter which is published, but we will ensure that all affected tenants will be contacted ahead of any moves taking place.
If you are a PRC tenant in Henbury, and would like to speak with someone about this please call 352 5253, or 352 5284.

How can I find out more?
Visit our web page ‘PRC Redevelopment Project’, on the Bristol City Council Website: www.bristol.gov.uk
Or email the priority stock team :
priority.stock.team@bristol.gov.uk
If you would like to speak with someone, contact:
Beth Ridley, Project Officer on 352 5253 or
Kaj Parmar, Project Officer on 352 5284.

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.

The Co-operative Invests £300,000 in Bristol

The Co-op food store in Henbury, Bristol has unveiled a smart new look on Thursday (May 1) following the completion of a £300,000 revamp that has created four new jobs.
The Crow Lane store will feature the consumer-owned Co-operative Group's new identity, The co-operative, which aims to highlight improved service standards across its 4,500 outlets in the UK, including its travel, pharmacy, funerals and bank branches, as well as its commitment to supporting local communities and ethical trading policies.
Pupils from Blaise Primary School will performed the ribbon cutting ceremony and accepted a donation of £200 for their school’s funds to mark the occasion.
The community store is being transformed with modern décor and a more shopper-friendly layout. The store’s emphasis will be on fresh foods with a wider range available, while the hot food range is being extended to include pies and pasties. All beers and white wines will now be chilled, and popular services, including the lottery, paypoint and an external cash machine, are being retained.
As the leading supermarket supporter of Fairtrade foods, The co-operative’s popular Fairtrade products will feature and the store will carry the retailer’s own health and beauty range with products that are not tested on animals.
Shoppers will also benefit from The co-operative’s policy on honest labelling which gives the full facts about its food and drink products, while customers can carry shopping home in 100 percent degradable bags.
The Co-operative Group also gives its customer members a share* of its profits in cash. Members can choose to keep the twice-yearly payouts or donate all or part of them to local worthy causes.
“We provide a much valued service for the local community and I am confident our shoppers will be delighted with our improved store and wider selection of goods which will better meet all the community’s daily grocery needs,” said manager Grant Caddick.

Notes *
Unlike many large organisations, The Co-operative Group is owned by its consumer members and seeks to return a share of its profits to the people who trade with it.
Becoming a member of The Co-operative Group costs just £1 and under the profit share scheme, members earn points on their trade with all the Group’s businesses including food stores, travel, pharmacy and funeral outlets as well as the Co-operative Bank and Co-operative Insurance (CIS). points are converted into a share of profits and paid out twice a year.

Media enquiries: Contact Gideon Fireman, senior public relations officer on 0161 827 5283 or 07711 925 839

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)

PRC Redevelopment Project

Background
38 council, unrepaired Woolaway type PRCs in Henbury are to be knocked down and the affected areas redeveloped. The current plan indicates 127 new homes are proposed to be built in Henbury – that is 38 council homes, and 89 private homes for sale.
There are 9 sites in Henbury, (8 garages, 1 disused allotment) which, in addition to the PRC sites are proposed to be used as part of the PRC Redevelopment Project to provide additional housing.
What has been happening so far?
Since the last article, the following has been happening on the
PRC Redevelopment Project:

• Planning Briefs were prepared following feedback from residents at consultation events that were organised in December 2006.
• Initial Development Proposals (IDPs) – were produced, sketch plans of how the new development could look including setting out proposed design, layout and density for the PRC sites.
• Exhibitions were held in the four estates in December 2007 on the IDP’s. These plans were well received, and many comments made have been taken on board and incorporated into the revised plans.
• The feedback from the community, as well as comments from Planning officers have resulted in revisions to the Planning Briefs and IDPs.
• The revised Planning Brief’s and IDP’s will be given to shortlisted developers for their proposals for the PRC sites.
• Further community consultation will take place ahead of any planning applications being submitted.

What will be happening next?
The council have started the selection process to appoint a private developer to deliver the PRC Redevelopment Project and build the new council and private homes.
Over the course of the next year, council officers, working with councillors and resident representatives, will meet with interested developers, ask them to propose their ideas for delivering the scheme, and make sure the council is getting value for money.
The final developer will be selected in Spring 2009.

How does this affect PRC Tenants?
PRC tenants affected by the redevelopment proposals are all aware that they will need to move at some point. We don’t know yet who will be moving where. We do know that:

• Tenants will be moved in small phases
• When a phase has been identified all tenants within it will become top priority for rehousing – we will contact you ahead of this
• We will accommodate all PRC tenants’ needs, and their wishes as far as possible
• The aim is to move people only once, either to a newly built property or an existing Council property.
• All newly built properties will be offered to PRC tenants first.
• A PRC newsletter is due to be published in July 2008 to update all those affected.

How can I find out more?
Visit our web page ‘PRC Redevelopment Project’, on the Bristol City Council Website: www.bristol.gov.uk
Or email the priority stock team :
priority.stock.team@bristol.
gov.uk
If you would like to speak with someone, contact:
Beth Ridley, Project Officer on 352 5253 or
Kaj Parmar, Project Officer on 352 5284

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
  

SEARCH Group

The SEARCH group is a partnership of agencies, residents and community members, who meet every second Friday of each month at Henbury Youth centre, Machin Road at 10.00am. Every other month we have a walkabout and identify any problem or issue, such as graffiti, fly tipping, criminal damage, litter and so forth, which are then passed to the relevant agency or actioned by the group. If you see any of the above you can report to Bristol City Council call centre on 0117 9223838.

The group has recently been involved with opposing a alcohol licence application for a potential convenience store on Crow Lane and keeping up to date with planning applications for development. We welcome new members to the group and if you are interested in joining the group or want more details contact: Cheryl Coles on 07810506846 or email Cheryl.Coles@bristol.gov.uk.

Thank you all SEARCH group members for all their support and hard work last year. We look forward to another successful year.