Here are our answers to questions on both the Sporting Quarter and Longmoor Village proposals.
Following our open consultation period on both the Sporting Quarter and Longmoor Village proposals – here are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
LONGMOOR VILLAGE QUESTIONS:
Is it possible to build on a former landfill site and is it safe to do so?
Yes, and there are other examples of building residential developments on former landfill sites. We have undertaken additional testing which indicates that the site is suitable for residential development. Further testing will be ongoing to identify any issues with measures put in place to ensure these are appropriately dealt with for residential use. Our data will be submitted to Bristol City Council and relevant agencies.
There is a Public Right of Way across the field which links Ashton Vale to Long Ashton Park & Ride. Where will this now run?
Public Right of Way BCC/207/10 will continue to connect Ashton Vale with Long Ashton Park & Ride. It may need to be slightly altered to align with the new scheme but the route will remain. The new alignment will be agreed at reserve matters stage when the detail of the site layout will be formalised.
Enhancing pedestrian and cycle accessibility to and permeability through the site is a fundamental feature of the scheme, which will make it much easier to use this route.
I’m concerned about the increase in traffic. How will this be managed?
With the m2 metrobus and number 24 bus routes both running very close by and heading to the city centre, public transport will be the easiest way for residents to get into the city centre, especially at peak times. The site also provides high quality pedestrian and cycle access to Winterstoke Road and North Street. This makes the site highly sustainable in transport terms.
Our transport consultants are currently undertaking detailed modelling to understand exactly how many vehicles are expected to arrive and depart Longmoor Village, and at what times. Access will be provided onto the B3128 between David Lloyd Leisure Centre and the Long Ashton Park and Ride – from there vehicles can either turn towards Brunel Way or the new South Bristol Link Road.
How much of the housing will be affordable housing?
The development will comply with current Bristol City Council policy.
What are the timescales for this development?
We aim to submit the planning application in early 2021 and appoint a delivery partner soon after the anticipated grant of planning permission later in 2021. Exact timings will depend on numerous things including the planning process, however, we hope work can begin in 2022 and have the first houses ready for occupation in 2023.
Is the Longmoor Village site on Green Belt?
At the moment the site is designated as Green Belt, but Bristol City Council’s draft local plan published in 2019 recommended it for removal as the nature of the site was fundamentally changed by the introduction of the metroBus m2 line, which would form the new Green Belt boundary. The draft Local Plan also proposed to allocate the land for residential development, for approximately 500 homes. Justification for development on Green Belt (very special circumstances) will be made within the planning submission documents.
The site was previously granted planning permission for a new stadium with extensive ancillary commercial buildings and car parking for 1,000 cars, in 2009, however the club decided to redevelop Ashton Gate instead. The proposed development is therefore of far lower density than this previously consented scheme.
The field to the south of the metrobus will not be built on and is protected by Town and Village Green status.
Will there be any commercial space in the village to provide services such as a food store, shops or therapy clinic?
It is anticipated that some limited space in the emerging scheme will be available for commercial and community uses. The detail of this will be developed at a later stage.
What type of homes will be built – houses or flats?
The site will have a mixture of residential units available including some flats. However, most units will be 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses.
I live nearby and would be interested in buying a property in the new development. How can I do this?
Sign up to receive updates on the Longmoor Village website, and you will receive important updates on our progress including when we appoint a developer for the site. The developer will then sell the properties.
Go to this website and click on the ‘Receive Updates’ tab which is located at the bottom of the Latest News box on the right side of the webpage.
Sporting Quarter Residents Q&A
I am concerned about additional traffic in the area. How will this be dealt with?
Our transport consultants, in consultation with Bristol City Council officers and relevant stakeholders are preparing a Transport Assessment, which will consider the transport impact of the new development, promote measures to encourage sustainable travel modes such as public transport, cycling and walking and set out proposals to minimise the impact of the development on the local transport network. This is an ongoing, iterative process. However, the Transport Assessment will be submitted with the planning application and will be publicly available on the council website.
The location itself is highly sustainable as it is served by over a dozen bus routes including the metrobus m2 and number 24 bus services to the city centre and Temple Meads. We will also be installing a vehicle free primary cycle/pedestrian route through the site, additional secondary shared cycleway/footway facilities around the edge of the site and new cycle parking at all site entrance locations. Together with the new bus drop-off point by the multi-storey car park we hope to encourage a significant modal shift to sustainable transport modes amongst those utilising the proposed development.
In addition, we will be making improvements to the local highway infrastructure on Winterstoke Road to enable the traffic to flow better at all times.
How much parking will be provided for the residential and office users?
The exact number of spaces has not yet been confirmed but will be compliant with Bristol City Council guidelines as a minimum. It should be noted that the housing is in an extremely sustainable area with numerous public transport options just a few minutes walk away, meaning that it will be quicker for most people to take a bus, cycle or walk to their destination. Secondly, the apartments are expected to attract younger occupants who are less likely to own a car than house owners.
Parking in the area is already a problem, especially on match days at the stadium. How will you address this?
As set out above, we have undertaken extensive modelling of anticipated car demand from the new development. Our proposals will be fully compliant with current guidelines and will include a new multi-storey car park which will provide parking for the Sports and Convention Centre and hotel. Although the stadium itself is not part of this application, the extra parking on site will in practice also provide additional parking capacity for the existing stadium on match days.
The new bus loading area will also enable more fans to come to the new Sporting Quarter and the stadium by dedicated event bus services which will in turn remove car trips from the local highway network.
Separate to this planning application, we are at an advanced stage of discussions with Bristol City Council about allowing the Long Ashton Park & Ride to be opened for match days. Bristol City Council also have proposals for additional junction protection around the area to discourage dangerous parking in hotspots identified by traffic surveys as being of a particular problem.
Will Ashton be getting a Residents Parking Scheme as part of the development?
We are in discussions with Bristol City Council to ensure any impact on local residents from this new development is properly mitigated. The outcome of those discussions will be included in the final planning application submitted to Bristol City Council.
Will you be relocating the bin store from its existing location in the Dolman Car Park?
The Sporting Quarter will include a new covered bin store and refuse area which will also serve as the main waste processing area for the stadium.
Subject to final design – we intend to remove the existing bin store which will be replaced by a small cycle parking area which will be one of a number of cycle parking hubs in the scheme.
Are there any plans to redevelop the Atyeo Stand or expand the stadium?
This application is predominantly for the land to the west of Colliter’s Brook (and improvement to the Brook itself) and does not involve the stadium.
How will you control contractor parking during the development?
This will depend a lot on the phasing of the scheme and the contractor’s construction methods. The availability may differ during the build stage. A Construction Management Plan will be developed and submitted to Bristol City Council before construction starts with the objective of containing construction parking within the site itself.
Why are the schemes presented as linked schemes even though they are on two separate plots of land?
The schemes are being submitted as linked planning applications as the sale of the Longmoor Village site is essential for the funding of the Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter. Without the financial receipt from Longmoor Village, the Sporting Quarter development cannot proceed as it would no longer be viable.
Will you support a new railway station at Ashton Gate?
MetroWest Phase 1 involves re-opening the Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads line to passengers meaning that additional services from both directions will stop at Parson Street which is 15 minutes walk away. We are fully supportive of this proposal and look forward to the scheme being completed.
The promoters of MetroWest decided not to include a new stop at Ashton Gate in the MetroWest Phase 1 design proposals.
As we do not control railway infrastructure projects, we have developed our travel plan for the Sporting Quarter without a new Ashton Gate railway station included. However, once our scheme is completed it will significantly strengthen the business case for a new stop at Ashton Gate and we will fully support this.
I live nearby and would be interested in buying a property in the new development. How can I do this?
Sign up to receive updates on the Sporting Quarter website and you will receive important updates on our progress including when we appoint a developer for the site. The developer will then sell the properties.
Go to this website and click on the ‘Receive Updates’ tab which is located at the bottom of the Latest News box on the right side of the webpage.
What is the maximum capacity for the different types of event which could be held in the Sports and Convention Centre?
Due to the flexibility of the SCC, the capacities will vary depending on the type of event. These are yet to be finalised but will be approximately 1,500 for conventions/exhibitions, 3,600 for basketball and 4,000 for entertainment events. If an entertainment event had no seating and standing capacity only this could rise to 5,000 but such events are likely to be infrequent.
I am concerned about the height. The buildings appear higher than when I last saw the plans presented
The tallest point has gone up a little in the latest stage of design, but the overall extent of the buildings has significantly reduced from our first proposals. The extra height on the tallest tower allows more space between buildings and better public space at street level while still making good use out of the land available – which is at a premium in Bristol.
This area of Bristol already has some notable tall buildings with the Duckmoor Road tower blocks, Cala Trading Estate industrial units and of course the Lansdown Stand already built. Being located at a low elevation also means that these have less impacts on views across south Bristol than if they were built on higher land. For example, North Street Green and the Parson Street Station are 20 metres and 28 metres higher at ground level than the Sporting Quarter site.
Importantly, we have now moved the highest point of the site further away from existing housing. For example, the tallest point of the residential tower block is three times further away from the nearest house than the tallest point of the Lansdown Stand.
The planning application with be supported by a landscape and townscape visual impact assessment, that will assess the impact of the development from key views around the city.
How will the development help the local community and will there be opportunities for local groups and schools?
The Sports and Convention Centre will have the ability to host a range of activities for our four resident community foundations that run programmes in sport, education, health and social inclusion for people of all abilities. It will also be available for use by local schools and community groups.
I would be interested in a job at the new Sporting Quarter. How can I be updated?
The new Sporting Quarter will provide many jobs during construction and when the new venue is completed and operational. More information on jobs and opportunities will be made public during the process and the best way to stay up-to-date is to register to receive updates via this website. Click on the ‘Receive Updates’ tab which is located at the bottom of the Latest News box on the right side of the webpage. Job opportunities at Ashton Gate, Bristol Sport, Bristol City, Bristol Bears and Bristol Flyers are posted on our website.
It can be quite windy around the stadium. How will you ensure you don’t make it worse?
We have appointed specialist consultants who are undertaking a wind microclimate analysis and building performance modelling. Their work includes assessing the potential impact of the development on the local wind environment, assessing the impact on pedestrian comfort and advising on mitigation measures if these are required. The wind modelling assessment and any mitigation required will be submitted to Bristol City Council as part of the planning application.
The existing shop at the stadium is too small. Are there plans to expand it?
Yes. The existing proposals include a new, much larger shop for the clubs, which will be located alongside the multi-storey car park facing the stadium and new fan zone.
Does this affect South Bristol Retail Park where KFC, Halfords, B&M, Currys PC World and The Food Warehouse are currently located?
No. South Bristol Retail Park will not be directly affected by these proposals.
Will there be new bars and restaurants open seven days a week?
The only new bar and restaurant will be located within the hotel largely for hotel guests.
How often will the Sports and Convention Centre be used?
Bristol Flyers usually play between 15 and 20 games per season depending on cup runs. Most of their games take place on Friday or Saturday evenings with 7:30pm being a standard start time. Due to the flexible nature of the SCC most events will need a day to set-up and pack-up meaning many turn-around days when the SCC will host no events at all. We hope to host an average of two to three events each week, including basketball and a range of community based events.
Will daylight and sunlight to local properties be affected by the new buildings?
A specialist will assess any impact of daylight and sunlight on existing properties before the design is finalised. Their full findings will be submitted to Bristol City Council with the planning application. Draft information received from the specialists suggest that there will be no overshadowing issues from the new development.
Could the new Sporting Quarter attract antisocial behaviour?
Although we will encourage the community to use the Sporting Quarter, it will remain private property with security on site. There will be zero tolerance towards any anti social behaviour.
When will this be built, on what days, at what times and will local houses be surveyed first?
Timelines will depend on the planning process, and commencement of procurement and construction are dependent on the award of planning approval. The work will be phased. A preliminary phasing plan and programme will be submitted with our application. There is a substantial package of “enabling work” required to prepare the site before the main construction work can commence. Currently, the earliest that we expect this work to commence would be late in 2021, with subsequent phases of construction work following on in 2022. If required, adjacent properties will be surveyed before work starts.
