News / Bristol Views
Campaign to give Bristolians their say in city’s planning
A new campaign group is fighting against the construction of more tall buildings in Bristol.
Bristol Views, which says it has no affiliation with Bristol City Council, is jointly sponsored by campaigner and journalist Matthew Montagu-Pollock; activist and actor, Kim Hicks; and co-leader of Bristol Historical Association, Robert Pritchard.
They feel the consultation process around planning in the city has “failed” and want to “give a voice to ordinary people”. They have perhaps used the Bristol Scroll in their logo as a reminder of a time our city controlled its own destiny.
is needed now More than ever
Bristol Views uses the much coveted Bristol Scroll in its logo to emphasise its ideology – photo: Bristol Views
The campaigners are concerned about what they say are an increase in profit-driven projects in the city, including Castle Park high rise and the redevelopment of the Premier Inn and Debenhams sites.
They say a similar stream of high-rise buildings “punctured” Bristol’s skyline in the late 1960s and early 1970s with buildings like Castlemead and Clifton Heights.
The campaign group believes tall buildings are “expensive” and not a rational solution to the ongoing housing crisis.
They also argue that residents in high-rise buildings are more likely to experience depression.
The campaigners said: “High-rises separate people from the street and from each other. They greatly reduce the number of chance encounters that are crucial to the liveliness of a city and to creating social capital.
“The base of a tower is often a dead space, lifeless and unhappy.
“In contrast, mid-rises like Bristol’s Wapping Wharf give residents or passers-by a sense of warmth and community – the kind of human feeling often not found in towering skyscraper zones.
“We want Bristol to remain a warm, human, welcoming place.”
A detailed poll on the Bristol Views website allows Bristolians to share their views about they are really looking for when it comes to the development of our beloved city.
The website also shares pictures of the proposed redevelopments of Castle Park, The Galleries, Temple Island, Malago Road, Wapping Wharf and M Shed.
Main photo: AWW
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