News / Politics
Reprieve for popular park earmarked for housing
A park in Southmead previously earmarked for housing has been given a reprieve by Bristol’s ruling Labour administration.
It comes as the Labour Party continue to commit multiple resources to fight the upcoming by-election in the ward.
Labour need to retain the seat vacated by Helen Godwin if they are to continue having the same number of seats at City Hall as the Green Party.
is needed now More than ever
The announcement about Doncaster Road Park was made by cabinet member for housing, Tom Renhard, alongside Southmead councillor Brenda Massey and former cabinet member Kye Dudd, who is Labour’s candidate in the upcoming by-election in the ward.
Massey said that the city council “came across” Doncaster Road Park when they were looking for potential sites to build houses on.
Dudd said, however, that the plans were unpopular among residents. He added: “I think we can really look at the future of the park now and improving the park.”
Renhard said: “Following feedback from residents and also from Brenda and Kye, who have been lobbying really hard on behalf of local residents, we can announce that we won’t be proceeding with any plans for housing on Doncaster Road Park.
“Although they were at a very early stage, we note the strength of feeling that has been communicated to us over the last couple of months, so we just want to give that community the reassurance that we will be looking at alternative sites within Southmead.”
Renhard was keen to stress that the situation at Doncaster Road Park is different to that at Brislington Meadows, where before the 2021 local council and mayoral elections, Labour promised to protect and not build on the site.
Only a few months after the announcement, Homes England revealed plans to build 260 new homes on Brislington Meadows.
Brislington East councillor Tim Rippington said that mayor Marvin Rees had shown “a total abdication of duty” in the ongoing saga of Brislington Meadows in a statement to residents.
“Key difference – council owns the land at Doncaster Road Park so it is fully within our gift to implement what we have stated,” said Renhard in a tweet.
“Brislington Meadows was mostly owned by private owner and then bought by Homes England, so very different circumstances.”
Main photo: Google
Read more: Former cabinet member who lost seat could make swift return to City Hall
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