News / lockleaze
Calls for council to guarantee new community space in development
Residents in north Bristol are calling on the city council to guarantee new community space is part of its plans for a site earmarked for redevelopment.
Bristol City Council is currently consulting on plans to build 37 new flats split between two blocks on the site of the Cameron Centre community building and adjacent former police station.
The mixed-used development on Gainsborough Square in Lockleaze will also include some “non-residential space” alongside the new homes, all of which will be affordable and council-owned.
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But a local community organisation has “major concerns” with the proposals, saying they provide “no guarantees” for community space.
37 homes are proposed on the Cameron Centre development site which sits at the north east side of Gainsborough Square in Lockleaze – photo: Bristol City Council
Suzanne Wilson, chief executive and spokesperson for the Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust (LNT) – which manages the Cameron Centre – says the proposals do not provide enough non-residential space to make it financially viable for a community organisation to take it on.
She said: “The proposals are non-committal too – there are no guarantees that these spaces will provide what the community wants and desperately needs.”
She added: “These designs should be aspirational and reflect the brilliant community. However, currently, we think the design looks like a prison block.
“We need residents to speak up about the building design, parking issues and the amount of guaranteed community space we want to see here.”
The proposed development includes the former police station, currently occupied by property guardians, and the adjacent Cameron Centre, which currently houses the Lockleaze Library – photo: Emily Shimell
LNT has run the Cameron Centre and the Hub community centre on Gainsborough Square for more than 25 years – but the group says the 300m sq of non-residential space proposed in the development is too small.
Suzanne added: “We would need at least 450m sq in the new building so we can keep delivering services for another 25 years and more, keep library services and add much-needed childcare and places to socialise to meet the needs of our growing community.”
If not community facilities, the non-residential space on the ground floor of the apartment blocks could potentially be office, industrial or retail space.
The current proposals include 302m sq of flexible non-residential space on the ground floor. The remaining floors comprise an additional 32 one, two and three bedroom flats – photo: Bristol City Council
Jess Gardner, a resident of Brangwyn Grove, says the council needs to ensure that what is built makes Lockleaze “a place that residents can be proud of”.
She commented: “Right now we are shaping the future of Lockleaze. These facilities being built now will be what our children and those moving into the homes being built will grow up with.”
The current proposal for the Gainsborough Square site is the second to be put forward. Plans were first consulted on in 2021, with the results showing a strong desire for social and activities space and the reprovision of the library, currently housed in the Cameron Centre.
While 46 per cent of respondents called on the council to reverse its plans to demolish the community building entirely.
Bristol City Council’s cabinet member for housing Tom Renhard, says there will be community space in the development and that it will be 30 per cent bigger than the existing Cameron Centre – photo: Emily Shimell
In a statement sent to Bristol24/7, Tom Renhard, Bristol’s cabinet member for homes & housing delivery, said: “We are currently engaging with the community on plans to build 37 new council homes alongside a larger community space on the Cameron Centre site in Lockleaze. This will realise our ambition to build more council homes to meet the growing local need for housing whilst also investing in community spaces.
“The proposed space will be at least 30 per cent bigger than the existing centre, as we recognise the need to invest in communities alongside building homes. We have heard from members of the community about the desire to retain library provision, hireable space for community groups and potentially a cafe.
“These are all ideas to be considered as part of the final planning process to deliver a mixed use community space and although the budget is tight, we will consider comments received in the consultation carefully.
“We’re pleased to be able to confirm that Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust (LNT) will be able to apply for a Community Asset Transfer as the preferred bidder, as they are the existing user of the building.
“This is a process we’ve been through many times with a number of local organisations and have a good track record of supporting community groups to take on the management of neighbourhood spaces.
“We will support LNT to submit a business plan setting out how the organisation proposes to use the space, which we would expect is developed in partnership with Lockleaze residents to realise the aspirations of the community.”
The consultation for the site closes on Friday: www.ask.bristol.gov.uk/cameron-centre-consultation
Emily Shimell is reporting on Lockleaze as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main image: Bristol City Council
Read more:
- Lockleaze residents fight to save community centre set to be demolished for housing
- Residents demand ‘more than just houses’ in area earmarked for more than 1000 new homes
- North Bristol housing development could face legal challenge
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