Developer accused of waging ‘war of attrition’ on residents

Councillors have rebuffed a developer’s latest attempt to build on an “entirely unsuitable” site, accusing him of waging a “war of attrition” on residents.

James King owns a narrow strip of land at the foot of a crumbling old wall on Belgrave Hill in Clifton, a few hundred yards from the Beaufort Arms pub.

The strip is less than 5m wide and runs 29m alongside the high rubblestone wall that looms over the area close to the Downs that was once a quarry.

King’s previous plans for two homes on the site were rejected as a “joke” by Bristol councillors who accused him of using “Tipp-Ex” in a clumsy attempt to get around government standards for living space.

Now they have thrown out plans for a three-bedroom home with the same footprint and design on the grounds it would lead to an unacceptable loss of on-street parking.

The area around Belgrave Hill used to be a quarry – photo by Martin Booth

The councillors said they would not “rubber stamp” official advice to approve the application, King’s third, despite a warning any refusal could land the council with a costly appeal.

But residents and local councillor Clive Stevens told the planning committee the location was too small and unsafe for housing, and residents would lose precious on-street parking and privacy if the “pokey, dark and depressing” home was built.

The split-level timber house, with two parts joined by a corridor, would have stood two to three storeys high, according to a report to the committee.

It would have required two sets of double yellow lines, one right outside to ensure access for the occupiers and one at the corner of Quarry Road and Quarry Steps to enable a fire engine to get close enough, necessitating the loss of six to nine parking spaces.

It would also have required concrete slab roofs “to protect against rock falls” and a series of rock anchors to reinforce the rock face and masonry wall.

The rears of the houses on Richmond Dale (left) back onto Belgrave Hill – photo by Martin Booth

King’s agent, Mike Orr, said his client’s plans would provide a “permanent solution” for the stability of the historic quarry wall through the addition of a series of rock wall anchors.

“Space standards have been fully met, and indeed exceeded, so we have ticked that box,” he added.

Head of development at Bristol City Council, Gary Collins, reminded committee members inadequate living space was the only reason they had turned down King’s last application in October 2019.

The application was King’s third since he bought the site with existing permission for two, two-bedroom houses in 2016.

That consent lapsed and then national space standards changed, stymying his attempts to get permission for two, two-bedroom homes, then two, one-bedroom homes, each with a “study”, last year.

The latest application for a three-bedroom home drew 43 objections, and the planning committee received 15 written submissions against the plans.

Amanda Cameron is a local democracy reporter for Bristol. Main photo by Martin Booth

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