Developers ‘delighted’ at government’s refusal to review shopping centre plans

Developers behind the proposed redevelopment of a shopping centre have said they are “delighted” with the government’s decision to not review their plans for it.

The government’s levelling up, housing and communities secretary, Michael Gove, has refused to call in Redcatch Development Partnership’s proposals to build up to 850 flats and a new shopping street in place of Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Knowle.

This means the redevelopment of the site in south Bristol can now go ahead. But it could still be stopped, with campaigners threatening a judicial review against the approval of the development.

The plans have proved controversial after they were approved by a council planning committee in a shock u-turn after they initially rejected them.

Plans to redevelop Broadwalk Shopping Centre site in Knowle can now go ahead after the government refused to call them in – photo: Charlie Watts

The height, density and percentage of affordable housing of the scheme have been criticised, with it set to see flats as high as 12-storeys and just ten per cent of them affordable.

But Redcatch Development Partnership say the government’s decision “brings the much-needed regeneration of the ailing Broadwalk Shopping Centre one step closer”.

As well as up to 850 flats, the developers plan to build flexible shop units, a community cafe, creche and new facilities for Knowle Library – in a development called Redcatch Quarter.

Commenting on the government’s decision, Francis Hilton, a spokesman for the Redcatch Development Partnership, said: “It’s very welcome news for us and the many people who have been supporting the redevelopment proposals over the years.

“For us, this independent review of the planning application is a vindication by the secretary of state that these design proposals are appropriate for the regeneration of the Broadwalk Shopping Centre.

“We now hope that our plans to replace the Broadwalk Shopping Centre – which has been failing to serve the community for many years – can progress so we can deliver the vastly improved public spaces, flexible shop units and much needed homes in the Redcatch Quarter proposals.

“We are still very conscious that some residents have concerns about the proposals and we hope to continue to work with them as we bring forward the detailed applications for each building over the next few years.”

Developers want to build 850 flats and a new shopping street in place of the centre but there are concerns about the height, density and scale of the development – photo: Redcatch Development Partnership

The plans to redevelop Broadwalk Shopping Centre were first announced in 2018, but resurfaced in 2022 with more than double the amount of homes originally proposed.

More than 1,300 people have signed a petition against the current plans and campaigners recently held a protest against the approval of them, as well as mounting a legal challenge against them.

The plans were passed after Labour councillors and Richard Eddy, the Conservative chair of the planning committee, voted in favour of them in July despite rejecting them just a month earlier.

Following that decision, a Green councillor resigned from the planning committee in protest and another wrote to the government to call in the decision.

But Labour and Eddy defended their u-turn, with Eddy even writing to the secretary of state to urge him not to call in the decision. He is now saying the government’s decision not to is “in effect, an endorsement” of the u-turn.

Laura Chapman, Knowle resident and local campaigner, has said they will be continuing with a legal challenge against the development – photo: Mia Vines Booth

On the government’s decision, Laura Chapman, a Knowle resident and Broadwalk Redevelopment Community Group member, said: “Sad news everyone, but we shouldn’t be disheartened by this.

“It was always a long-shot and we almost didn’t bother, but two wonderful councillors were willing to take a punt and put time into it just incase it did come good.

“Until I see proof to the contrary, this doesn’t mean that Gove’s team actually reviewed the case: it just means that the application letters didn’t pique their interest. Eddy clearly doesn’t understand the call-in process at all.

“All of the really murky stuff surrounding Broadwalk is the focus area of judicial reviews, which focusses on fairness, transparency and all the things that Eddy stomped all over on July 5.

“If Gove had stepped in it would have made things a lot easier for us, but it was always the side-show and we’ll carry on with the legal action with 100 per cent commitment and optimism!”

Main photo: Redcatch Development Partnership 

Read next:

• Campaigners demand review into Broadwalk shopping centre decision
• Bristol planning chair urges government to not delay shopping centre redevelopment
• ‘The sooner this shopping centre is demolished, the better for all of Bristol’

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