News / shopping
Focus on independent business in new Broadmead development
Developers working to create a newly revamped Broadmead have said that independent businesses will not be forgotten and that they want to design “streets for people, not streets for cars”.
Cabot Circus director Stephanie Lacey said: “It’s key that we integrate fully with Bristol.
“The consultation with the public is about forming what (the development) will look like, what shape it takes and who’s involved. I think that this’ll gives us a real opportunity to protect the ‘Bristol vibe’.
“We really want to give opportunities to smaller start-ups because Bristol has got a lot of enterprise.”
The developer of the project, Phillipa Zieba from Hammerson London, also echoed this emphasis on independent and local businessesm saying that after the success of Cabot Circus they must “continue to bring something new and exciting and that should be a range of international retailers, national retailers but also independents”
Developers also promise to “make sure that the development fits in seamlessly with the rest of Bristol”.
However, Zieba was also cautious of over emphasising their focus on independent business.
She said: “It’s important to note that Bristol is one of the capitals of the South West and therefore it should offer its residents the best possible shopping offer and the best possible facilities.”
Some people have already begun to voice their concerns about the project on Facebook group Bristol Cyclists.
Issues regarding the traffic in the area seem to be a major concern. Steve Loughran posted that the public exhibitions “may be the time to raise the fact that cycling through it sucks”.
In response, developers say that “part of the planning process will involve working out how the transport networks work across the area,” and that those in planning “will be working with the council to find out how to keep that running and operating smoothly”.
Architect Paul Rigby from FaulknerBrowns said that in planning the layout of the new development, they are looking to “fix the strategic issues challenging this site and we want streets for people, not streets for cars”.
A public exhibition about the scheme runs from June 16-18 at the Podium in Broadmead. For more information, visit www.betterbroadmead.com/#exhibition
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