News / western slopes
Mayor to reconsider housing plans for south Bristol’s Western Slopes
Housing plans for a green space in south Bristol have been thrown into doubt, with mayor Marvin Rees “looking again at a fresh consultation with the community” on the matter.
The Western Slopes, an area of woodland and meadows between Knowle West, Headley Park and Bedminster, has been earmarked for over 500 homes.
But Avon Wildlife Trust (AWT) has now announced that it “stands with” campaigners calling for the land to be protected from development.
is needed now More than ever
The mayor’s office has responded to the AWT’s intervention, saying that it is “taking a renewed look at the ecological impact” of building on the wildlife-rich space.
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees is “taking a renewed look at the ecological impact” of building on the Western Slopes in the south of the city. Photo by Charlie Watts
The Western Slopes, which is part council owned and part privately owned, is allocated for housing in the city’s Local Plan.
The council’s housing company Goram Homes has proposed building 360 properties on the council owned side of the slopes, where horses graze.
While developer Lovell Homes wants to build 157 dwellings on the privately owned part of the slopes, which is home to wildlife including badgers and rare horseshoe bats.
But the mayor’s office says that the AWT’s recognition of the slopes as a “vital wildlife corridor” will now have to be considered when deciding if Lovell and Goram’s plans are given the go ahead.
Lovell, whose plans have been met with fury by local residents, is set to submit its planning application this month.
The comments from the mayor’s office come after the Avon Wildlife Trust recognised the slopes as a “vital wildlife corridor”. Photo by Charlie Watts
Friends of the Western Slopes, a group set up to stop the slopes being built on, sees the comments from the mayor’s office as a step in the right direction.
A spokesperson told Bristol24/7: “We are relieved to hear that the mayor is finally taking heed of the AWT’s recognition of the ecological importance of the Western Slopes.
“We hope the somewhat bonkers allocation of it in the Local Plan will now be rectified and acknowledgment made to how completely unsuitable this site is for development.
“We also hope we will soon be able to work with all parties in transforming this much loved space into the nature reserve it always deserved to be.”
Charlie Watts is reporting on Knowle West as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a pilot project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main photo by Charlie Watts
Read more: Avon Wildlife Trust backs campaign to save south Bristol green space
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
