Our Vision
SCAN recognises that Bristol desperately needs more housing - and we are actively PRO-DEVELOPMENT - but it’s got to be the right one for our community and for Bristol as a whole.
This development is simply not the right one and does not bring benefits to those who need it most.
We really want the site to be used - but in a way that reinstates the social benefits and well being for the local community - both in Westbury Park and across Bristol, rather than being a commercially-led scheme for shareholders outside our city.
We believe that a wiser, more responsible and more ethical approach could deliver an outstanding development for our neighbourhood - in design, purpose and impact.
Our community-led alternative vision for St Christopher’s would honour the legacy of SEND provision delivered on the site to families across Bristol for the last 70 years, meeting a real crisis in specialist education needs and placing. At the same time we aim to provide desperately needed affordable & sustainable homes for key workers and families as well as protect the valuable green space and mature trees so this green lung at the heart of our community can be enjoyed by everyone who lives locally - especially our children.
We believe our vision would enhance the quality of life of existing residents in Westbury Park and bring far more social benefit and interest to our local community.
The proposals put forward by the FORE Partnership will not achieve any of these objectives.
We insist that any plans for development of this very special site must be both sensitive to the environment, wildlife, architecture, ambience and heritage of Westbury Park, and appropriate in size, height, mass and density to the surrounding mainly 2-storey houses.
We have an entirely different vision of what should happen to this very important site within the Downs Conservation area. SCAN has worked very closely with the long-established Westbury Park Community Association (WPCA) to develop six community planning principles that must be adhered to.
We are asking Bristol City Council to ensure that any development of this site complies with the following planning principles.
RESPECT THE LOCAL HISTORY AND CONTEXT: Recognise the two distinct parts of the site – enhance and protect the villas at the front, and ensure that development in the rear land, behind the villas, reflects the scale and character of the 2-storey housing in adjacent streets.
DO NOT MAKE OUR TRAFFIC AND PARKING ANY WORSE: Ensure that any development will not lead to any additional traffic or parking in surrounding streets - road safety must be prioritised.
RESPECT OUR HOMES: Safeguard the privacy of properties surrounding the site - no new buildings should be taller than existing buildings in the rear land.
BE GENUINELY GREEN: There should be a net gain in biodiversity; protecting existing trees, landscape and wildlife. Plans must respond to the current global climate and ecological emergencies.
DO NOT OVERDEVELOP THE SITE: This largely green space should not be overdeveloped but should maintain and enhance the unique and special character of Westbury Park, which is a designated Conservation Area.
KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE: Recognise that, in the interests of public safety, there should be no access to the site from Bayswater Avenue or The Glen.
We have prepared a more detailed statement of the community’s planning principles for this site. It is provided here. This document was submitted to Bristol City Council on 3 November 2021 and is a formal submission to the pre-application process relating to this site.
