The people of Bristol have reacted to news that a cinema and some 880 new homes could replace a South Bristol shopping centre - and opinions seem largely mixed.
Yesterday (May 3) Bristol Live reported that one of South Bristol's biggest shopping centres could be demolished to make way for 880 new flats, a two-screen cinema, library and new streets full of shops. Developers have offered up these plans as their first submission to council planners, as their vision to transform the Broadwalk Shopping Centre at the heart of Knowle into 'Redcatch Quarter'.
It's set to be in the same mould as Bristol's Wapping Wharf, with 12-storey blocks of flats either side of a new pedestrianised street lined with shops, restaurants and bars.
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In response, Bristol Live readers have voiced both their support and their concerns of the proposal, reminiscing amenities in the area that have come and gone before and looking ahead to what the future may hold for such a development and its local community. Issues raised included just how environmentally friendly the development will be, whether there will be parking, whether the cinema or library will actually be used and how elderly or disabled individuals, or in fact families, will be able to access flats in skyrise properties.
One person commented: "What a brilliant idea! At a time when there is a shortage of housing for families and low-rise accessible housing for the elderly and disabled, propose to build yet more birdbox apartments that will tower over nearby houses whilst neglecting to include minor inconveniences like extra doctors surgeries and green space.
"It would seem based on this and other recent proposals and indeed ongoing building in some places that the mayoral vision for the city is build 'em tall and cram 'em in high-rises full of young, single people, where residents zip about on e-scooters or cycles and where families, the disabled and the elderly are no longer welcome nor provided for."
A second described the area as being "already overpopulated" saying that flats are "not needed here" and instead suggesting that "a good spruce up" and some more suitable shops were all that's needed. Similarly, other locals requested that more houses with gardens, green spaces and even a doctor's surgery were to be placed here instead.
Someone else referenced the city's mission to be 'greener', writing: "One minute, we have to think of the environment. The next, we need to overpopulate the city.
"Humans use up the resources. Not hard to figure that one out."
While on the other side of the debate, one individual penned: "What a fantastic development, the area could really do with it. It's beggars belief some people are against it, more homes to help with the housing crisis, better shops instead of the countless pound and pawn or betting shops, and an influx of 800 plus people to spend their money in the local area.
"What's there not to like? As they say you cant stand in the way of progress and I'll certainly be adding to my portfolio."
To which one person replied: "No facilities means there is nowhere to spend money locally. Adding to your portfolio means you are a landlord. We want houses with gardens for children, not flats with expensive service charges."
And on the subject of commuting and Bristol's parking situation, one Bristolian said: "I assume anyone living there will be prohibited from owning a car? Forget the 'you don't need a car brigade', which for the majority of people is nonsense (may not need for work or shopping, but what about those trips away from Bristol), every flat should have one car parking space."
In the midst of the (mostly) friendly discussion around whether or not the local area needed such a drastic overhaul, thoughts turned to tomorrow's local elections with some wondering if these plans may change considerably if new leadership is brought into the city. Some questioned whether the likes of a cinema or library would be used with streaming services now prominent in day-to-day lives - some locals remembered the previous cinema just down the road from the shopping centre, The Gaiety, which even had its own 125-person dance hall on the first floor and had been demolished back in 2003 so say to make way for more housing.
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