Many residents of Fishponds are ‘completely unaware’ of huge plans to build up to 2,500 new homes on three industrial sites right in the heart of the Bristol suburb, says a group of local people.
The recently-formed Fishponds Community Planning Group said they are on a mission to change that - and get as many people in Fishponds to have their say on plans which will radically change the area for decades to come.
The large industrial area in the centre of Fishponds is being called Atlas Place, and for much of this spring, there have been consultation meetings and events to talk about the plans for the sites.
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Developers want to build as many as 2,500 new homes on the large area of land just to the south of the Bristol to Bath Shared Railway Path, with factories there moving to new sites on the outskirts of the city.
A group of residents have set up a Fishponds Community Planning Group, and are trying to tell as many people as possible about the plans, so the community is represented and has its views heard.
“We are hoping that by getting the word out we will at least have some opportunity for the community’s voice to be heard, and those voices to shape the plans for this huge development,” a spokesperson said. “We were incredibly surprised to find how many of our neighbours were completely unaware of the development, and have made it our mission to change this,” they added.
“Whatever the opinions - be it completely against, in full support or somewhere in the middle, if we want this development to be built in the way we want it to, feedback to developers and planners is vital,” they added.
The group has set up a Facebook page to try to spread the word, and is flagging up the various meetings and consultation events as the developers’ plans move from informal consultation to more formal planning applications - which is due to happen in the next few weeks and months.
“The objective is that constructive feedback is provided to our council and developers to assist with planning decisions that benefit the community and add social value for our wonderfully diverse suburb - this is in no way a campaign or protest page,” the group spokesperson added.
Around 400 people currently work across the three sites, the Castel Ltd site, the Graphic Packaging International site and the Central Fishponds Ltd site.
Graphic Packaging International (GPI) told Bristol Live that its plan to move to a new site in Yate would mean an expansion and an increase in the number of employees, and the site in Fishponds - where it has been for more than 100 years - was no longer fit for purpose.
What is built in the place of the three large industrial sites is currently being proposed by developers, who say they want to create a mix of residential and employment buildings, including apartments and student blocks.
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