New details have emerged about the plans for an £8.4m youth centre which is being proposed for South Bristol. Bristol City Council is collaborating with national youth work organisation OnSide to push for a central hub for youth work to be built south of the river.
And OnSide has now submitted its planning application to the council, which proposes to build it on a green field site between Knowle West and Hartcliffe. Documents submitted with the application have revealed what the hub could look like, as well as giving more details about the plans.
According to the documents, the Youth Zone is expected to open in 2024, and should host 200 or more young people every day. It will cost young people 50p per visit on top of a £5 annual fee, and it will be open 40 hours per week.
Read more: The £8m South Bristol Youth Zone - 'world class' or 'black hole'?
There will be 20 activities on offer every night including football, boxing and climbing, as well as creative arts, music, drama and employability training. If the plans are approved by the council, the centre would be run by local grassroots youth charity Youth Moves, at a cost of £1.3m a year. There are plans to make this the first of three youth zones in the city, with another one proposed for the north of the city and another in the centre.
However, the Youth Zone concept is somewhat controversial. Many people within youth work in Bristol have questioned whether the millions of pounds could be better spent on more localised youth centres, paid youth workers and outreach which connects those youth workers with young people on the streets, instead of trying to persuade them to come to one big youth club which might be miles from where they live.
And there have been concerns raised about whether there will be sufficient transport route, although the planning application documents say it will be accessible from the 91 and 96 First Bus routes, as well as being a 26-minute walk from Parson Street train station. The south Bristol proposals have been criticised by locals because the development could result in the loss of green space.
But the plans are backed by the council, and mayor Marvin Rees previously said: "Our vision is for the South Bristol Youth Zone to deliver a safe space where our children and young people can go to meet their friends, socialise with others from across the city and be mentored by trained youth workers in a safe and welcoming space.
“The proposed site behind Inns Court and by Hengrove Way roundabout was selected as the most feasible location, which best supports the aims of the Youth Zone. Sitting on the boundaries of four South Bristol wards - Filwood, Hartcliffe and Withywood, Hengrove and Whitchurch Park and Bishopsworth - means the site is neutral, accessible and a welcoming location for all surrounding communities,” he added.
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