A South Bristol councillor has challenged a housing association to come up with a “more gritty” and relevant name for its new 70-home development after branding the original idea “ridiculous”. Bishopsworth ward Cllr Richard Eddy says the proposal to call the road, at Imperial Park, 'Crox View' is meaningless because the name comes from an ancient woodland on the opposite side of the retail complex that residents can’t see – and can only be viewed from the air.
The Tory councillor is “incensed” at the proposal and instead wants the estate to reflect the site’s history as the former Imperial Group tobacco factory, which relocated there in 1974 from Bedminster until its closure in 1990 and demolition six years later to make way for the shopping centre and hundreds of flats and houses. Work on the last vacant plot began in August after Curo housing association received delegated planning consent from Bristol City Council for 70 affordable homes.
The authority’s street naming team asked Cllr Eddy for his opinion on the council’s suggestion to call the road Crox View, after nearby woodland Crox Bottom which lies in the steep valley between nearby Headley Park and Imperial Park. He has opposed the proposal and is urging Curo to abandon the idea.
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Cllr Eddy, who lives in Headley Park, said: “As a Bristolian, I believe this city has a gritty identity, reflecting the centuries of seaborne exploration, merchant trade and manufacturing industry. We ought to celebrate this fact when commemorating our past in new street names.
“To suggest christening this new street Crox View is, frankly, ridiculous. The new homes are orientated towards the big Hengrove roundabout and the only way of viewing Crox Bottom is by flying over the woodland by balloon or by recourse to Google Earth on the computer.
“It would be much better for Curo to name their new development after the tobacco factory which was on the site, with the prefix Imperial after the Imperial Group employment activities or after a Wills family member, famous for employing so many people in Bristol and their charitable donations.” A Curo spokesperson said: “The proposed street name of Crox View was suggested by Bristol City Council.
“We understand they chose this because the development sits between two areas historically known as Crox Bottom Farm and Crox Top, and we accepted their recommendation. We’d be happy to consider any other suggestions put forward by the street naming team at the council.”
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said local members were usually given a say in street naming and Cllr Eddy’s comments had been taken on board. They said some alternatives had now been suggested to the developer that include references put forward by the councillor and that the authority was waiting to hear Curo’s preference as it would be up to the housing association to make the decision.
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