A shock U-turn on a decision to knock down a shopping centre in South Bristol has been slammed by campaigners as a 'stitch-up'. Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Knowle can now be demolished after developers received permission to build 850 new homes there.
Plans to replace the shopping centre have divided opinion in Knowle for years, and in May Bristol City Council voted to refuse permission for the proposed ‘Redcatch Quarter’. They said too many homes were squeezed into the site, and too few would be affordable.
But on Wednesday, July 5, the development control A committee decided to reverse its previous decision, and voted to approve planning permission. The surprise twist has sparked criticism from opponents of the plans, most of whom did not attend the meeting.
Read more: South Bristol shopping centre will be knocked down after councillors’ shock U-turn
The new decision was defended by Labour and the committee chair, who said the recent commitment to provide more affordable housing had swayed their opinions. The developers initially proposed 80 affordable homes — but will now aim to increase this to 170, with help from housing associations and a government grant from Homes England.
Local campaigners opposing the plans said they were told by council planning officers they 'didn’t need to go' to the meeting to voice their concerns, as it was purely procedural and rubber-stamping the previous decision to refuse permission. An email sent by a senior planning officer said that the committee 'technically could' reverse their decision, but added that would be 'unlikely'.
Danica Priest, an environmental campaigner, tweeted: “This feels so underhanded and dirty, I am just appalled. It’s way less than the minimum affordable! That’s why I think it’s a terrible proposal. We desperately need more social housing in Bristol. There’s no excuse for this. Bristol Labour is a joke, I can’t wait to see them voted out in May. Just disgusting behaviour. No better than the Tories in every way.”
Speaking to the BBC, Laura Chapman, from the Knowle Neighbourhood Planning Group, said: “We are furious at this total and utter subversion of democracy. The community has been sidelined, and a democratic decision has been trampled over, for reasons that are not yet clear — but which do appear deeply undemocratic.”
Debate among councillors about the plans was unusually limited to one member of each party. The U-turn sparked anger from opposition politicians in the city, who tweeted that the new decision was a 'stitch-up' and claims of more affordable housing were 'bogus'.
George Ferguson, former Bristol mayor, said: “Another crass scheme voted through by compliant planners and politicians falling for property developers’ bogus claims. Bristol’s character and community is being systematically wrecked by people with zero understanding of the principles of good city making.”
Green Councillor Tom Hathway, who sits on the committee, added: “Unbelievable stitch up on the planning committee this evening — no debate as we were there to discuss only the reasons for refusal at the last committee. Few members of the public were in attendance as a result — but the chair and Labour flipped the decision.”
When planning committees in Bristol decide to refuse permission, the final decision is usually delayed until the next meeting. This is so planning officers can come up with carefully-worded reasons for refusal, which helps protect against any costly legal appeals.
Then in the next meeting, usually the committee quickly votes through the refusal, confirming the decision. But this doesn’t always happen. Two other recent decisions were also later reversed - flats on Gloucester Road and a cafe and toilets on the Downs. Speaking after the meeting, Conservative Cllr Richard Eddy, committee chair, defended the surprise U-turn.
He said: “Council planning protocol observes a clear and transparent process. This open procedure was followed to the letter. Interestingly, I substituted at the Development Control ‘B’ Committee dated June 13, where councillors had resolved they were minded to refuse a controversial Gloucester Road planning application. When it came to the second meeting, eight of the nine councillors present voted to approve the application, contrary to their earlier declared views.
“I must emphasise that the determination of Broadwalk Shopping Centre was effectively postponed on May 31 and re-started on July 5. All public forum views received at both meetings were taken into account — together with the evidence provided in relation to the planning application — before councillors came to make our final decision.
“The determination is in respect of the submitted outline application. All substantive matters — such as heights, density and design — will be subject to a later detailed planning application, where these reserved matters will be consulted upon and decided in a public Development Control Committee.”
As well as Cllr Eddy, all three Labour councillors on the committee voted to approve the plans. Conservative Cllr John Geater abstained, while Greens and Liberal Democrats voted against. Labour defended the U-turn, and said the extra affordable housing promised tipped the balance. The aim is to increase the number of affordable homes from 80 to 170.
A spokesperson for the Labour group said: “Residents made their views known in the first meeting and we can assure them these were fully taken into account. We appreciate their concerns, but having deferred the decision and seeing new information, we believed that on balance this regeneration project should be supported.
“The development is a £200 million investment in Knowle, providing space for thirty businesses, a new dentist and library, a new pedestrianised high street, and 800 new, low-carbon homes on brownfield land. Statements from the developers and three different housing associations, committing to bolster the number of affordable homes in the development, tipped the balance in favour of the application.
“The only solution to Bristol’s housing crisis in the long term is to get more homes built; a regeneration project providing 800 new homes, as well as a new lease of life for a town centre and 580 new jobs, has much to commend.
“We’re proud to have built 2,563 new homes in Bristol last year, including the most affordable homes since Labour were last in government. But with Bristol’s population set to reach 550,000 by 2050, there is no avoiding the fact that we need more homes built — and they have to be built somewhere.”
