Welcome
Bristol cancels PRC housing redevelopment
Bristol cancels PRC housing redevelopment
It’ll probably come as welcome news to many, but it’s reported on the LGC plus website that Bristol City Council have shelved the tendering process to redevelop 549 pre-cast reinforced concrete homes, using of course the recession as a reason.
The authority has called a halt to the tendering process it had instigated in a search for a developer to redevelop homes across Sea Mills, Lawrence Weston, Lockleaze and Henbury.
Solutions from developers failed to deliver the right number and type of council homes needed and were judged not to provide the necessary ‘value for money’.
The current homes (these are the PRC “Parkinson” homes) were built quickly and cheaply in the 1920’s but now have structural defects. Despite the argument that these can be repaired, the council believes the best course of action is to replace them entirely – increasing the housing density at the same time.
Graham Sims, strategic director for neighbourhoods, is reposted as saying: “This is not the news many residents will want to hear after months of waiting. Unfortunately, the global recession, which has hit the UK housing and financial markets, has had an impact on the PRC project which could not have been predicted.
“We anticipate that the process of finding a solution to the PRC homes will take up to 12 months. In the meantime, we will be writing to all tenants and residents on a regular basis over the coming months to keep them informed.”
Bristol City Website – Current Situation
The Bristol City Council website reports ths same position on its “PRC Redevelopment Project pages”, that due to the housing market and the global recession the tender process to find a development partner has failed to find a developer that can “meet the city council’s requirements.”
—
The detailed developer submission could not deliver the right number and type of council homes needed and the council felt that the developer proposal did not deliver the necessary value for money required. Unfortunately the council could not predict the negative impact to the proposals caused by problems with the housing market. The council has acted in good faith throughout the process and has tried its utmost to make the tender process succeed.
The Project Continues
The Council website state that the “The PRC Redevelopment Project has not stopped” and that the council is still committed to finding a solution and will be “reviewing alternative options” which could take up to 12 months – another year of uncertainty for all those affected.
The council has considered using some garage sites and additional land (such as gardens and green space?) as part of the project. Now that the project has stalled it’s not long known whether these sites will be required. The council say that “As soon as this information is available, affected tenants will be advised.” – more uncertainty!
THe council’s PRC Q&A Sheet is available here which answers a few questions although the handling of empty properties is a little ambiguous – it’s unclear whether they are going to make them available for habitation again or just ensure they are secure.
There is also this report on the Evening Post website.
Have you been affected? What are your thoughts on this latest turn of events?
Bristol Industrial Museum
Bristol Industrial Museum is situated in the Floating Harbour in an old transit shed for goods coming into the city. Printing, flying, trains, cars, buses, ships are just some of the subjects you can expect to experience at the Industrial Museum, which contains over 700 exhibits relating to Bristol’s long and varied industrial past.
The Transport gallery displays most forms of land transport with a particular Bristol twist almost all were built here, in a city fascinated by anything that moves. Favourites include the world’s first holiday caravan and a 1950s equivalent, the Grenville steam carriage and a working Gauge 1 model railway. There are also bicycles, motorcycles, cars, carriages and a Lodekka bus which is still used to this day to carry visitors from the City Museum to the Industrial Museum for Sunday Fundays.
Sea Mills Circular Walk
It appears that the Sea Mills Circular Walk is no longer described on the Forest of Avon website.
However the Bristol City Council website has details of other Countryside Walks including a walk from Sea Mills to Shirehampton.
The walk follows the much of the same route as the Sea Mills Circular Walk (but obviously excludes the return trip to Sea Mills. The walk starts at Sea Mills station and visits Sea Mills Harbour, Coombe Dingle and the Trym Valley, Blaise Castle Estate and Kings Western Hill Fort .
You can download a PDF file map of the walk.
The walk is 5 miles long with a walking time of two and a half hours. It’s graded as “Easy/Moderate 3”.
Bristol Zoo Gardens
Bristol Zoo Gardens is a 12 acre site in Clifton that is run by the The Bristol, Clifton and West of England Zoological Society, registered charity no. 1104986.
The Society is governed by a Council of 12 members who are elected by the shareholders. The Director and Senior Managers report to the Council on a regular basis.
Awarded ‘Zoo of the Year 2004’ by the Good Britain Guide, Bristol Zoo Gardens has a continuous reputation for excellence, innovation, and dedication to conservation. It’s the fifth oldest zoo in the world and the oldest outside of a capital city, and a long established major tourist attraction in Bristol.
The SS Great Britain
Step back in time on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain – the world’s first great ocean liner. Launched in 1843 to provide luxury travel to New York, the ship set new standards in engineering, reliability and speed. She was the world’s first large iron ship and the first to be driven by a screw propeller.
Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the ship was built in 1843 at the Great Western Dockyard in Bristol, under the supervision of Brunel and his colleagues at the Great Western Steamship Company & Thomas Guppy, Christopher Claxton and William Patterson.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge
Just a short walk along the River Avon and the scenic Avon Gorge, you’ll find the Clifton Suspension Bridge. This Grade 1 listed landmark was designed by the then 24 year old Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but only completed five years after his death.
More information regarding the bridge can be found on the The Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust website.