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CHIS Planning

Maggie Shapland
Contents Picture of a crane towering above the area in the centre of the new development at the corner of Merchants Road and Regent Street.

Further Details of applications considered by CHIS

currently and recently considered applications

Planning Applications

Gill Blakeman (Planning Coordinator). We do inform ourselves regarding every planning application by visiting Brunel House regularly.
Current month's applications (updated 6 May 2008. Gill's notes are in italics, contested in red asterisks).

Weekly list

We are now giving the official Bristol City Council weekly list for BS8 (always 2 weeks behind the application being put in, but before the application is put on the lamp post) for more uptodate information.
Note that if you need help to comment about an application, you should join CHIS! Watching planning applications is a lot easier than it used to be now that application details are on web sites. They help you monitor:

Length of time for comment on individual applications

There is 3 weeks grace from the receipt of a letter giving notice of an application and about 5 weeks from the date of registration.
Anyone who feels they might like to speak at a Development Committee Planning Meeting must book a slot early - midday on the day before the meeting. A good showing from passionate local people should play well- but do not speak for more than 3 minutes, only present the main points of your objection since it should have been read earlier by the panel, and do try to orchestrate the campaigners to make sure each puts forward different points. Councillors can be very responsive to a gathering of local objectors, which is perhaps no surprise given that they are elected officials.
Do write as individuals against a particular development, making sure to state your context (resident, neighbour, local shopkeeper etc). Comments about planning applications to: Planning, Transport and Sustainable Development, Brunel House, St Georges Road, Bristol BS1 5UY. Telephone: 0117 9223976
You can search for planning applications, decisions, site histories and appeals via Bristol City Council public Access website, and on the national planning website http://www.ukplanning.com (see the useful website section for more details)

Previous Planning Notes

Applications currently or recently being considered

More details can be found on this web page

Planning Information

Guidelines for Pre Application Involvement

The following steps are recommended as good practice that the Council will expect from planning proposals that have significant local impact and are drawn from the SCI Ground Rules: This record will be agreed and signed by both parties and submitted with the planning application. If no agreement on the document can be reached, then both parties may submit their own statement to the Council to be considered along with other information relating to the application.

Statement of Community Involvement

The Statement of Community Involvement is a legal requirement introduced as part of the Government's drive to improve the planning system by making it more accessible to the public. The document aims to be a clear statement of how and when the public will be involved in planning Bristol's future development.
February 2007: This will be discussed by community groups and the Council
August 2006: The Planning Inspector decided that the Council's statement did not pass the test of good practice. The Council has to rewrite the statement and go through another public involvement exercise
This document can be accessed over the Council web site or inspected at their offices (Brunel House), hard copy (£3).

Removal of Trees

Planning Issues you can comment on:
Comments against the proposed removal of the tree MUST be based on planning issues, I have listed a few examples below or you can visit the planning applications commenting section at this address ; www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Planning/commenting-on-planning-applications.en
Example Planning Issues: What your letter must contain;
Your letter or email must include date, name, address, application number and the Site address , if you email; include the letter as an attachment if you want to avoid publication of your email address.

Protection of Private Gardens (Housing Development) Bill

Oct 2006: There is a worrying issue of the designation of private gardens as brown field land and subsequent development of these gardens. We are concerned that the classification of all gardens as brownfield land could lead to speculative builders buying up old houses with large gardens and replacing these with poorly situated flats that could in time substantially change the nature of an area. This could also put strain on existing services and deprive communities of the valuable amenity of gardens that provide pleasure for the owners and enhance the entire area. This issue is causing a lot of concern, not only amongst organisations such as the Civic Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society, but also to many MP’s from all parties. To tackle this issue a private members bill has been introduced by Greg Clark MP. This bill, the Protection of Private Gardens (Housing Development) Bill, seeks to stop the practice of designating private gardens as brownfield sites for planning purposes. The bill, which can be seen here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/pabills/200506/protection_of_private_gardens_housing_development.htm will have its second reading on October 20th 2006. We urge all our members to write to their MP’s in support of this bill.

Conservation Planning

Ring Kingsley Fulbrook (922 2966) who deals with conservation matters, if you are concerned about a development changing the appearance of the original building and it's grounds in a Conservation area.

Planning Classes Updated in March 2005

The following classes of use are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (referred to in Part 2). See Stuart Melzak's summary or Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Changes of use of Buildings and Land

Height Matters

'Height Matters?' is a consultation initiative to consider Bristol's existing tall buildings and what stance should be taken by the City towards future tall buildings. Throughout April, May and June 2004 the Council used a series of public events, exhibitions and surveys to find out the public's views on tall buildings. Additionally, policy guidance on tall buildings (prepared by the Council), was placed on the Bristol City Council website. Indication of areas that may be appropriate for tall buildings. Of particular interest to CHIS was that the Clifton-Kingsdown escarpment - has been suggested as area that may be appropriate for an iconic tall building. The report published on 20th January 2005 giving planning guidance to the city council states that planners should consider applications for tall buildings. The new policy on tall buildings has been approved at a meeting of the council's environment, transport, and leisure executive. It sets out the areas in the city where tall buildings should and should not be included.

Fighting the developers

This link describes the standards that developers should adhere to, but in practice do not: Unless you continually keep contacting the Bristol City Council's Highways Section (who are very helpful), the developers will try to get away with everything they can.

Useful websites:

Information about planning applications is now available:
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