Kingsdown Conservation Group

Here are the Council’s latest plans for works to improve traffic and pedestrian safety on Marlborough Hill. Immediate neighbours have already received the attached information, and the traffic engineers are keen to make sure that other local residents have a chance to comment. You can send your views direct to David Sarson, david.sarson@bristol.gov.uk or tel 903 6856. You can also comment here on the website, so that others know what you think. At the end of the official consultation period, David will prepare a summary of the views expressed, and will set out the Council’s response to the points made.

If you can’t see the plans by clicking above, David will no doubt be happy to send you a copy if you contact him direct.

Alex Woodman and Mark Wright, our two councillors for Cabot Ward, have started an e-newsletter. It does, of course, have a political flavour, but is intended to convey a lot of news of general interest to local residents. The first issue, for example, has the following contents:

1. St George’s Primary School saved
2. Brandon Hill
3. Cabot Tower
4. Residents’ Parking update
5. Bristol Clean and Green “clean-ups”
6. University of Bristol building plans
7. Montague Green art
8. Princes Street Bridge and roundabout
9. Whiteladies Rd works
10. Partners and Communities Together – “PACT”

If you want to be added to their circulation list, you can email:

alex.woodman@bristol.gov.uk or mark.wright@bristol.gov.uk

The first of two new community noticeboards has now been installed in Clevedon Terrace on the wall opposite the pub, near the junction with Kingsdown Parade. To celebrate its launch the noticeboard is currently hosting an unfolding artwork — the Moving Story of Kingsdown, in 30 frames (a month) — by Deborah Evans.

The new noticeboard on Clevedon Terrace

A new frame in the story will be posted in the noticeboard each day from Tue 27 Jan to Wed 25 Feb. If you miss a day you can catch up by looking at the photos on Flickr. You can even view them as a slideshow.

UPDATE: You can now also buy the book!

We have prepared a detailed draft response to the University’s latest plans for the Biology and Maths buildings, which have been criticised by both the Bristol Urban Design Forum and the Conservation Advisory Panel. Contact us if you would like to see a copy.

We will object to some aspects of the latest (in a long series) of plans for the Carriage Works in Stokes Croft, including the lack of real mixed use, the large number of small units, the height of the planned tower.

We agreed to make a list of all the old cast-iron lampposts in the area.

We decided not to comment on the latest application for a Jester on Montague Green, but we are going to press for the park to be officially registered as a Town Green (under the Commons Act 2006) to give it at least some degree of protection against unsuitable housing development. A Hedge Working Party is being arranged.

The AGM will take place on Thurs 5th March at 7pm in the Ark, and will be followed by a talk given by Madge Dresser of UWE’s History Department (see www.uwe.ac.uk/hlss/history/staff_mdresser.shtml).

The next meeting is on Tues 24th February, 8pm, at 64, Kingsdown Parade. KCG members should contact secretary@kingsdown.org.uk or telephone one of the committee if there are any items they would like to be discussed.

Local organic supplier Wrington Greens will be selling vegetables, juices and chutneys this Wednesday, 28th Jan, from 5:30 to 6:30 (presumably that’s p.m. Ed.) at the junction of Clevedon Terrace and St Matthew’s road (where the pirate Christmas tree was). For more info, ring 01934 863636 or see wringtongreens.co.uk.

The KCG committee agreed that more community planting projects on Montague Green were a good idea, especially if it were also good in encouraging local wildlife. A mixed hedge of 60% hawthorn and 5 other native species was suggested. 25 metres in total. It has now been agreed with the City Park’s department that we can plant this new wildlife hedge which will run along the wall, parallel to the footpath on Montague Green.
To start this project off, this Sunday, 25th Jan. we will start by taking up a strip of turf, 1.2 metres wide and the 25 metres in length. In February, we will then be ready to plant the 1 metre whips. After which the council has offered to provide us with enough mulch to cover the whole bed and maintain it weed free. Thanks to the City Parks Department for their help and encouragement.

So, weather permitting, anyone interested in helping, should meet on Montague Green at 11am with a spade. Any wheelbarrows would also be welcome. For any other information, phone Helen on 9422922.

KCG December Committee Meeting – notes

Two meetings have recently been held with officers of the UHB Foundation Hospital Trust. They accepted a range of suggestions for improving their community involvement, and will be arranging biannual consultation meetings with us and other representative groups, in addition to the normal ad-hoc consultation on specific issues. On the matter of reinstating rights of way once work on the Heart Institute has finished, we have urged the Trust to look again at their proposals for the woodland path, particularly how to arrange easy access for prams at both ends. We want the right of way down Bedford Place steps to be reinstated, and, if possible, an alternative path created for people walking towards the bottom of Horfield Rd.

A draft KCG response is being prepared to the University’s plans for the Biological Sciences and Maths buildings (please contacts us if you would like to see this).

After sustained pressure on the Council they have finally obtained agreement from the owner of a house in Kingsdown Parade to reverse its illegal conversion into flats. Other enforcement matters are still working their way through the Council mills (though none of them at the speed proudly set out in the City’s Enforcement Policy).

We have now paid the City for an appropriate box lantern to be installed at the bottom of Spring Hill, and have taken up with officers our wish to see similar ones in Alfred Hill as part of the improvements funded through the hospital development.

We have hitherto not taken a position on whether there should be a Residents’ Parking Scheme, but now that it is going to happen, we agreed that it will be important to be involved in the detailed plans for the area.

We have agreed to work with the Parks Dept to plant a wildlife hedge on Montague Green. A new planning application for the site of the Jester has been submitted but details were not yet available on the Council website. We will try to register Montague Green as not suitable for development, in response to the Council’s current trawl for sites that are suitable.

The next meeting is on Weds 21st January, 8pm, at 73, Kingsdown Parade. KCG members should contact secretary@kingsdown.org.uk or telephone one of the committee if there are any items they would like to be discussed.