Kingsdown Conservation Group

Councillor Alex Woodman – the committee welcomed Alex to the meeting. The committee discussed these topics him.

Residents’ Parking Scheme

There appeared to have been a lack of information from the Council about the detailed plans for the scheme. Alex said that Highways Officers have assured him that they will meet the informal residents’ group before the next stage is published on the Council’s website. This will give the representative residents the chance to raise the most obvious objections to help reduce the number of revisions. The Council will then consult all Kingsdown residents again. Nick Kidwell will attend the meeting with Highways Officers, expressly to consider the conservation issues, which the scheme involves, such as signs and paint on the road.

Lamp posts

The Lighting Department recently improved the level of our street lighting. However, the Department chose the most utilitarian designs. Other local authorities choose more suitably designed street furniture in design sensitive areas. The Kingsdown Conservation Area Character Appraisal says that the design of all new street furniture must be of a high standard. Kingsdown residents must be consulted the changes that affect the appearance of our neighbourhood. KCG does not want the City to spend more but officers should turn the page in the street lighting catalogue and look at other designs. Alex said that he will discuss KCG’s concerns with the Executive Member and report back to KCG.

Large Rubbish collection bins on Kingsdown Parade

Alex said that this proposal is indefinitely postponed. Any new proposal will involve a preliminary public consultation.

Home Grown

The committee congratulated Helen Phillips for organising the event again.

Green matters

Do you have ideas to improve our local amenities such as benches at view points and planting schemes that KCG can promote to the Parks Department If so, please tell the Secretary.

The next committee meeting will be on Tuesday the 3rd November 2009. If you wish to meet the committee or bring any matters to their attention, please contact the secretary@Kingsdown.org.uk.

Post Homegrown ‘09 Meeting at St Matthews’s Church hall.
Tuesday 20th October 7.30 – 8.30

For anyone interested in a summary of the day; a discussion of what had worked well and what could have been better; how much had been raised for our charity of the day; whether we should carry on next year and new ideas and suggestions if it is to continue. If you would like to be involved in any way, please come and give us your name.

There will also be another showing of last year’s very charming ‘Homegrown’ Film made by Lucia Ashmore. Everyone welcome, even if you didn’t manage to make it to the event this year.

Mark Alderton from the police has asked us to mention that the next meeting of Partners and Communities Together is at St. Matthews Church on Saturday 24th October at 2.30pm. If you want to know more, contact him at Cabot Neighbourhood Policing Team (Kingsdown and Clifton), New Bridewell. Tel: 945 5055 or by email

Vicky Wright, Community Minister at St Matthew’s, has asked us to help gather views about possible improvements to the Ark. Here’s what she has to say.

“St Matthew’s Kingsdown and Bristol Christian Fellowship are currently working in partnership to explore how we could improve ‘The Ark’ building on Cotham Road South.  We see this as a great opportunity – not just to improve the existing building but also to improve how we connect with and serve our local community.

If you could take a few minutes to fill out our ark-consultation-questionnaire we would love to hear your views.  All completed questionnaires can be emailed to vicky.wright@bristol.anglican.org or dropped into St Matthew’s church office, Clare Road, Kingsdown.

Thanks for your help.

Vicky Wright, Community Minister, St Matthew’s”

So it was Radio Fourish, it was even a bit Archery; but Kingsdown’s answer to the Ambridge Flower and Veg was at once more lively and laid-back. It was a spectacularly beautiful day too, warm autumn sunshine, while most of Kingsdown visited, browsed, chatted, donated, bought, and sold to the cheerful sound of the Ambling Band, helped out this year by French visitors Zebaliz.
Homegrown stalls included the usual popular sales of plants and second-hand books, works by local artists and authors, any amount of Fairly-Traded chocolate and quantities of bric-a-brac; sideshows included some old favourites like the Human Fruit Machine and Whack the Rat, and some new delights, like the crush-‘em –yourself apple press brought along by the St Matthew’s Cider Collective.
In the Church Hall there were traditional competitions for homegrown veg, best Victoria sponge, jam – lots of jams and jellies entered this year – and some less traditional, like the scary but of course edible Vegetable Monsters from Mars. Our thanks to the judges, especially Barny Haughton from the restaurant Bordeaux Quay who had a very long and difficult task deliberating over the multitude of jams and chutneys.
This year’s First Prize for Best Ever Celebration Cake, which was topped with a wonderfully detailed icing-sugar vegetable garden including watering can (would have put Jill Archer’s boring old honey cake well in the shade) was later raffled, along with other goodies like a Spa treatment for two at the Clifton Lido, tickets drawn and prizes presented by local MP, Stephen Williams.
Our thanks, as ever, to St Matthews’ Church for their wonderful support and to all Kingsdowners taking part: it was a lovely day.