Kingsdown Conservation Group

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. This will be held on Thursday 15th March 2007 in the upper room of the Ark, Cotham Road South. The rooms will be open from 7.00 p.m. There will be wine available and you are invited to an informal opportunity to meet other Kingsdown residents and the committee. The meeting will start at 7.30 p.m. Many of you will remember Mary Wright’s very successful lecture last year on the development of Stokes Croft. This year, after the formal meeting there will be a talk by Mike Hooper, a local historian who has made a special study of Broadmead. Mike calls his illustrated lecture, “Broadmead before the shops”.

AGM business

(i) Would you like to be a new committee member? You would attend the monthly meeting and sometimes do a little work between meetings. If you wish to propose yourself or someone you know as a committee member, please contact the secretary, Helen Phillips, as soon as possible at 73 Kingsdown Parade
(ii) Will anyone volunteer to organise and manage KCG’S website?
(iii) Do you want KCG to email a copy of this summary to you each month? If you do, please send your email address to insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk

143/5 St. Michael’s Hill
The owner of these properties has applied for planning permission to develop the upper floors for residential purposes. KCG has written to the Planning Department to say that it wishes any planning consent to ensure that the new front door should maintain the symmetry of the building’s façade and to impose a planning condition to prevent cars parking on the pavement in front of the building. You can make your views known to the planners on line at tinyurl.com/2znru4 quoting application number 06/05370.

Wheelie bins
This is not strictly a KCG matter but it concerns us all. In response to continued complaints about bins left on the pavement between collections and the permanent storage of bins next to the pavement, the City’s Waste Services say: “Our investigations will focus on those households keeping bins on the pavements on non collection days, and we will also be giving any other appropriate advice/guidance for storage of items as fits each situation.” This message does not answer the question of what to do about bins kept next to the pavement whose contents frequently spill and make the area squalid and unhygienic. For some residents a wheelie bin is probably more of a nuisance than a convenience and would prefer to see it withdrawn and to revert to bag collection. This time last year Kingsdown didn’t have a problem, now it looks like Bin City. This conflicts with the City’s policies published in last September. “Shaping Bristol over the next 20 years” said: “We need improvement: to the physical fabric and infrastructure in our streets: to minimise unsightly clutter: to tackle graffiti, vandalism, letter and dereliction…”
Please report waste management problems to Waste Services on Tel 922 3240 and ask them to confirm that your call has been logged. This minute has been copied to the local councillors and to the Acting Waste Services and Streetscene Manager.

Stokes Croft
The City Council has received a planning application to redevelop the triangular piece of land that includes the former Coroner’s Court (originally a Methodist Infant School) and the former Lakota Club. The developer wishes to demolish the former club building because he says that it is in bad condition. KCG believes that the structural report, filed with the application does not support the developer’s reason to demolish. KCG has written to object to the demolition of the former club, which has a good street façade. It supports the development in principle but objects to the demolition of the club, which it believes should be incorporated into the residential development.

The owners of 4/10 Stokes Croft, which has recently been used as a nightclub have applied to demolish the building and to redevelop it with a commercial use on the ground floor with 12 apartments for multi-occupation by students of the second to fifth floors. KCG supports the development of this building but has objected to the design of the street facade because it believes that the design is of insufficient quality. It fails to enhance the Stokes Croft conservation area.

Website
If you would like to manage the Kingsdown Conservation Group website would you please contact the secretary, Helen Phillips at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

AGM
This will be held in the first half of March the notice will be posted on this board. Would you like to volunteer to be on the Kingsdown Conservation Group committee? If so, please contact the secretary, Helen Phillips at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

Westmoreland House/The Carriage Works
The City Council has decided to implement a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on Westmoreland House, the derelict eyesore on the corner of Stokes Croft and Ashley Road. The buildings have been left empty for more than two decades. The Cabinet was warned that the process would not be quick and that even if all goes to plan, it could be two years before development starts on site. Kuumba, the African Caribbean Arts venue also hopes to relocate to the listed Carriage Works part of the site. In response to the City Council CPO the buildings’ owners have applied for permission to build 200 housing units and a theatre on the site. KCG has objected to the planning application because the proposal would over-develop the site. The buildings are out of scale and the architectural design must be better quality.

Stokes Croft
A Bristol City Council bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money to repair run-down buildings in Stokes Croft has been successful at the first stage. Stokes Croft has had £500,000 allocated towards repair of its Georgian-style buildings. Funding awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund will be matched by funding from the Council.

34, Cotham Road South
The lauderette’s owner has appealed against the City’s refusal the permit the whole of the building to be converted to residential use. KCG wishes to see a commercial use retained on the ground floor. The parade remains intact as a secondary shopping area. Kingsdown is an area with an increasing population. We do not accept that it is not possible to find a retail use for this property. It is important that the area maintains its shops both now and in the future.

Gardens at the back of numbers 26 and 27 Somerset Street
The application to build 14 single bedroom studio flats has been refused

Next meeting is on Thursday 18th January

University
The University has asked Kingsdown Conservation Group, among others, to a meeting to launch a good neighbour policy. Are there any issues that you would like KCG to raise with the University on your behalf? Redland and Cotham Amenity Society have prepared a paper, available on their website www.rcas.org.uk, about problems such as noise and rubbish that “studentification” causes to other households. Have you seen or read the University’s Development Masterplan? Does it affect you? Please send your views to KCG’s secretary at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

Traditional building materials
KCG is concerned about the loss of traditional building materials and architectural details, which are lost in the restoration of some houses. It regularly brings unauthorised alterations to the planning authority’s attention. Nearly all building alterations in a conservation area require planning consent. If the house is listed any change additionally requires listed building consent. Each individual change of material or loss may appear to be minor; however, each loss cumulatively degrades the street scene and the area’s attractiveness. These are examples of changes that require consent: to use concrete tiles to replace traditional roofing materials and the loss of chimney stacks and pots; to use non-traditional materials such as Upvc to replace windows and doors; to demolish garden walls and gate posts. These alterations frequently make a house less attractive and reduce its value.

Wheelie bins
Some residents recently met a representative of the City’s cleansing department and its enforcement officer to discuss what can be done about the number of waste bins that are now on view in the streets between collections. It is the City’s policy to take vigorous enforcement proceedings. Any bin left on the pavement between collections has a notice stuck on it. If the obstruction continues the enforcement officer will interview the householder and issue a warning letter that any further obstruction could result in a fixed penalty. In the City Council’s opinion, the situation has improved rapidly in areas where enforcement has been active. Some households choose to keep their bins next to the pavement within a railed area in front of the house. This gives the area the appearance of bin city. The City has not addressed two problems.
(i) The public health issue. Passers by dump rubbish in these bins that causes them to overflow.
(ii) The security issue. Bins are useful to burglars and high level taggers. A bin in Kings Square was recently set ablaze.

Membership
The committee has recently delivered leaflets about Kingsdown Conservation Group. Have you completed your application or lost it? More members and more skills creates a more effective organisation. Please return your application, or ask for another, from the membership secretaries at mpbr29081@blueyonder.co.uk. or download one from the website.

Trees
KCG hopes to report that it’s discussions with the City Council will bring about the replacement of the cherry trees that grew in Prior’s Hill garden, the trees on the north side of Kingsdown Parade that died this year and the two cherry trees that formerly grew on Spring Hill, below Dove Street.

The Full Moon
The City Council issued a stop notice to prevent further work when it discovered that the developers were carrying out extensive alterations to this Grade II listed building without the necessary listed building and planning consents. Unfortunately, much of the work has already been carried out. Windows have been “re-opened” and the 200-year-old staircase stripped. The development in the Eclipse is out of proportion to the entrance. The developers have now sought the necessary permissions. KCG has written to the planning department about the quality of the developer’s proposals.

The community police officer
Following the recent television programme about the local bail hostels the community police officer has moved his meeting, on Wednesday 6th December, between 7.00 to 8.30 p.m., to St Matthew’s parish hall. He says that a senior police office will attend.

Next Meeting of the committee is at 8.00 p.m. on 12th December. If anyone has a matter of concern about Kingsdown to raise, please email the secretary at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk

University

The City Council have approved the University’s Masterplan for its future development. There is a copy of available to download from the City Council’s website. It appears to be probable that the University will develop the Children’s Hospital site first. KCG is debating whether to respond to elements in the proposed plan before the University applies for planning permission. If you wish to express an opinion on, for example, the concentration of the University into a precinct, or the proposed, fourteen story signature block on the Social Science Library site, please email your comments to KCG at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

Trees

Last summer, the trees that the City Council had planted in the spring, outside Prior’s Fort, died. There are two more dead trees at the west end of Kingsdown Parade. Three dead cherry trees were felled below Dove Street, beside Spring Hill. KCG is in correspondence with the City Council about the replacement of these trees and intends to offer some of its reserve as seed money.

Wheelie bins

On the 25^th September, the meeting at the Ark discussed the problem caused by people who don’t have anywhere to keep their wheelie bin off the street. The meeting wrote to the City Council to ask it to press people to find somewhere to keep their bin off the street, or give it up. However, this will create another problem. People without a wheelie bin will be unhappy to keep rubbish indoors for two weeks. The City Council was asked to restore a weekly black bag collection for household waste where people have nowhere to keep a wheelie bin off the street. Waste collection arrangements were said to be more flexible in Clifton. The City Council’s response will be published when it is received.

Councillor Dr. Mark Wright kindly accepted an invitation to attend the meeting.

Recruiting letter

If you live in the Kingsdown Conservation Area, a recruiting letter will be delivered to you shortly. If you are not a member of KCG, please join. If you are a member, please ask friends or neighbours to join. Compared to Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society and the Redland & Cotham Amenity Society, we are a small Conservation Area. The more that we can share work, the more effective KCG becomes.

Dovercourt

This is the semi-derelict building on the corner of Cheltenham Road and Bath Buildings. It was formerly a garage and car sale rooms. The owners, Linden Homes, have permission to build a mix of commercial development and 132 new homes. KCG participated in the pre-planning consultation. The façade of the old building is a landmark. It will be retained.

200 photos on the Website

Please visit the new KCG website www.kingsdown.org.uk. It has now has a larger photograph gallery. Do you have any historic photographs of the area that you could share with your neighbours?

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the committee is at 8:00 p.m. on the 16^th November.

If anyone has a matter of concern about Kingsdown to raise, please email the secretary at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

Trees

KCG is in process of attempting, with the City Council to replace the dead cherry in Saville Mews and to plant a red oak on the Prior Hill corner of Kingsdown Parade where, last winter, the City felled three moribund cherries. Unfortunately the replacement saplings all died.

New Members

Are you a member of your local Conservation Group? You can find KCG’s aims on its recently redesigned website www.kingsdown.org.uk. You will soon receive a letter to invite you to become a member. If you are already a member, please use the application form to invite a friend or neighbour to join our group.

Development in the rear gardens of 26 and 27 Somerset Street

The developer has withdrawn its application to build a block of 14 single bedroom flats with internal kitchens and bathrooms.

St. Paul’s Supplementary Planning Document

You can find a copy of this document on the City Council’s website www.bristol-city.gov.uk. The committee will prepare a response. The proposals in the SPD are vague.

Personalised travel planning for Clifton and Cotham

The details of this project that KCG has received from travelcc@sdgworld.net (Leila Beggin 07973 616246) are on the website.

Westmoreland House and the Carriage Works

City Council’s Cabinet had approved the compulsory purchase order for this long derelict eyesore. There have been news articles about the City Council’s long awaited action in the Evening Post and on BBC Bristol. After years of doing nothing, the buildings’ owners have submitted a pre-planning application, which will delay the process of redevelopment.

St. Michael’s Church

Welcome news , by Easy Runner has applied for planning permission to use the redundant Church for retail purposes. This should stop further decay to the building’s fabric. The committee will raise concerns about the maintenance of the churchyard and some of the interior fittings at the City Council’s Conservation Advisory Panel.

Photo archive

Visit Kingsdown’s photo-archive on the website. There a vast number of photographs past and present, from panoramas to details of exterior ironmongery.

Wheelie bins

Some neighbours have called a meeting at the Ark on the 25^th September at 8.00 p.m. to discuss the problems caused by the City Council’s blanket introduction of wheelie bins. Houses in the Conservation Area will receive a letter to invite them to this meeting but everyone is welcome.

Next Meeting of the committee is at – 8.00 p.m. on the 4^th October. If anyone has a matter of concern about Kingsdown to raise, please email the secretary at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

University

The City Council has approved the University’s Masterplan as a Supplementary Planning Document. KCG has appointed a sub-group to prepare KCG’s response to the City Council and to the University both in respect to the Supplementary Planning Document and the anticipated applications to develop each stage of the plan.

25, Kingsdown Parade

The City Council has refused the owner of permission to build in the front garden. Among other reasons to refuse permission is the grounds that new building should not be permitted in the front gardens on the north side of Kingsdown Parade. The full reasons for any refusal of planning permission can be found at www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Planning/publicaccess-for-planning.

Wheelie bins

Some neighbours have called a meeting at the Ark on the 25^th September at 8:00pm to discuss the problems caused by the City Council’s blanket introduction of wheelie bins. Houses in the Conservation Area will receive a letter to invite them to this meeting but everyone is welcome.

Membership

Every house in the Conservation Area will shortly receive a letter to invite them to join Kingsdown Conservation Group. Kingsdown is a small Conservation Area. We depend on the talents and energy of neighbours. The committee does its best to tell everyone what is going on via the website and the notice boards. Additional pairs of hands are always needed. Do you have time to help? Do you have specialist knowledge? KCG attempts to respond to matters that concern the area. The plans of the University and the Hospital affect us all. We would like to be more pro-active. Do you have ideas? Are you available to help with working parties organised to maintain Montague Green or improve Spring Hill? Please join KCG and volunteer.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be at 8:00pm on 7^th September at 43, Kingsdown Parade.

If anyone has a matter of concern about Kingsdown to raise, please email the secretary at insideout73@blueyonder.co.uk.

Present: Andy King (chairman), Mary Wright, Jeremy Newick (minutes),

Bridget Parker, Malcolm Parker, Nick Kidwell, Chris Jones, Tony Kerr Apology: John Frenkel

We discussed plans for a membership drive and a survey to gauge residents’ views and priorities in the late summer.

Launderette. The proposed change of use to two flats had been refused by the Planning Committee, though the owner might appeal. It would be very useful if a potential shop-operator could be found. Future protection for the shops would be stronger if they were specified in the Local Plan as a ‘Local Centre’ so we will pursue this with the Council.

Application 06/00457/F/C, 25 Kingsdown Parade: KCG had written to object, as had individual members.

Kingsdown Wine Vaults: Noise problems are still being experienced, and should be reported to Mark Curtis, Senior Environmental Health Officer, Pollution Control, Brunel House, BS1 5UY, 922 3256 or e-mail: pollution_control@bristol-city-gov.uk

Proposed closure to through traffic of Alfred Hill: Local residents are undertaking a questionnaire survey of views on possible solutions to their access problems.

Prior’s Hill Fort Flats: Two hawthorns and a whitebeam had been planted.

Replacement lavender bushes on Montague Green: It was thought that the Secretary might be able to pursue the matter.

Unsightly City Council houses and forecourts on the Parade. No reply had yet been received, so this would be followed up.

Mobile Phone Mast - Application 06/01096/F/N, Junction of Cotham Road and Cotham Road South: installation of a 15m pole and 2 equipment cabinets. A letter of objection would be sent.

Application 06/01336/F/X, 146 St Michael’s Hill: demolition of extension and its replacement, alterations to shopfront: JN to peruse and act accordingly.

Conservation Area Character Appraisal: TK, NK & JN would read EH papers and discuss.

“Welcome pack” MW showed the committee an excellent leaflet she had produced on the history of Montpelier. Should such a leaflet be prepared for Kingsdown and, if so, should it be part of a newsletter and put on the KCG website?

Residents’ Parking: It was reported that the city was to employ an outside consultant to consider the prospect of Controlled Parking Zones across the city.

Next meeting: Tuesday June 6th 2006. Agenda items to Helen Phillips at 73 K Parade.