Kingsdown Conservation Group

University Hospitals Bristol

KCG has written to UHB and to the Planning Department about its concerns

Bedford Steps (They join Horfield Road to Terrell Street)

The Closure Order is expired. UHB must reopen the Steps and make good the damage that its contractors caused when they lifted the paved footpath. The 2 metre tall security fence onto Horfield Road must be removed.

Horfield Road barrier

In April 2007, UHB fenced off the garden that it had maintained for 20 years. UHB closed the garden because it wants to sell the site for development. The barriers, after two and half years, are to all intents permanent. UHB has new plans for the site but KCG wants the barrier removed because they degrade the street.

Southwell Street

UHB blocks the Street with a barrier and chain, which forces pedestrians and cyclists through the narrow gap at the side next to the car park exit. The hospital car park entrance so narrows the south pavement that pedestrians prefer to walk in the road. At times the Street is full of pedestrians. KCG has asked the City:

1. Can UHB block the whole of one pavement with parked cars?

2. Has UHB legal authority to block Southwell Street?

3. If UHB can block the street, shouldn’t it install retractable columns? The barriers (there are two) are ugly, they degrade the street and spoil the appearance of the splendidly remodelled Boiler House.

Alfred Hill

Congratulations to UHB for installing traditional, box-type lamp posts at the bottom of Alfred Hill above the new steps into Cottage Place.

Congratulations to Bristol Water for restoring the setts so neatly after the replacement of the water main.

The next committee meeting will be on Tuesday the 5^th January. If you wish to meet the committee or bring any matters to their attention, please contact the secretary@Kingsdown.org.uk.

The Moving Story of Kingsdown is now a book! There is a copy in the pub (the Kingsdown Wine Vaults opposite the noticeboard) if you want to have a look and you can buy one if you’re quick.

If there are none left in the pub you can buy one online.

The local police have been refreshing their website, and you can now find mugshots and contact details for all the local team, plus news, maps of crimes, details of the regular PACT meetings, how to sign up for the local newsletter, current local priorities (nuisance cycling, dog fouling, fly-tipping by students) and more.

Visit the Kingsdown police beat website.

Most KCG members will be aware that the City Council has produced several proposals over the last 20 years, variously referred to as Controlled Parking Zones, Resident’s Parking, Permit Parking, and no doubt several other designations. As the KCG membership was quite strongly divided on the principle of whether there should be some kind of parking scheme for Kingsdown, the Committee maintained a neutral stance on that specific point. However, once the Council decided that some kind of scheme would be introduced, the Committee felt that it was important to ensure that as many residents as possible were able to study, analyse and comment on the detail of the current proposals.

Several residents have been considering the Council’s latest suggestions, and the Committee has invited those known to it to make their thoughts available to a wider audience through the website. We do not wish to start, or encourage, campaigning, but we do want to promote balanced discussion so that residents can make an informed contribution to the more formal consultation which we understand is planned by the Council. We realise that to some extent we are taking a risk, as we do not have the resources to support an extended discussion or to edit contributions significantly. However, we are confident that contributors will maintain a balanced and tolerant approach. Anyone who is happy to supply their contact details is free to comment on the contributions via the ‘Comment’ facility below this item.

Here, then, are two contributions which we have received to date.

David Mellor (52 Kingsdown Parade): I am the contact for a group of Kingsdown residents – largely on Kingsdown Parade because KP is badly affected by current proposals.  The attached note sets out our position, our intention being to raise awareness and to work for a scheme which doesn’t seriously disadvantage some (particularly those on KP without garages).

David’s note can be downloaded here: David Mellor – Letter to residents 14.11.09.

Professor David Thomas, Chair of the Prior’s Close Residents’ Association, has also produced a discussion paper, which can be downloaded here: David Thomas – Kingsdown RPZ discussion doc

Here are the latest examples of KCG’s action on three longstanding issues that we thought you might like to be informed about. The files are all in the popular “pdf” format, so you will need Adobe Reader to open them. Note: the ‘Alison’ referred to is Alison Straw, who leads the Council’s Central Bristol Planning Team.

It’s never easy to know how much information to pass on to members and others about the Committee’s activities, so can we remind you to get in touch if you ever feel you’d like to know more about the things mentioned in the monthly summaries?

Horfield Road

Bedford Steps

Southwell Street

The City has published the draft Kingsdown Residents’ Parking Scheme. The draft detailed design you can find at http://tinyurl.com/yf3vbg7 and the notes to the scheme at http://tinyurl.com/yg6kgm3. This is the summary.

Residents’ Permits

• Each household will be able to apply for up to two residents’ permits. In exceptional circumstances a third permit may be available.

• The first permit will cost £30 per annum and the second will cost £80. A third permit, if available, would cost £200 (exceptions for low polluting vehicles).

Other types of permit

• Each household will be able to apply for up to 100 visitors’ permits a year.

• The first 50 visitors’ permits will be issued free of charge; the second 50 will cost £1 each.

• Businesses located within the scheme area can apply for a business permit for operational business vehicles. These permits will cost £100 per annum.

Permit eligibility

• A house in multiple occupation (HMO) will be entitled to apply for the same number of permits as other households.

• In practical terms, this means that if a property has been divided into several flats, with each flat having a separate postal address and entrance, then each flat can apply for two residents’ permits and 100 visitors’ permits.

• However, a large property that is shared by several people but only has one postal address, main entrance and shared amenities will be counted as one household. They will thus only be eligible for two residents’ permits and 100 visitors’ permits.

Types of parking within the scheme

• The majority of parking spaces will only be available for use by residents and other permit holders (eg visitors and businesses) during the operational hours of the scheme. These parking bays are shown in orange on the scheme design drawings.

• A small number of Pay & Display bays have been included in the scheme to provide short stay parking for people who do not have a permit, eg people visiting shops or other local facilities. Permit holders will not be able to park in these bays without a Pay & Display ticket. These bays are shown in pink on the scheme design drawings.

• To provide maximum flexibility, some shared use bays are also proposed. These will be available for use by permit holders and people displaying a valid Pay & Display ticket. These bays are shown in blue on the scheme design drawings.

• Existing advisory disabled bays within the scheme area will be replaced with new mandatory disabled bays where required. These bays can only be legally used by Blue Badge holders and are enforceable

The Scheme’s operating hours

Parking will be restricted Monday to Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

How to comment

Comments are welcome at respark@bristol.gov.uk or 9224999.

What happens next?

The plans will be on the website until the 6th December 2009. The Council ask for comments and suggestions and are willing to make adjustments. Officers will then review the scheme and incorporate any amendments. The revised scheme will then be sent as a statutory consultation process to all those within the area who would be entitled to apply for a parking permit. If a majority are then in favour, the scheme be implemented.

The next committee meeting will be on Tuesday the 1^st December 2009. If you wish to meet the committee or bring any matters to their attention, please contact the secretary@Kingsdown.org.uk.

Our local bus will be calling in at Temple Meads from Nov 29. No details on the First Group website, as far as I can see, but timetables will be available ‘approximately 2 weeks’ beforehand. Might save a car journey or two.

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.