A 146-home affordable housing development in Bristol has been refused permission by council officials.
Sovereign Housing Association’s plans for 493-499 Bristol Road in Brislington were brought to committee for a second time this week. A decision was deferred last September after the scheme was recommended for refusal on the grounds of “unacceptable” design quality, a failure to make an appropriate contribution to the provision of affordable housing, and concerns over its energy amenities.
Sovereign made changes to the plans including increasing the number of homes served by air-source heat pumps and design changes to the unit layouts. However, the scheme was again recommended for refusal.
Six of the 10 committee members voted to refuse the plans, with one voting in favour and three abstentions. Bristol planning committee member Fabian Breckels said he believed the council would “bite [Sovereign’s] hand off” if the housing association returned to committee again with a “sustainable” proposal.
Ahead of the meeting, James Gibson, development director for Sovereign, told EG the plans were “a flagship development” that the organisation wanted to “set a gold standard for purpose built affordable housing in Bristol and the west of England”.
Gibson continued: “This scheme is not a compromise or a cost saving, nor is it one where decisions are being driven by profit or gain. At a time when [Bristol City Council] are unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, ‘fail’ the Housing Delivery Test, and have a housing waiting list of 15,232 households, these proposals, which could start on site in autumn 2021, would deliver a development that is environmentally sustainable and socially and financially responsible for future affordable housing residents.”
He added: “Put simply, this is a scheme that seeks to do the right thing on all fronts, and we consider that in light of the above, the benefits of our proposals significant outweigh any perceived shortcomings”.
To send feedback, e-mail tim.burke@egi.co.uk or tweet @_tim_burke or @estatesgazette
