Developers don’t care for mental health if it means they make more
IN a recent survey the town of Blackpool had the third highest death rate of anywhere in Europe due to lack of green spaces.
Spending time in green spaces benefits our health and provides opportunities for physical exercise and social interaction and also helps to mitigate air pollution while reducing the planet’s carbon footprint.
This was highlighted during the worst days of the pandemic when we were all told to stay home. Not being able to get out caused depression in many people.
The World Health Organization guidelines state that no one should be more than 300 metres from a park or green space. This recommendation seems to have escaped the notice of the leaders on Bristol City Council.
In the Bristol Post last Monday there were two articles which make me despair of the way our city is being run.
The first concerned the green space at Brislington Meadows which had been earmarked for development back in 2014.
Before the local elections this year Marvin Rees and local councillors saw the error of this development and stated that there would be no development in this area.
This no doubt influenced many residents to vote for them and they were subsequently elected.
Homes England, the developer, was not informed of this U-turn and now state they are still going forward with plans to develop the area. Marvin Rees seems to have backed down and said the planning application would be up to cross-party councillors and not him!
On the next page of the Post is an article stating homes are to be built on a green space in Knowle West despite more than 100 objections from residents and Sport England because there will be no provision for playing fields etc, only houses and car parking.
Another area of South Bristol that will be left with more houses and fewer facilities!
Developers care nothing for people’s mental health and wellbeing if it means more money in their coffers.
Our council leaders should take note of the surveys which link green space to wellbeing or Bristol will have plenty of houses but an unhealthy, depressed population.
Lin Dyer Whitchurch