Residents hit out at flats plans for squat site
PLANS for new homes in Montpelier have raised fears of increased gentrification in the area among residents.
A planning application for the six flats and one bungalow on Picton Lane was submitted to Bristol City Council on November 12, and will replace single-storey sheds which are currently being used as a squat.
Residents living close to the site have raised their concerns about the plans, stating that it constitutes an over-development of the area and is further contributing to Montpelier’s ongoing ‘gentrification’.
However, architects have responded by stating that they are working in line with the council’s new Urban Living guidelines which promote increased investment in high-density living in a bid to reach a target of 33,500 new homes citywide by 2036.
Isie Potter, 28, lives on Picton Street in a house that could soon directly back on to the proposed development.
She said: “I think all my neighbours are in agreement that a development like this could have a really negative impact on the area. The plans show that the proposed development will be built almost up to the fence of our back gardens, which will leave us with nothing but a view of a brick wall and could mean that we are constantly overlooked. Montpelier is supposed to be a conservation area, but it feels like with the increasing number of plans for new developments modern buildings could overshadow the beautiful old ones.
“It does feel like a complete overdevelopment of the site that is part of the gentrification of the whole area. Stokes Croft and Montpelier have their own distinct character and by cramming as many people as possible onto a tiny site it seems as though it has become all about the money each little plot of land can generate rather than anything else.”
The site was destroyed during the Bristol Blitz, with the temporary shed structures built during the 1970s remaining until today.
The plans consist of the demolition of a single-storey shed, previously used for industrial purposes and is currently occupied by squatters, and the construction of two two-bedroom flats, four one-bedroom flats, and one one-bedroom bungalow.
Concerns have been raised about parking in the already-congested street. However, the development is set to be “car free”, with future residents ineligible to receive parking permits in a bid to boost sustainable travel options and public transport.
Tom Russell, a director at Emmett Russell Architects, said: “The new homes are part of a carfree development, meaning that the future residents would not be eligible for parking permits and effectively making it very unlikely that they will own or park vehicles in Picton Lane or the surrounding streets. This means that the development will not place an increased strain on parking for current residents.
“Our plans adhere to the vision Bristol City Council set out in its Urban Living supplement, and we feel that they make the most of the site and contribute towards the goal of a higher-density, more European-style way of life, with a greater emphasis on use of public transport.”