Fears new venue could delay postal deliveries
ROYAL Mail has warned that any traffic caused by a new attraction in South Gloucestershire could delay post across the “whole region”.
YTL Developments is seeking planning permission to build the festival-style ‘village’ on the former airfield at Filton near Bristol, with outdoor entertainment, tipi restaurants, retail stalls and a bar with roof terrace.
The developer, which is also behind Bristol Arena and the huge Brabazon housing estate nearby, hopes to open the so-called ‘Hangout’ in summer and operate it over the next three years until the arena is ready.
However, Royal Mail has now lodged a planning objection with South Gloucestershire Council, fearing that it will increase congestion along the A38 and affect its operation at Bristol Mail Centre.
It said it “does not wish to prevent” the venue, but stressed the need for “measures to protect Bristol Mail Centre” before it is allowed to open, making a list of demands to address its concerns.
YTL said it has been in discussion with Royal Mail, and that the
Hangout represents only 17% of the size of retail development that the council has already permitted as part of the Arena and Brabazon consent.
The mail centre borders the application site and employs 1,000 people, handling 18 million items of mail each week across the BS, BA, TA and GL postcodes as well as air mail for East Midlands Airport.
Royal Mail’s five-page objection states: “Royal Mail vehicles use all of the main roads that may potentially be affected by additional traffic generated by the construction and operation of the [Hangout]. Royal Mail’s delivery targets are extremely time critical and even minor delays to vehicle movements to and from operational sites can result in these targets not being met.
“Delays affecting a major hub such as the Bristol Mail Centre will have a knock-on effect over the whole of the region.”
The Hangout would be located on a corner of the airfield next to Aerospace Bristol, accessed via the Lidl exit off the Concorde Roundabout.
Royal Mail said the A38 and Gypsy Patch Lane were already “over capacity and congested” at peak times prior to lockdown, and that any additional delays would have a “serious negative impact on Royal Mail’s business”.
It revealed that during the Massive Attack gigs on the former airfield in 2019, there were a “number of adverse impacts on the operation of Bristol Mail Centre”.
This included, it claimed, heavy congestion that delayed Royal Mail vehicles, “large numbers of un-managed pedestrians”, and even the “scaling of security fences by pedestrians attending the event”.
A spokesperson for YTL noted the devastating impact of the coronavirus lockdowns on hospitality businesses, and said the industry is in “desperate need of a boost”.
The statement added: “We anticipate most of the visitors will be based locally, and will arrive either on foot or by public transport, so we have applied for a 500 capacity car park to accommodate those travelling from further afield.”
South Gloucestershire Council will rule on the matter in the coming weeks.