Brislington Community Partnership – Land Survey Zone 2.1

Broomhill Road

2.1 –Brislington Trading Estate / Green Fringe

Bristol CC Land Use Map Allocation

General Impression and initial observations

This area has a very strong identity, clearly identified on the Local Plan as industrial.

Although the area is predominantly occupied by light industrial and commercial buildings there is a distinct lack of public services and refreshment outlets, aside from the McDonalds outlet, a small café situated within the industrial park, and the two banks.

Looking closer there are some attractive places of interest tucked away on the green fringe and a fantastic opportunity for development on the eastern fringe of Victory Park along the Trading Estate

2. Derelict Land

Planning application ref - 06/03108/F

This site is located at the end of a cul-de-sac in the trading estate. The building that occupied the site has recently been demolished and there are plans to replace it with 29 smaller industrial units and associated buildings.

This development is however an opportunity missed by the Council as looking at the map there is an access road to the north which would have benefited the whole site and any future sustainable development if it had been joined to this cul-de-sac.

3. Fire Station

There is a fire station situated to the west of the site that appears to be in use but in keeping with the rest of the park appears a bit neglected, although providing an excellent local service.

No Photo

4. Green fringe opportunity

The west fringe of the park (along Bonville Road) has a fantastic open green fringe with many bird songs to be heard and a potential for recreational or refreshment amenities for park employees and the general public. Stronger green links across the park from the conservation area and housing to the west could be investigated further.

The through road that separates the industrial park from the green space runs to a cul-de-sac to the north and would benefit the park and the green fringe if it were re-connected, this would remove industrial traffic from the popular route used by local residents accessing St Annes and Broom Hill to the north.

5. Business training centre and bar

Further north on this side of the road we find a business training centre and hotel occupying a grand period property (possibly mid Victorian) with mature gardens and green space and outdoor tables. Access to the Pro/5 soccer training facility and Harlequins rugby is also possible from this location.

6. Brislington Trading Estate

To the back of this small estate the Brislington Industrial Park is found. Many of the industrial units within the Park are signed to let. Some suffer considerable state of demise and a few in a state of dereliction. Most appear to be about 20-30 years old and look very dated. Shortage of car parking means employees use the surrounding roads and paths damaging grass verges in winter creating large areas of muddy patches.

Although functional in its design of parallel streetscapes supported by perpendicular access roads, there is little in the way of greenery on the road edges. However there is considerable room for them and this creates an unwelcoming and unhappy (and possibly unhealthy) feel to the whole estate.

There is a day nursery and the ‘Real Peoples Café’ situated within the park both looked popular, busy and were well looked after.

Day nursery

7. Residential and industrial fringe

To the north of the industrial park we find the start of the Broom Hill ex-council owned estate. The southern tip of this is fronted by units on the industrial estate and it appears from the plans that the northern access road to this part of the estate has be severed to provide seclusion to this estate, however this causes major traffic problems with lorries and large vehicles attempting to navigate the mini roundabout at the A4 / Broomhill road interchange.

Careful and considerate redesign of this access route may benefit the trading estate users and local residents alike.