Brislington Community Partnership – Land Survey Zone 6.1

School Road

Sandy Park Road

Bath Road A4

Allison Road

4 – Centre North – Sandy Park Road

Keywords/phrases: Residential, historic core, Sandy Park Road, A4, Nightingale Valley, Brislington Brook

Summary

This area is predominantly residential and there are opportunities for some significant and groundbreaking developments within Brislington ranging from the disused tramway to the west, the Brislington brook walk concept to the east, and the centre development to the south.

The vast swathes of residential development this area also highlights another one of the peculiarities to Brislington, the disused or neglected back alley.

Conversely this exposure opened up some stunning views across to the west of Bristol with the Clifton suspension bridge, St Mary Redcliffe, Cabot Tower and Wills memorial visible from many points.

Topography

The land drops south into the heart of Brislington village from the north whilst dipping into the Nightingale Valley to the east from which the Brislington Brook follows its level steady flow from the north to the south.

Many streets within the northern part of this area are very exposed to end due to the nature of the street orientation to prevailing winds and high exposure.

In typical fashion the A4 creates an impermeable edge to the south west of the area.

1. Wick hill Lane Scout Hut

Wick Hill Lane scout hut and the Brislington centre scout hut are good examples where lateral thinking could benefit both the community and the scout movement and its members. If the two huts were to consolidate and sell one piece of the land they own, they could raise sufficient capital to design and build a purpose built mixed-use unit for both groups in one location preferably here at Wick Lane, with the idea that the land at the centre is then re-developed in a sensitive and sustainable manner to provide some core functions to the conservation centre.

The hut at this site is well looked after but looks out of place in its present from.

2. St Lukes, Cuthberts Vicarge

The consolidated location for the local vicar of both churches is a modest Edwardian Victorian-style house located in Wick Crescent.

3. St Cuthbert’s Church, Sandringham Road

St Cuthberts church is located at the top of Sandy Park Road, and although is still in use looks a bit shabby with bland gardens laid to lawn with the odd scattering of plants.

4. New corner development, Sandy Park Road

A contentious new development of private residential positioned high at the top of Sandy Park Road. Although inoffensive in build style it is the colour of its painted façade that offends most. Its adds to the eclectic Brislington style but little in the way of character to the busy high street of north Brislington.

The developer has deliberately set out to maximise returns at the expense of aesthetics by developing a high roofline with dormer bedrooms. This is out of character with much of the period housing within this area.

This perhaps is the best example of what Brislington Community Partnership should try to deter from future developments in key strategic locations such as this corner plot on this widely used road.

5. Library, Sandy Park Lane

The much appreciated local library, although small in size, it is used by many of the community and fondly spoken about. Although anonymous in its appearance it is a landmark building, which most people in Brislington know of, and its whereabouts.

6. Retail units & old peoples club

South Side

Coming south out of Sandy Park Road and turning right onto Wick Road there is a small development of retail units comprising of a café, vets, St Johns Ambulance station and the Brislington elderly peoples club on the south side and hairdressers, newsagent, garage, baby clothes, and Chinese takeaway on the north side.

Garage and retail units on the north side

7. Housing on Winchester Road

Much of the long terrace housing in this area is of Victorian and Edwardian stock, this is the view down Winchester Road and is typical of housing within this area.

8. Exclusive Brethren’s Headquarters

Headquarters School

Although it may have the appearance of a B&Q warehouse this is actually the UK headquarters for the church of the Exclusive Brethren. There is little information about this society and they own a considerably large amount of key strategic land within Brislington.

The corner plot is overlooks the A4 at a major junction on the one-way system and could be a massive gateway opportunity for Bristol if the land where ever to be sold. It is a commanding position overlooking Brislington to the south and Bristol to the north.

The portakabins to the western side are school buildings for the children of the Brethren when they visit the country for their annual meeting.

The society owns the land below the tramway arches, which has been marked out for huge numbers of coaches to park in, again for their annual meeting.

Coach parking on the disused tramway land

9. Lynwood house

A beautiful old Georgian building hidden away and locked behind heavy wooden gates protected by large boulders. This gem of a building has been locked-up and dormant since the 80’s and is in the current ownership of the Exclusive Brethren.

10. Holymead Infant School

A classic Victorian looking school with interesting glass atrium modestly joining the two once disparate buildings.

11. Housing in Talbot Road and Bellvue

Within the Victorian terracing there are some fine examples of mansion houses and cottages. Most have generous gardens and old stone perimeter walls, which add huge amounts of character to the area and provide foils for all developments to work from.

12. Housing on Eagle Road

Housing on Eagle Road Former HSBC bank building

The island of housing that exists in the middle of the A4 one-way system. Isolated and difficult to access. An impressive old stonewall provides some protection from the incessant noise from fast moving traffic to the rear of the properties however the fronts are exposed to the direct noise of the A4.

At the southern end of the island there is a small detached building reputedly once the site of the HSBC bank. Now the building is disused but the land in front is used as a car park.

13. Alleyway towards Sandy Park Road

View up one of the main alleyways in Brislington. This route takes you through a residential area to the top of Sandy Park Road. Although perfectly adequate in its function the street furniture on this well used route is very dated and badly maintained and the pavement (mostly tarmac) is potholed and difficult to navigate by wheelchair or buggy users.

This is a typical of the many alleyways to be found within Brislington. For an area that is difficult to navigate by car these alleyways could be better signed and maintained for the benefit of both pedestrian and cycle users.

The legible Bristol scheme could be extended into local Brislington to increase the cohesion with the City centre and provide consistent direction and connections within Brislington itself.

14. Mansion house on Grove Park

Another grand mansion house, built of a similar style to Churchill House in the centre, once located in the grounds of Grove Park it is now isolated by the A4 on the top of Bristol Hill road.

15. Local newsagents on Hollywood Road

Local newsagents and off-licence on Hollywood Road.

16. Local newsagents on Winchester Road

Once very typical corner shop found on many a Brislington terrace, sadly one of a dieing breed of local service within this area.

17. United Reform Church

The United Reform church on the A4 at the corner of Grove Park and Bristol Hill

18. Housing on Montrose Park

A humorous play on the Bristol tradition of colourfully decorating exteriors. The owners here have opted for more muted colours but compensated with more extravagant façade finishes, bare brick, painted brick, pebble dash, painted render, bare render, aertexed render and natural stone to mention a few.

19. Sandy Park Road retail

There is a large and comprehensive range of small local retailers based on Sandy Park Road. The services offered include:-

Video shop, DIY-builders, laundrette, accountants, dry cleaners, garden services, a pub, bookmakers, sandwich shop, independent bakers, 2x off-licences, flower shop, Costcutter and Happy shopper mini mart, ink replacement, St Peters Hospice charity shop, bridal, 4x hairdressers, 3x estate agent, beautician, Post Office, electronics 2x fish and chips, funeral services, butchers, café, and finally a sewing shop.

It is becoming harder and harder to find such a comprehensive range of independent units and retailers within one ‘high street’. During visits to this site it was found to be constantly busy with pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers.

The street is a typical Victorian terrace, although considerably wider than most it offers limited parking immediately out front of the units providing short-term parking for some shoppers. Many of the side streets of the road can get congested with drivers opting to park there instead. The junction to the east, where St Cuthberts church is located is incredibly difficult for pedestrians to navigate and dangerous for buses and cars opting to head straight on to Allison Road.

20. Former social housing on Manworthy Road

These unassuming former council owned houses appear to have been built in the 1950’s, their reason to be included here being that they benefit from having some of the longest gardens in Brislington over 60ft. Presumably built this way for garden allotments after the war. Again they have back access running behind these gardens, where most have built garages.