Brislington Community Partnership – Land Survey Zone 6.2

Bloomfield Road

Allison Road

Sandy Park Road

Wick Road

6 – St Anne’s

Keywords/phrases: Sandy Park Road, Nightingale Valley, Wick house

Summary

Without doubt the two outstanding features of this area are Sandy Park Road and the Nightingale Valley. One man-made environment and one natural environment, both unique to this part of Bristol and major assets to Brislington.

Both of these areas should receive special focus within the community plan to prevent any insensitive future developments and also to look at ways of enhancing the existing experience. Land contamination (chemical barrels) in the valley is evident and there are major costs predicted for the clean up. This has stalled the clean-up operation, it shouldn’t, Brislington Brook within Nightingale Valley should be seen as an asset, environmentally, socially, and recreationally as well as facilitating the connectivity of the two wards at a sustainable level through walking and cycling.

Sandy Park Road delivers exactly what sustainable planning policy is guiding, accessible local high street services, small mixed independent retail units, local character and distinctiveness, it’s all there. However it could be improved upon, better seating and planting would improve the experience, as would the calming of the through traffic.

Wick house, which is City owned, is currently being used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. It is a shame such a magnificent building as this is used to house people on a temporary basis and excludes members of the community and public at large access to such a fine building. Considering its age, history and relative state of disrepair it may well not be the ideal building to house people coming from stressful environments abroad. Some of the land to the rear is also derelict and unused with many of the lock ups burnt out and seemingly forgotten about. With imaginative and creative use this building could provide a focal point for the benefit of all of the community and an alternative purpose built accommodation built to the rear or elsewhere for the current residents.

There are some quality private housing terraces of Victorian and Edwardian stock, with infill and small pockets of unused land. Most houses appear to have rear access through messy badly-lit lanes.

Topography

To the southwest of this map lies the old tramway path extending out of the back of Sainsbury’s heading south. Sandy Park road cuts the southern perimeter and leads uphill out of the Avon valley into Allison Road which heads east downhill towards Nightingale Valley where it extends back up out of the valley.

To the north of the map the land falls away towards St Anne’s Park and eventually down to the river Avon.

Nightingale Valley is a natural flat ravine and flood plane through which the Brislington Brook flows.

1. Sandy Park Road

Sandy Park Road The Sandringham Pub

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 rarer and rarer that you 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.

2. Nightingale Valley

Nightingale Valley is primarily accessed from St Annes to the North and Allison Road to the south although a smaller path cuts across the walk behind Wicklea Community Centre and Woodcroft Close. The entrance at St Annes is very old and requires updating, in fact the same could be said of much of the man-made interventions within the park. Most suffer from vandalism or abuse of some kind. However this does not detract from the unique nature walk that this is, situated right within the heart of Brislington and the City of Bristol.

There is an abundant amount of bird song to be heard and animal life to be seen walking from one end to the other. During the summer months this walk would be heightened further with the arrival of summer plants and flora.

One of the major drawbacks to the park is its inaccessibility it is situated in a deep cut to the north and to the south there are wooden styles to negotiate and mud paths during winter. There are few steps on the step slopes and fewer handrails to help those who may require them. It would also benefit from more benches in strategic rest points.

3. Tarrs ice cream shop

Tarrs Ice cream shop Chinese Take away

The well regarded Tarrs Ice Cream shop situated on the corner of Sandown Road is shown on the photograph to the left. The new housing on the very left of the photograph is another good example of recent poor development within Brislington. This particular development has tried very hard to keep the local design and character of its context. However in doing so and trying to maximise profit, the developer has created very small back yards to these three houses. One of the back yards is less then 2m deep and comes to a point 0.5m away from the boundary of the plot.

Possibly due to the higher density of housing within this area there are more local shops and services here than anywhere else within of Brislington. This is surprising especially given the close proximity to the large variety found on Sandy Park Road.

4. Public toilet and electricity station

Current Planning permission 06/04550/F

Two interesting plots, incredibly the 3m x 4m public toilet block on the left has recently been granted planning permission for the development of a pair of apartments. Taking their inspiration from the toilet block the new development adds a second floor and retains the pitched roof and shape but adds four windows.

The old electricity board sub-station is probably going to disappear along similar lines, yet the brick work and signage are interesting enough to warrant some concern and this should be maintained if possible.

5. Tramway land and footpath and bridge

The strip of land that runs south from the old tramways station. Planning allocation says this is a bus depot but in reality it is a footpath, back lane, and car park. Pedestrians are forced down an intimidating alleyway towards Sainsbury’s guided by a natural hedge and security fence.

Tramway tunnel under Sandy Park Road

6. Alleyway access

Many of the sites throughout the Brislington area have direct access to the rear of their properties, this access generally takes the form of small badly lit passages, which are often litter strewn and suffer from fly-tipping and few have lockable access gates.

This access in Churchill Road is not typical of the alley entrances and is quite grand but yet again it appears to lead to a row of derelict garages and unused (inactive) land to the rear.

The same location on Conway Road and Martingale Road shows similar levels inactivity and rubbish yet here we find security fencing.

Unfriendly forgotten back-alley access, some of which could provide excellent cross routes throughout the Brislington Area.

7. Local shop

The higher density of housing may go some way to explain why this part of Brislington has more shops and services than other parts. It is situated closer to the City Centre, has Sainsbury’s and Sandy Park Lane on its doorstep yet many of the streets have a local shop or newsagent close by within a 5minute walk.

8. Shops on Bloomfield Road

The well signed Bloomfield Road shops offers the following services:- hairdressing, off-licence, tailor, fish and chips and newsagent.

9. Eclectic Brislington style

Yet more eclectic housing styles and tastes of Brislington.

10. Wick House

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Land behind Wick house

Wick house, which is City owned, is currently being used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. It is a shame such a magnificent building as this is used to house people on a temporary basis and excludes members of the community and public at large access to such a fine building. Considering its age, history and relative state of disrepair it may well not be the ideal building to house people coming from stressful environments abroad. Some of the land to the rear is also derelict and unused with many of the lock ups burnt out and seemingly forgotten about. With imaginative and creative use this building could provide a focal point for the benefit of all of the community and an alternative purpose built accommodation built to the rear or elsewhere for the its current residents.

11. The Sutton Estate

The Sutton Estate is a social housing estate developed in the 90’s by the William Sutton housing Association.  

This relatively new estate appears to be very well cared for and quite well designed. The concepts of the William Sutton Estate ensure onsite local management and maintenance and the provision of an estate office, which may account for its upkeep and general tidiness. The majority of housing on this estate is 3 bedroom family housing and 1-2 bedroom apartments so a sustainable mix of housing is provided.

 For more information:

http://www.williamsutton.org.uk/estates.asp?type=estate&est=bristol