Brislington Community Partnership – Land Survey Zone 7.3

School Road

Bath Road A4

7 – Victory Park

Keywords/phrases: ‘Grazing farm land’, green space, ancient meadow, brook

Summary

There are three distinct fringes to this area. The industrial park to the southeast, Victory Park in the centre, and the residential fringe to the northwest.

There is an abundant amount of green space and some good interlinking roads, which are well serviced by local bus routes.

The east fringe of the park could make an ideal place for imaginative development to take place. Various applications have been made in the past for 4.5 hectares of residential development to take place here, although not ideally placed for residential development it would be ideal for mixed use recreation, sport, retail and similar uses maximising the access to the green open space to the west.

Topography

Typical to this part of Bristol the land is hilly and steeply sloping in parts. This has created some very strong vistas and viewpoints across North and West Bristol, which are primarily enjoyed from points within the northern part of Victory Park. The underlying topography rises to the centre of Victory Park to the north.

The brook presents permeability problems to the west and also an opportunity to create a truly interesting and unique walk through Brislington away from the traffic and on a relatively flat piece of land.

1. Ancient Meadow

The ancient meadow was difficult to locate on the ground as the whole of this area is predominantly open green space made over for grazing. This is echoed in the abundant amount of bird song that is noticeable walking through this muddy landscape. Although many worn paths exist there is little in the way of formal walking routes and stiles. The desire lines created by locals and users of this park have forged their own access routes through thick bushes and woods.

2. Green Fringe

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 links across the park from the conservation area and housing to the west could be investigated further helping to join these two desperate areas.

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

This fenced off fringe restricts permeability of the area and prevents easy access to the park and the industrial estate. There are well-worn paths through thick foliage, where routes have become established and local residents and industrial park workers have enforced desire lines.

Desire line used by many industrial park users. Steel beams have been placed across this route although it is well trampled by users.

3. Victory Park

Victory Park is a relatively informal park bounded by well-established trees and a tarmac public footpath. It is primarily designed around three marked out football pitches, which are serviced by the changing rooms below. There are few other facilities with in the park and the path was strewn with dog fouling.

There is no obvious route through the park to the industrial estate although the natural desire lines and determination of the local people has created man-made routes through bushes and muddy areas.

4. Victory Park football changing rooms

At first look these glance this building appears to be derelict and unused. However looking beyond the barbed wire and steel fence, the shuttered windows and heavily padlocked door it becomes apparent that the building is still in use.

5. Oakenhill Farm

Oakenhill farm is a relatively anonymous building situated within the meadows and green space close to Victory Park. Various planning application have been made the last one being in 1997 for the erection of a dwelling house for which a delegated decision was never made. Details of this can be found here.

6. Old School House

Tucked away within a quiet cul-de-sac is the old school house a lovely period stone build building. It is fronted by two contrasting residential developments of 60’s and 70’s development. Although totally out of character they are well kept and maintain a certain level of dignity to the character building.

7. 40 School Road

Current Planning applications for 40 School Road can be found here

A 9 bed unit for mentally challenged people. Build in the 1970’s it occupies a substantial grounds and is walled be a wooden fence.

8. Scout Hut

The Brislington Scout hut occupies a key piece of strategic land. If the centre development was focused more around the Church and conservation area this area could well become vital to any comprehensive development of this area. It borders the brook and is situated on flat land and therefore immediately more accessible than many parts of Brislington. There is another scout hut that occupies a better plot for scout activity closer to Sandy Park Road. Amalgamation of these two huts and the subsequent release of this land could prove profitable to the community and the scout movement in general, as the land sale would fund the design and development of a purpose built secure facility.

Hill Lawn Scout Hut

9. Brislington Rifle Club

The Brislington Rifle Club building looks particularly intimidating and unfriendly and it does little to the aesthetic pleasure of the area. There are no visible windows on the facade, and the users could possibly benefit from a location that would perhaps better suit their needs as a gun club, where they have more freedom and less restriction upon their activity. If an agreement could be reached to release this land it would prove invaluable in the creation of a permeable through link for the back end of any future development of the brook.

10. Tower Block School Road

No planning information is available for this development. It appears to have been built during the 70’s and occupies a huge area of land on the green fringe. It is apparently notorious for late night gatherings of young people with cars. The front car park frequently being used as a ‘skid pan’ by young drivers.

Aesthetically speaking it outwardly appears to be well maintained and is reasonably anonymous except for its height, it is visible as landmark throughout most of Brislington’s hillier parts.

11. Bus Depot School Road

100 School Road Coach and Bus garage is a tired and dilapidated building that in the past was reputedly open to vandalism and arson attacks. Barbed wire fencing surrounding the perimeter now heavily protects it from further abuse. Its position within a heavily residential area is unusual and unnecessary considering its proximity to the nearby industrial estate.

12. The Rock (residential)

The Rock is a hidden gem of a residential units tucked away within this part of Brislington. Situated down an unassuming cul-de-sac the multi layered and random layout of the old stone and modern buildings within it create a unique village type atmosphere. The brook is situated down an unassuming alleyway and could provide a great link in a proposed ‘Brook walk’.

Towards the rear we find sheltered housing for the elderly, which is immaculately maintained. The modern 70’s developments which are fronted by an old stone wall compliment the arrival of old stone buildings towards the rear of the cul-de-sac which have some significant historical relevance.

13. Brislington Brook

Brislington Brook has been neglected for many a year, the development of houses, roads, and even footpaths have all turned their backs on this fantastic local natural resource that could become a true focal point for the whole of the Brislington Community.

14. Allotments

Well used and maintained allotments on the green fringe.

15. Nightingale Valley Southern End

South side of Allison Road

View to North from South North Side of Allison Road

The land at the southern end of the Nightingale Valley highlights the potential possibilities for imaginative and creative developments that would highlight some of Brislington’s unique features and local character.

The Nightingale valley itself is an obvious choice for an environmental cleanup and the development of small sensitive works like the existing small stone bridge and a general cleanup to identify the natural route definitions throughout the park. However at the

southern end, the park comes to an abrupt halt because of the crossing of Allison Road.

Here we find a reasonably large swathe of land that is nicely kept on the north side of the road and totally disregarded to the south where there is much evidence of fly tipping, discarded shopping trolleys and household goods. One of the proposals from undertaking this land survey is the sensitive development of a pedestrian and cycle path and route linking the Brislington from north to south along the banks of the Brook. This area would provide the potential for an exciting small-scale development offering recreational, refreshment or mixed use facilities at this junction. Care must be taken to highlight that any future development is carried out in a way so as to promote the area and not detract from it.