Plans have been approved for almost 200 new homes at Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton despite enormous public opposition. The zoo closed last year but the money raised from the new development will help pay to keep the site’s historic gardens open to the public.
Critics opposing the scheme slammed the loss of many trees and biodiversity, the impact on the architectural heritage of the Victorian buildings, and an increase in car traffic. They also questioned why the zoo decided to relocate to its new larger site in South Gloucestershire.
Nearly 10,000 petitioners and nearly 500 public objections urged Bristol City Council to refuse planning permission. But councillors on the development control A committee on Wednesday, April 26, decided to press ahead and grant permission for the new homes.
READ MORE: New name for Bristol Zoo's Wild Place announced just days before crunch planning meeting
Speaking to the committee, George Ferguson, Clifton resident and former mayor, said: “I feel deeply betrayed by the management and trustees of the zoos who have conspired to dismiss viable alternatives, two of which I know have been the subject of pre-planning applications and received positive responses.
“Make no mistake, this is a Bristol establishment stitch up — and I should know. This is the last chance for Bristol to stick to its ecological principles and put ourselves onto the right side of history. We will be laughed at from outside this city if you approve this dire application. It will be ugly, it will be inappropriate, and it will provide a derisory contribution to our affordable housing need.”
The plans include 196 homes, including 40 ‘affordable’ homes, and keeping a large part of the site open as free-to-access public gardens. Bristol Zoological Society, which owns the site, said the money raised from the development would help keep the gardens open and maintained, as well as fund their new Wild Place Project, north-west of Cribbs Causeway.
The zoo opened in 1836 and closed in September last year. Most of the non-listed buildings and animal enclosures will be demolished, while the listed buildings will be converted and new buildings will be constructed. There will be 37 houses and 159 flats. Most of the blocks of flats will be four or five storeys, with some on the northern block reaching six storeys.
Justin Morris, chief executive of the Bristol Zoological Society, said: “I understand that closing the gardens has provoked strong feelings — people love the zoo. But we have worked respectfully with the community, staff, officers and statutory bodies in what I think will be held up as an exemplary scheme.
“That includes us opening up the much treasured gardens for free. If people really care about the Zoo Gardens, they should support our plan with its profound benefits for people and nature. And if they really care about wildlife conservation, and engaging in the next generation of conservationists, they should visit our new zoo and be part of our journey to save wildlife together.”
The cost of maintaining the publicly accessible areas of the site is anticipated to reach £200,000 a year. This will be paid by the open market properties and the Clifton Conservation Hub through an estate charge. The average estate charge would be £1,274 for each property, although the actual number will vary depending on the size of the home.
Each apartment will also have to pay a service charge, to cover insurance, maintenance and repairs. This is expected to cost between £2,000 and £3,150 for a two-bed flat each year, on top of the estate charge.
Six councillors on the committee voted in favour of granting permission, while three voted against. Voting in favour were Labour’s Paul Goggin, Philippa Hulme and Farah Hussain; Tories Richard Eddy and John Geater; and Liberal Democrat Andrew Varney. Voting against were Greens Ed Plowden, Fi Hance and Tom Hathway.
Speaking after the meeting, Tom Jones, a campaigner with Save Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “It’s definitely not what we wanted, but we thank the councillors who voted against the decision. We think that the councillors who did vote for this decision are on the wrong side of history. We still ask for the zoo to put the cement mixers on hold and to think again and go back to the drawing board.
“It’s 187 years of history for Bristol, heritage value, cultural value. The idea of just putting a load of tower blocks in it is deeply disappointing for our city. Almost half of the trees are going to be chopped down. This is a conservation charity advocating chopping down almost 156 trees down. There are serious questions over the biodiversity metric that they’ve used. We do not believe a conservation charity should be pouring concrete onto a nationally important botanical garden.”
But the loss of biodiversity was disputed by the zoo, who claimed the development would benefit the local environment. While many trees will be chopped down to make way for the new homes, the society is promising to plant more trees in replacement, which they say will increase biodiversity and natural habitats within the gardens.
Dr Morris, the zoo chief executive, said: “I’m obviously really pleased with the outcome. I genuinely think it’s a great scheme for the Clifton site and it means we can continue to move forward with our overarching strategy, and in particular our plans for the Bristol Zoo Project at the Wild Place site.
“It’s a fact that actually the number of trees is going to increase significantly on the site. It’s a fact that the biodiversity of the site is also going to significantly increase. And it’s a fact that the residential development itself is in excess of the sustainability policy. It’s a good scheme for the site and importantly it allows us to continue to move forward.”
Read next
- Fury as planners say it's 'not unreasonable' to close Bristol Zoo
- The seven options for Bristol Zoo as decision day looms
- Mayor warned he faces a Plymouth-style tree backlash unless he protects all the trees at Bristol Zoo
- List of animals moving from Bristol Zoo to the Wild Place
- Bristol Zoo's new look revealed for the first time in CGIs
