Planning officers have reversed their advice to councillors and now say the controversial proposed redevelopment of Knowle ’s Broadwalk Shopping Centre should be rejected. Last month, Bristol City Council ’s cross-party development control committee unanimously refused permission to bulldoze the ageing mall and create an 850-home “village” called Redcatch Quarter, with buildings as tall as 12 storeys.
That was against officers’ recommendation that the plans, which include demolishing the snooker hall, bingo club, multi-storey car park and shops and replacing them with flats, a cinema/theatre community space, a dentist and a pedestrianised high street connecting Redcatch Park to Wells Road. The council’s policy is that all planning refusals that are contrary to the advice of officers must enter a cooling-off period, following costly successful appeals, with a report to come back to the committee with reasons for turning down applications that can withstand an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.
That was triggered at the meeting on May 31, and the development will be reconsidered at the committee on Wednesday, July 5. What is significant about the report before members next week is that the recommendation is now to refuse.
