A plan to build student flats and business workshops to transform one of Bristol’s most notorious side streets looks set to be turned down by planners - because what’s being proposed will cause ‘substantial harm’ to the neighbourhood.
Developers say the plan for student flats, workshops, new homes and the refurbishment of a row of terraced shops and flats on Stokes Croft would completely transform Hepburn Road, the side street that was nicknamed ‘Crack Alley’ and had an entire episode of the BBC TV documentary series ‘Drugsland’ dedicated to it in 2017.
But council planners are recommending the plans should be refused, because of the ‘substantial harm’ demolishing old buildings and building new ones would do to the ‘special characteristics’ of the area.
Read next: Crack Alley no more - developer's new plans for one of Bristol's most notorious roads
It was back in April 2020 that Bristol Live unveiled the first set of plans to transform 'Crack Alley', with a second set of revised plans following in December 2020. Frustrated developers have been battling behind the scenes for three years to convince council planners to allow the project to go ahead, but next week councillors will finally be asked to make a decision, and are being told the recommendation from council planning officers is that the whole thing should be refused.
Crescent Property Developments wants to demolish the run-down and empty former car windscreen yard around the back of Stokes Croft in Hepburn Road, and revamp the existing buildings that front Stokes Croft. In the space behind, the plan is to build nine new family homes, 59 student flats and two workshops.
Crescent says the plans will completely transform Hepburn Road, which the Drugsland programme showed was a notorious dark alley where crack cocaine and heroin was regularly hidden and dealt.
Since the programme was broadcast in November 2017, things have not particularly improved in this part of Stokes Croft. Police data shows that in the 12 months between August 2020 and August 2021 - right through the Covid pandemic, there were 472 crimes of anti-social behaviour in just a 200m radius of the spot where the development is proposed, 133 public order offences, 216 incidents of violence against the person, 24 drugs offences and 35 robberies.
Crescent Property says its plans will mean Hepburn Road will be filled with people and activity again, and not be ‘Crack Alley’ any more. Their plans have been backed by the local councillors and Bristol Civic Society. The architect of the scheme is Robert Guy.
“We feel the reasons for wanting to refuse the application are extremely subjective, rather than officers taking a pragmatic approach to a highly constrained city centre site,” he said.
“This is a really carefully-considered scheme that does two important things: it would completely transform Hepburn Road by having workspaces and homes overlooking it, making it a much safer place to be and disincentivising the anti-social behaviours that plague this area. And it would turn what is currently an eyesore into an attractive place that would enhance the character and everything that is unique about Stokes Croft.
“We’ve taken a deliberately conservative approach - not seeking to squeeze every last drop from the site, but to create a high-quality place to live and work. The scheme is low-rise, mainly three-storey so it cannot be seen above the Stokes Croft frontage.
“We’ve located two workshops and some student rooms on Hepburn Road to maximise activity both day and night, creating a much safer and more attractive place for residents and pedestrians.
“We’re opening up the site with attractive brick walls and railings along the Hepburn Road perimeter, so everyone can see into the development while protecting important private resident amenity space. This approach was recommended by the police.
“We are proposing a range of traditional materials to help retain the urban ‘grain’ – and looking to commissioning a local artist to create artwork along Hepburn Road,” he added.
But the planning officers don’t see it that way, and are recommending the scheme be rejected.
“The proposed development poses ‘substantial harm’ to the special characteristics of the Stokes Croft Conservation Area as a nationally protected heritage asset, through the demolition of a Locally Listed building - Croft Dale - identified specifically as being ‘of merit’ to the area,” the planners’ report states. “The introduction of poor-quality extensions and detailed design elements to existing character buildings will further cause harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area and setting of nearby heritage assets. The development would also by virtue of its scale, design, form, materials, detailing and layout fail to deliver high quality urban design which would contribute positively to the area's character and identity.
“Whilst some of the unacceptable design elements highlighted above may in themselves be accepted on balance if they were the sole issue in an otherwise acceptable proposal in this instance they cumulatively contribute towards and create a poor quality and unacceptable scheme which will cause substantial harm to the character and appearance of the Stokes Croft Conservation Area,” they added.
“The Local Planning Authority is required by the NPPF to place "great weight" in the conservation of the Stokes Croft Conservation Area and required to refuse applications that pose substantial harm without justification.
“The proposed development lacks the required ‘clear and convincing justification’ for why the harm posed might be considered unavoidable as part of redevelopment, or the minimum in securing a viable future use for the site,” they added.
“The current proposal falls considerably short of meeting a significant number of policy requirements and expectations and as such officers are regrettably unable to recommend approval. The basis for the objection is that the proposed development would cause substantial harm to the historic character, appearance and significance of the Stokes Croft Conservation Area,” they concluded.
Councillors will meet on Wednesday, March 8, to debate the issue.
Read next:
- Fears gentrification in St Pauls and rise in house prices is 'killing' culture
- Turbo Island is no more - the end for a controversial Bristol institution
- Stokes Croft is 'at crisis point' in the fight against gentrification
- Homelessness charity defends putting its 'sleep pods' on Airbnb
Get the best stories about the things you love most curated by us and delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you love here.
