Replacement railway bridge will be widely welcomed, but council says installing it (and some new bus lanes for ‘MetroBus 2’) will require a FULL CLOSURE of Gipsy Patch Lane for up to EIGHT MONTHS.

The long overdue replacement of the old railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane in Little Stoke has taken a significant step forward with the submission of a formal planning application.

The railway bridge planning application, along with three others associated with South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) proposed Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme, was submitted at the end of February and, following validation, duly appeared on the council’s website on 9th March.

Once complete and services start operating in 2021, the CPME will extend part of the North Fringe to Hengrove MetroBus route which is currently being built. Passengers using the extension will be able to benefit from a direct link between Bristol Parkway Station and The Mall bus station, along a route which will pass through the former Rolls-Royce East Works site (now known as Horizon 38) and the soon-to-be redeveloped Filton Airfield site.

The second CPME planning application of local significance is one which proposes the widening of Gipsy Patch Lane on both sides of the railway bridge to accommodate new bus lanes. To the west of the bridge, the widening (along a 107m length) will result in a new bus lane in each direction. To the east of the bridge, the widening (along a 340m length) will result in a new bus lane in the eastbound direction only.

To facilitate the provision of the new bus lanes, the existing carriageway will be widened by between 7m and 9m. Works to widen the carriageway will all be within the existing adopted highway boundary, however, they will entail the removal of approximately 22 trees along Gipsy Patch Lane.

More: Construction schedule and details of road closures »

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Housebuilder Crest Nicholson has submitted two planning applications to build a total of more than 1,600 new homes on open countryside to the south of Bradley Stoke.

The East of Harry Stoke New Neighbourhood site is allocated for development within South Gloucestershire Council’s adopted Core Strategy and consequently now sits outside the Green Belt.

The application on land north of the South Wales mainline railway is for 327 new homes and associated infrastructure and landscaping. This is a hybrid application, with full permission being sought for some elements and outline permission for others. The full application is for 150 homes, an earthworks strategy, access and public open space. Outline permission is being sought for 177 new homes, as well as a new primary school and nursery.

The application on land south of the South Wales mainline railway seeks outline permission for a mixed use development including 1,290 new homes, a local centre, community facilities, landscaping and open space and detailed access junctions.

John Terry, regional development director at Crest Nicholson, said:

“We’re excited to have reached this milestone for what is a strategically important scheme for the future of South Gloucestershire, which will deliver a considerable amount of much-needed housing to the authority in a non-Green Belt location.”

“Consultation on both applications was conducted comprehensively so that residents and stakeholders would be in possession of the full facts and we are grateful to all those who have responded to us. Feedback received has helped shape the development of the final submitted plans.”

As part of the consultation, a number of options were provided for local residents to consider with regard to the future operation of Hambrook Lane, which has recently reopened following work on the Stoke Gifford Transport Link.

More: Existing alignment of Hambrook Lane to be retained »

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Stoke Gifford Parish Council has submitted a planning application to extend and enhance the existing community hall within Little Stoke Park.

The proposals will provide new sports changing facilities, an ancillary café, an enlarged office for council staff and a larger meeting room. The retained elements will be refurbished and a new bin store and external store will be formed with the existing parking and landscaping being retained.

According to the ‘design and access statement’ submitted with the application, the proposed works will “support the parish’s ambition and aspiration to engender community spirit, activities and cohesion by providing new and improved facilities that can be used for and by the public”.

The proposed works will increase the existing gross floor area from 352.8sqm (plus 19.3sqm external store) to 551.7sqm, an increase of 48.3 percent.

The majority of the proposed works will be on the north side of the existing building, within the area currently used for external storage, which currently has no public access or right of way.

Internally, the new accommodation will provide:

• Two changing rooms with lockers, showers, toilets and treatment bench for two teams
• Two officials’ changing rooms with associated lockers, shower and toilets
• Two small stores for sports equipment and a plant room with external access
• Café with associated kitchen, servery/bar and utility
• New entrance, office and meeting room

The new café will be located on the north-east corner of the extended building and will feature two large concertina doors, allowing greater connection to the outside that can be opened during warmer months and, when closed, allow greater visibility due to the large area of glass.

The scheme is being funded with housing developer S106 contributions arising from the Charlton Hayes development.

Plans may be viewed on the South Gloucestershire Council website under reference PT16/4896/F. Consultation is open until 26th September.

Image: Visualisation showing path from car park leading to new entrance on the side of the extended building and the new café.

This article originally appeared in the September 2016 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.

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Discount retailer Lidl is looking to open a branch within part of the former B&Q building in Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford, the Journal has learned.

A planning application has been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council seeking permission to vary conditions on the original planning application for the building to allow its subdivision, permit the sale of food and drink and make changes to the external elevations, including the installation of full-height glazing and sliding double doors and the creation of a trolley bay.

The building has been vacant since B&Q ceased trading in June 2016, although only part of it had been in use for some years after B&Q reduced its floorspace.

Planning permission to convert another part of the building into a gym was granted in April 2016. That unit, at the end closest to the Ring Road, is currently being fitted out and is expected to open under the DW Fitness brand in the new year.

A ‘retail assessment’ statement submitted with the application states: “Although a specific tenant is yet to be finalised, discussions are ongoing and it is anticipated that the end user will be a Limited Assortment Discounter (LAD).” However, an additional document, the ‘transport assessment’, clearly identifies the potential tenant as Lidl.

According to the applicants, the proposal “will enhance convenience goods provision in the local area, affording local residents a greater choice of convenience shopping facilities”. Furthermore, “it will provide an additional discount foodstore and promote competition between operators”.

The retail assessment anticipates that the Asda store at the nearby Abbey Wood Retail Park will experience the highest level of trade diversion as a result of the proposed development, due to an overlap in target market. The new store is expected to derive 30 percent of it turnover from this source, representing a 10 percent impact.

The adjacent Sainsbury’s store is also expected to be affected, but to a slightly lesser degree, resulting in a 5.4 percent impact on convenience turnover.

Plans and reports may be viewed on the South Gloucestershire Council website under reference PT16/4626/RVC.

This article originally appeared in the September 2016 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.

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