A vision for the transformation of Bristol’s city centre, to create a healthier, sustainable and climate-resilient city, will be considered by Bristol City Council’s cabinet tomorrow (14 July)
The framework, which has been developed following a public consultation in 2018 and in partnership with the City Centre Revitalisation Group, includes representatives from Bristol’s business, academic, hospitality and night-time economy sectors.
The new framework aims to:
- Create a liveable, vibrant, safe and inclusive city centre where people of all ages can live, work, learn and enjoy, both during the day and night
- Support the council’s target to make Bristol a climate-resilient city and carbon neutral by 2030.
- Tackle traffic congestion and improve air quality
- Make the city centre better connected, accessible and healthier
- Support the area as the core retail, leisure and cultural heart of the region through regeneration, diversifying use of buildings and space, and promoting what it has to offer
- Put in place sustainable development of new homes and employment
- Enhance existing heritage, streets and open spaces.
Boosting Bristol’s sustainability
Councillor Nicola Beech, Bristol City Council’s cabinet member for strategic planning and city design, said: “Bristol city centre, like others around the UK, needs to adapt to suit people’s changing lifestyles and employment needs.
“There has been significant economic and population growth in the area in the last 15 years and this Framework, if approved, lays out how that growth can be harnessed to make the heart of the city more sustainable, easier to get to and a more attractive place to live, work, shop and visit.
“Combined with our ambitions for transport, in particular improvements to public transport and making it easier for people to walk and cycle around the city, the Framework sets out an integrated approach to boosting the city centre through sustainable development and a systemic focus on making Bristol a climate-resilient city and carbon neutral by 2030.”
City centre development & delivery
If approved, the Framework will act as a guide for developers and investors to interpret existing and emerging policy to support improvements to public spaces in the area, how people travel to and around the city centre and inform new developments.
Long-held ambitions within the Framework, including the pedestrianisation of the Old City and a bus priority route over Bristol Bridge, are already being brought forward in response to the pandemic to help people move around the city more safely.
To ensure the city centre transformation is successful, Cabinet is also being asked to approve commissioning a City Centre Development & Delivery Plan to ensure there’s an integrated approach that takes place-shaping, planning, transport, legibility and public spaces into account.
