Kingsdown Conservation Group

Matters discussed at the August meeting

42 Tyndall’s Park Road – The Group has lodged an objection to an application to remove the boundary wall to the street and devote the front garden to hardstanding for three motor cars, in conflict with local and national planning policy.

LED Advertising. In common with other local and national amenity societies, we continue to try to resist the advance of illuminated advertisements in conservation areas and in the setting of listed buildings. This month we have objected to proposals to introduce LED advertising panels to bus stops on Triangle West and at eight further locations.

19 Ninetree Hill – We have lodged comment on a current application to extend one of a pair of what may be the earliest remaining, free-standing, semi-detached houses in Kingsdown.

12E Alfred Place – An appeal (Ref: APP/Z0116/W/18/3207120) has been lodged against the refusal of the retrospective application 17/01805/H (which can be seen at www.bristol.gov.uk/planningonline ) to build the roof extension, which can be seen from Montague Place.

Individuals can submit their views on-line, check the information and progress using the Planning Casework Service at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/CaseSearch.aspx. One should use the last seven characters of the Appeal Ref above to search for this case. Further guidance to taking part in planning appeals is available on the Planning Portal website at www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/appeals/planningappeals.

The Group and many individuals strongly objected to the application.

Hospital car park. We fear UBHT intend to purse their misguided ambition to demolish all 36 of the purpose-built flats on Eugene Street and also to demolish their existing 250 place multi-storey car park opposite in order to build an 850 place eight-storey car park. A recent ‘drop-in’ event was well attended by Kingsdown residents. The enormous scale of the proposed construction was not clearly shown in the presentation. The Group oppose this shocking scheme.

Old Hospital. Both individuals and the Group had lodged comment in support of the welcome initiative of the Planning Department to extend The St James’s Parade Conservation Area to include the site bounded by Marlborough Street, Whitson Street and Lower Maudlin Street, on which the BRI Old Building, its (recently listed) chapel stand, together with the listed buildings of The Eye Hospital on Lower Maudlin Street

The Old Building c.1780 ( Upper Mauldin Street ) is the 4th oldest hospital in the UK and Bristol’s largest Georgian building by far.  In November its chapel was listed by Historic England, and in the disappointing absence of the BRI Old Building itself being nationally listed, Bristol City Council is now hoping to protect it by extending the boundary of the adjacent St. James’s Parade Conservation Area to include the BRI Old Building, its newly listed Chapel and the two splendid listed Georgian buildings at 16 & 17 Lower Maudlin Street, which are occupied by the Eye Hospital.

It is vital that all supporters of this proposal (both groups and individuals) respond to the consultation before the 9th August deadline, but sooner if possible.

Please click on the link just below and then the secondary links to study the proposal, and then submit your support if you wish.  Even a short word will do, as every individual response counts as one more towards a successful decision.

https://bristol.citizenspace.com/growth-regeneration/extension-of-st-james-parade-conservation-area/

Bristol Civic Society are putting up a blue plaque on the gate of No 87 on Monday 18 June, as Robert Southey (Poet Laureate) lived here briefly in 1801/2.  There will be an unveiling ceremony at 11.00am.  He was born in Bristol and had Kingsdown connections.  It seems to have been his and his wife’s first house (rented), before moving to live with the Coleridges in the Lakes.

also reminder…

Kingsdown Vault’s Street Party  Saturday June 30th

The KCG have bought a ‘Crimson King’ Hawthorn tree to replace the Catalpa which was damaged by wind on the Triangle Garden, St Matthews Road.

The celebration planting will take place on the evening of Wednesday June 6^th at about 7 pm. Everyone’s welcome to give a hand – or an opinion –  on all aspects of Kingsdown community gardening.

AGM 18th April

A reminder that our AGM will be held next Wednesday, 18th April at St Matthews Church. Doors open at 7.30 and the short AGM begins at 8pm with a talk afterwards by our neighbour Harry Marshall of Icon Film. There will be a bar for refreshments and plenty of time to chat and discuss Kingsdown matters. Everyone is welcome, so please let anyone new to Kingsdown know about the evening.

Lord Mayor’s Medal for David and Penny Mellor

Last week David Mellor and Penny Mellor each received the Lord Mayor’s Medal for their respective charitable and voluntary work championing Bristol’s architecture and heritage.

They were among 21 people awarded, acknowledged for dedicating their time to promoting the city, supporting their community and charity fundraising .The Awards Ceremony took place at the Mansion House last week (Thursday 22 March) with the Lord Mayor’s Medal Citation reading:

David Mellor – for his charitable work championing better buildings in Bristol

For more than 20 years David, of Kingsdown, has chaired the board of the Architecture Centre in Bristol and championed having contemporary buildings and a better built environment. He helped it to achieve Arts Council status as a National Portfolio Organisation and although he has passed on the role of chair, he remains a strong supporter of the charity.

Penny Mellor – for her voluntary work to promote Bristol and its history                                       Penny, of Kingsdown, established the Bristol Doors Open Day, which is an annual event whereby buildings and places of interest across the city open their doors to the public to celebrate, for free, Bristol’s heritage, community and history. Since 1994 she has organised Bristol Doors Open Day alongside a small team of volunteers and 80 venues now take part. Penny no longer runs the event but remains a very active supporter.

Penny also organised the Kingsdown 250 Exhibition in1990 and has written several books about Kingsdown , the most recent in conjunction with Mary Wright.

See also https://www.architecturecentre.org.uk/2018/03/two-lord-mayor-medals-awarded-to-champions-of-bristol-architecture/