Have your say

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Activity

7 staffed drop-in events at Create, Holy Trinity, Underfall Yard and Riverside Garden Centre

Stakeholder webinar

Shape My City Design Workshop (15-18 yr olds)

Bespoke WHAG meeting with guests at Create

Flooding walks

Virtual lecture with UWE design & planning students

Stand alone/unstaffed exhibitions at Museum Square, Create Centre and Riverside Garden Centre

Harbour Hopes website

• Press briefing and site walk – resulting in significant media coverage in local and regional media including BBC Points West, BBC News online, BBC Radio Bristol, Bristol Post, Bristol 24/7
• Local residents – letter sent to home addresses of 780+ residents within Western Harbour site area and surrounding streets
• Stakeholders – email sent to wide range of stakeholders associated with attractions, business, community, ecology & wildlife, equality, heritage, water users and youth
• Leaflets and posters – distributed via WHAG, local venues, Bristol Libraries
• BCC newsletters – We are Bristol and Ask Bristol
• Harbour Hopes website – including newsletter mailing to 900+ subscribers
• Social media - posts on BCC channels including Facebook, Instagram, X and Harbour Hopes Instagram. Local FB groups targeted
• Lamp post sleeves

Verbal feedback from events

Generally, people were encouraged and supportive of the engagement approach and direction of travel. However, some wanted to see how this will feed into actual proposals before completing the survey.

Perceptions:

• Agree current roads are complicated; interested to see how a simplified road system would work.
• Relieved to see commitments to include RGC and the Pump track within masterplan area but want to see the detail.
• Pleased to see commitment to not building over Ashton Meadows.
• Want to see a mix of housing – important for creating a community.
• Some concerns about need for GPs, schools, etc to support new homes - highlighted lack of shops, etc. in WH area.
• People want to understand phasing for construction - impact on surrounding community.
• Comments re other developments/sites outside of WH.
• Question how the Harbour Place Shaping Strategy findings will dovetail with WH.

Profile of survey respondents

(People who responded to ‘About You’ questions)

• Top 3 wards by postcode– Hotwells & Harbourside (60 interactions); Southville (42); Clifton (31)​
• Highest number of responses by age group is from 55-64 (65 interactions)​
• High proportion of older respondents – 57% of respondents aged 55 and above.
• 8 younger respondents aged 24 and under
• Significantly high number of white British respondents (80% - 197 out of 247 responses) with a further 9% preferring not to say​

High level survey feedback

• General support for the ‘What if?’ questions, with over 50% of respondents rating the majority of ideas as having high importance.
• Respondents placed the highest importance on accommodating existing community assets such as Riverside Garden Centre and the skate park and keeping Ashton Meadows free from new buildings.​

Mixed responses

• The most mixed responses related to the provision of new homes, space for a cultural hub, Brunel way alignment and reducing the spaghetti of roads, where around 25% of respondents rated the ideas low importance or not at all important.

Other responses to 'What if?' questions

Overall feeling

• 55% of respondents feel positive about the emerging ideas for Western Harbour compared with 21% who say they feel negative (213 respondents)

Feedback themes

• Accessibility of the existing area & how this can be improved for older people especially e.g. public transport
• Community amenities – new homes will need more GPs, schools and also shops, community hubs, workspaces for social interaction
• Connectivity – better sustainable transport option and routes – buses, cycle, pedestrians, ferries –needed within WH area and better city links
• Design – should reflect the character of the area and existing buildings, especially heritage assets and key views
• Economy - Consider demand for hotels and commercial facilities to support tourism and sports events
• Engineering and infrastructure – build on engineering history of the site, maintaining existing dock infrastructure. Interested in how simplified road system would work.
• Flooding and climate change – need for robust wildlife and community friendly flood defences
• Green spaces and biodiversity – preserve and enhance green spaces e.g. Ashton Meadows for wellbeing, recreation and biodiversity. Connection to green spaces like Ashton Court.
• Heritage and architectural preservation – respect historical character, consider and enhance key features, listed buildings. New developments should enhance not overshadow heritage.
• Housing and development - differing opinions on housing need in WH, need mix of housing type. Some agree with including affordable housing. Housing must be flood resistant.
• Impact on existing community and change to the character/ identity of the WH area – involve local community in masterplanning process, consider needs of existing residents and local businesses
• Oversight and accountability – desire for responsible development, sensitive to local environment, community, historical context. Ensure developers adhere to the masterplan.
• Sustainability and environment - include renewable energy, sustainable transport and green infrastructure
• Traffic - mixed views on reducing road networks; concerns over traffic congestion, emergency vehicle access, and bridge closures. Need for traffic calming measures & enhanced public transport