Have your say

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Activity	Number of attendees
Harbourheads meeting – 10 February	c.20
Public webinar #1 – 12 February	42 logged on
Public webinar #2 - 25 February	58 logged on
Underfall Yard event – 1 March	Over 330
HCCA Meeting – 4 March	70
Bristol Civic Society webinar – 6 March	Over 100 logged on
UWE Design & Planning lecture – 7 March	60
TOTAL:	Over 680

Harbour Hopes website interactions - 10 February to 9 March 2025

• 5884 unique visits to Harbour Hopes
• 2543 unique visits to ‘Give your views’
• 9012 plays of the Harbour Hopes animated film
• Number of QR code scans linking to ‘Give your views’ on Harbour Hopes
• Lamppost: 631 scans
• Exhibition Boards (Create, Museum Square, Underfall Yard): 374
• Poster: 132
• Letter: 16
• 759 people completed one or more sections of the survey (incl 28 manually completed surveys)
• 579 people completed the quick survey
• Of note, 278 surveys completed on the last 3 days of the engagement period

Other interactions - 10 February to 9 March 2025

• 10 social media posts resulting in 1,666 clicks, 499 likes, 68 shares and 155 comments
• Over 50 comment cards completed at Create Centre exhibition
• 13 detailed written responses from stakeholders

Profile of survey respondents

Participatr feedback survey data:

• Top 3 wards by postcode – BS8 (153 interactions)​; BS3 (133); BS1 (55)
• Highest number of responses by age group is from 55-64 year-olds (105 interactions)​
• Higher number of younger respondents aged 24 and under – 28 interactions (compared with 8 in first round of engagement)
• High number of white British respondents (81% with a further 8% preferring not to say​)

Overall feeling (563 responses)

Quick survey: What do you like about what we’re proposing in the draft masterplan? (511 text responses)

Key themes from the feedback include:

• Green spaces & trees: Retention of Ashton Meadows, planting of 1,000 new trees, improvements to pedestrian and cycle routes.
• Reduction of roads: Strong support for removing unnecessary roads and simplifying the road network, making the area more pedestrian-friendly.
• Flood defences: Integration of flood defences into the design was generally seen as positive.
• Preserving heritage: People liked that heritage sites such as Brunel’s Lock, the Bond warehouses, and existing bridges were being maintained and restored.
• New housing: Some support the creation of more homes to address Bristol’s housing crisis and some are keen to see affordable homes. Although there are concerns about density and affordability.
• Improved accessibility: Support for better access to the waterfront, new leisure facilities, improved ferry / cycle / pedestrian links.

Quick survey: Is there anything you would change within the draft masterplan? (512 text responses)

Key themes from the feedback include:

• Building height and density: Proposed buildings are considered too tall and too dense. Some suggest reducing height to 4 storeys or lower. Concerns about overshadowing of heritage sites, blocking views, and creating an overcrowded environment.
• Traffic: Concerns about increased congestion, emergency vehicle access, safety. Calls for better public transport integration.
• Parking & access: Not enough parking. Fears a lack of parking will push cars into nearby neighbourhoods. Suggestions re designated/underground/permit parking.
• Preservation of existing assets: Strong support for protecting heritage assets like the Bonded Warehouses and Brunel's Lock. Concerns for future of Riverside Garden Centre. Calls to maintain existing green spaces, e.g. Butterfly Junction.
• Public amenities: Worries about lack of schools, GP surgeries, and other essential services. Desire to see more community spaces, independent shops, leisure facilities.
• Environmental considerations: Concerns about flood risks due to overdevelopment. Concerns about noise and air pollution.
• Other: Development will have detrimental impact on existing community. Opposition to the proposed rotunda, ‘eyebrow’ and Merchant’s Road buildings, as well as student accommodation. Calls to prioritise affordable housing. Resistance to the name ‘Western Harbour’.

Routes

Connectivity

Green spaces and leisure connections

Flood defences and water

Heritage

Mix of uses

Townscape and homes

Improved	Delivered	Protected
Routes
Reduction of roads and traffic to create a more pedestrian-friendly area Simplify the road network, reduce flyovers, and possibly introduce a tunnel Reduction in air pollution and noise from busy roads	Improved road layout with reduced traffic congestion.	Keeping road network functional while reducing traffic impact
Connectivity
Improving cycle and pedestrian routes Better accessibility and connectivity between Hotwells, Cumberland Basin and South bristol Better public transport options.	Better pedestrian and cycle routes	Maintaining walking and cycling routes with clear access to the waterfront
Green spaces
More green spaces, biodiversity and tree planting better use of the waterfront for leisure and public enjoyment Remove unncessary roads to reclaim space for public use	Green spaces, biodiversity, and sustainable building practices	Maintaining and enhancing green spaces, trees and biodiversity Safeguarding the Riverside Garden Centre and Ashton Meadows Keepiung wateerfront access for public use rather than privatisation
Flood defences
Flood defences to protect against rising sea levels	Flood defences to protect against rising sea levels	Ensuring flood defences are prioritised in any redevelopment
Heritage
Improved aesthetics and maintenance of heritage buildings Preservation of heritage sites and maritime history Revitalisation of historic warehouses for public use. Advocacy for lower-density, well-designed housing that respects the area's heritage	Preservation of the area's maritime and industrial heritage Restoration and repurposing of hostoric buildings	Preservation of bonded warehouses, Brunel's swing bridge and other maritime heritage Retaining historic views, particularly of the Suspension Bridge and bounded warehouses Protetcing industrial and dockside character rather than overdeveloping.
Mix of uses
More community-focused infrastructure, such as GP surgeries, nurseries, and local businesses	A mix of housing, green spaces and public amenities Local shops, GP surgeries, schools and community spaces New cultural and leisure facilities, such as museums and waterfrnt cafes More access to the water for recreations
Townscape and homes
Avoid high-rise developments that block views and alter's the area's character More affordable and well-integrated housing Concerns about overdevelopment, especially high-rise buildings	Avoiding overdeve;lopment with excessive high-rise buildings More affordable and social housing High quality architecture that respects the area's character	Avoiding high-rise buildings that disrupt existing communities Protecting local character and limiting traffic congestion
Other
Opposition to the "Western Harbour" name, with preference for "Cumberland Basin"	Thoughtful planning with public engagement Ensuring projects and delivered efficiently and effectively	Ensuring development does not displace residents or businesses

Stakeholder responses received

Written responses from groups/organisations:

• All Aboard Watersports
• Bristol Canoe Club
• Bristol Civic Society
• Bristol Cycling Campaign
• Bristol Walking Alliance
• BS3 Planning
• Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust
• Conservation Advisory Panel
• Frayne Road Residents
• Harbour Heads
• Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association
• Kingsdown Conservation Group
• Underfall Yard Trustees

Survey responses from groups/organisations

• Ashton Gate Primary School PTA
• Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) & the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
• Avon and Somerset Police
• Avon canoe polo club
• Avon Gardens Trust
• Avon Scout County Sailing Section
• Bristol Sea Cadets
• Brunel Swivel Bridge Group
• Friends of the Avon New Cut (FrANC)
• Holy Trinity Hotwells
• Friend of Bristol Museums
• University of Bath Canoe Club

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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