Bristol City Council goes back to drawing board on controversial 'Western Harbour' plans
Bristol City Council has promised to “go back to basics” with its controversial plans for the Cumberland Basin in an attempt to win back public trust.
The local authority has said it will revisit its proposals for the so-called ‘Western Harbour’ and produce a new vision in the Autumn.
The council wants to redesign the area’s ageing road network and open up land for new developments - but previous plans have been criticised by residents.
Now a specialist organisation has been appointed to gather public views before a “place-shaping vision” is revealed.
“Our proposal now is to kind of take a step back… go back to basics and use the time that we have this year to solely focus on the engagement for the next phase of the project,” an officer told councillors last week.
“The aim is… to produce a co-created city-wide vision for Western Harbour, which would set out the type of place Western Harbour could become in the future, and what will make it special and different and what will be important about the place.”
Mayor Marvin Rees promised in January last year that no final decisions on the area had been made - but there is lingering mistrust over the council’s intentions for ‘Western Harbour’.
Now, all options for the road system are back on the table - although a tunnel under the Cumberland Basin has been ruled out.
In its formal written response to many of the concerns raised by members of the public, the council said: “No conclusions on a road network have been made.
“All options for road changes will be considered as the project progresses and more local and citywide engagement takes place.
“Highway solutions will be considered within a wider place making context in the next phase of the project once a place shaping vision for the area has been developed.”
Credit: Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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