Update from Bristol City Council – Public Realm Improvements for Arnside Road

24/07/2020

Below is an update from the team at Bristol City Council who are leading on the public realm improvements for Arnside Road. We have also included images to accompany this update here:

Proposed Traffic Regulation Order for Arnside Road 

Contractors’ compound locations for Arnside Road and Greystoke Avenue

Temporary Road Closure plan during Greystoke Avenue parking works

SuDS pods compounds locations

Information about SuDS pods

 

Should you have any questions about the Arnside Public Realm Improvements, please email lucy.empson@bristol.gov.uk

 

  1. Communications and Engagement

‘Arnside Public Realm improvements update’ with proposals and images published on the SDT Regen website, Facebook page and The Mead.  Included an invitation to review and feedback comments. Updates also sent to BS10 Parks and Planning.

 

  1. BCC Update Arnside

TRO advertised: TRO for Arnside formally advertised from 19.05.2020 to 11.06.20. Resident from flats above shops objected to the loss of unrestricted local overnight/weekend parking.

BCC explained that new unrestricted parking would be available on Greystoke Avenue and overnight parking was still available in the parking bays round the shops from 6pm – 8am. BCC suggested that the same hours could apply to the loading bay to alleviate his concerns. Further consultation with the businesses raised no objection to this.

The TRO plans have been amended, and subject to final checks and approvals the loading bay will now also to be available for overnight parking and all day Sundays. Proposed TRO plan attached above.

 

Phasing of Works: It is intended that the Housing Infrastructure Fund funded Arnside Public Realm works will be undertaken in 4 phases. These are:

Phase 1 – Greystoke Ave parking.

Phase 2 – SuDS pods on the surrounding roads.

Phase 3 – Arnside public realm improvements.

Phase 4 – Greenspace improvements

 

Phase 1 – Greystoke Ave parking bays: BCC has awarded the contract to ETM and is agreeing the programme with the contractor. Works are due to start end of August and works will last up to 10 weeks. The contractors welfare and compound will be within the parking area and at the end greenspace on Greystoke Ave, near to the Pegasus pub/shops. See attached plan above.

 

We have been advised that due to Covid19 social distancing restrictions the contractor will need to close the Greystoke Ave service road during these works to provide more working space for their operatives.  We recognise that this will cause some inconvenience to the immediate neighbours, but access will still be allowed for the houses affected by this and apologise in advance for this. Temporary Road Closure plan attached above.

 

The topsoil from the parking bays will be stripped and then reused in Arnside Rd. Two mounds will be created on the central green strip in the short term.

 

Phase 2 – SuDs pods: 8 SuDS pods will be constructed to assist with flood relief in the area and downstream. Works are due to start in November, and will last for up to 16 weeks.  The Contractors welfare and compound unit will be on the end of Greystoke Ave greenspace near Dunmail Road or in small space on the road where works are taking place.

An information and FAQ leaflet has been distributed to the residents in the affected streets. The locations have been selected as they capture most surface water runoff. Copy attached above.

 

The project has been pleased to gain some financial support from Wessex Water and BCC Flood Team for the development of the SuDs in the area.

 

Phase 3 – Arnside public realm: The design of the scheme has almost been finalised. BCC has made some additional capital funding available to enable the retention of the granite benches and tree and shrub planting improvements across the scheme.

The suggested palette of materials for the paving, seating and planting has been developed and shared with the community already. We have not received any feedback on this or information from the developers of Glencoyne Square ref their palette of materials so are proceeding on this basis. With these materials the budget estimates are now coming in within the available funding, although of course the works are still to be competitively tendered.

 

Detailed design of benches: We have always discussed including text-based artwork within the granite benches and work with local people to develop this. No-one has expressed an interest in being involved in this so any suggestions on how this can be achieved quickly would be welcome. We will need to know the format of this artwork before we go to tender to get an accurate price back. It may be possible to agree just the format eg long strips of text in a material that was set into the benches and then work on the detail later, but it is unlikely to be possible to have anything carved into the granite at a later date as that would change the contract details and could be very expensive.

Bus stops works: It is likely that these will follow on later in the project as they are linked to the s106 funding from the Glencoyne development.

 

It is intended to go out to tender on the Arnside public realm works in September and works will start on site in the new year (2021). This will minimise any disruption to the shopping area over the Christmas period. Works are expected to last about 8 months with tree planting taking place winter 2021/22. The contractors welfare and compound will be within the parking area on Greystoke Avenue and they will also use one of the raised grass areas. This will be reinstated after the works are completed. Arnside Road will be closed to traffic between the shops during some of the contract period.  Location plan of compound attached.

 

Arnside Transport issues:

  • Road Safety Audit of the Arnside Rd public realm works has taken place.
  • Street Lighting scheme has been designed.
  • BNET connection to existing infrastructure in Dunmail Road agreed. We have made the BNET team aware of the wider Glencoyne Square redevelopment proposals and will be leaving a chamber north of Ullswater Road for the Library/Health Centre etc to connect into.
  • CCTV to remain unchanged.
  • Telephone boxes. One box to be removed, one to be relocated adjacent to the parking bays on Greystoke Avenue

 

  1. Green space and play area and re-provision of green space

Parks and Doncaster Road Playing fields : No further information. Due to Covid19 we now plan to consult on this spring/summer 2021 when restrictions should have eased.