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

25/10/2020

Below is an update from the team at Bristol City Council who are leading on the public realm improvements for Arnside Road.

 

Do you have questions about the public realm improvements? Please email lucy.empson@bristol.gov.uk

 

  1. Communications and Engagement
  • The Mead Regen issue when this is published.
  • Arnside Public Realm improvements update with proposals and images published on the SDT Regen website, Facebook page and the Mead. Updates sent to BS10 Parks and Planning.
  • Signboards up for the Greystoke parking bays works. Info boards prepared for the SuDS Pods and Arnside Improvements, to be in place when the works start on site.
  • Corresponded with McColls again re: accessibility to the shop/post office, no response.

 

  1. BCC Update Arnside

BCC public realm works

The HIF funded public realm improvement works will be undertaken in four phases. These are:

Phase 1 – Greystoke Ave parking. Works started 24th August

Phase 2 – SuDS pods on the surrounding roads.

Phase 3 – Arnside public realm improvements.

Phase 4 – Greenspace improvements

 

Phase 1 – Greystoke Ave parking bays

ETM works are progressing well. The parking bays and footway are built and awaiting their final tarmac top coat.        The damaged concrete road work has been repaired. This meant a full closure of the service road while the concrete cured, but the road is now open again. There were some issues with vehicles mounting the pavement to drive through.

Purple ducting for BNET – BCC owned superfast broadband – has been installed along the service road to Dunmail Road. The grass areas have been reseeded.

The works should be completed within the next few weeks, so additional parking will be available before Christmas and before the main Arnside public realm works start.

The contractors welfare and compound is within the parking area near to the Pegasus pub/shops.

 

Phase 2 – Sustainable Drainage (SuDs) pods

8 SuDS pods will be constructed to assist with flood relief in the area and downstream.

ETM have been awarded this contract and we are currently discussing the work programme and start date with them. Works are due to start before Christmas and will last for up to 16 weeks.  As these are small works the Contractors welfare and compound will be on the road where works are taking place.

An information and FAQ leaflet has been distributed to the residents in the affected streets.

 

Phase 3 – Arnside public realm

The works have been tendered and the returned prices are within the expected budget range. The tenders are currently being evaluated and we hope to be able to award the contract in the next few weeks.

 

Detailed design of artwork benches

We have commissioned two local poets (Deborah Harvey and Colin Brown) to develop a poem and words that can be set into the benches, with the Southmead text ideas suggested so far.  Both have previously worked on local art and community projects with Elmfield School and in Blaise Castle.  We will share this with the group at the next meeting.

 

Telephone boxes

As part of the public realm works one telephone box will be removed, the other will be relocated adjacent to the parking bays on Greystoke Avenue. There is a live planning application in for this ref 20/03685/F.  Decision date end October.

 

The Arnside public realm 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. Arnside Road will be closed to traffic between the shops during some of the contract period.

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 to grass after the works are completed.

 

  1. Arnside Transport and Other Issues:
  • 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.
  • 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 Square development.

 

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

Due to Covid 19 we now plan to consult on this spring/ summer 2021 when restrictions should have eased. We met Hayley Ash and she updated us on the Bristol Future Parks project and the feedback they had from the consultation last summer 2020. They aim to include Doncaster Road Park within the prospectus, which will go out later this year.

Green space improvements and planting works will take place winter 2021/22.

 

Greystoke Avenue proposed tree planting. John Atkinson in Bristol Parks is looking at tree planting opportunities along Greystoke Avenue for the Urban Tree Challenge Fund project.  Currently checking locations and services. Draft tree planting locations plan below.