A residential scheme at 7 Redcross Street- THIS APPLICATION IS WITHDRAWN
The Society welcomes the construction of more homes in the centre of the city, but we regret that we cannot support this planning application to build 64, 1- and 2-bedroom flats at 7 Redcross Street. The site adjoins St. Matthias Park to the north of Old Market. The image shows 5 bays of a truncated grade II listed ashlar faced façade of a Georgian terrace whose 11-bays once spanned the width of the site. The terrace remnant is embedded in a crude 1970 red spar faced concrete panel building.
The proposal is to demolish the concrete panel building, retain the listed façade, and build two new wings in a contemporary recreation of a Georgian terrace with a new forecourt and railings. This part of the scheme would deliver a substantial planning gain and enhance the conservation area; the Society supports it.
However, the scheme would also build a new 9-storey building behind the reinstated terrace. The Society believes that a 9-storey building would harm the sustainability of next-door St. Matthias Park, which is a critical consideration. St. Matthias Park is an important formal public park with many mature trees in a highly built up area that is enjoying social and economic regeneration. The new building would stand on the western boundary of the park and shadow the park after mid-day throughout the year. We believe that the constraint of the park must inhibit any construction much above the height of the current building. Although the recreation of Georgian terrace with a railed forecourt would be a substantial planning gain the impact of the 9-storey building on St. Matthias Park and its dominance over the recreated Redcross Street terrace would be an equal planning loss.
John Frenkel
Bristol Civic Society full response.
