The Bradley Stoke Journal

Bradley Stoke Town Council’s (BSTC’s) Planning Committee has objected to plans to convert a garage in the car park of the Willow Brook Centre into a takeaway pizza shop.

The committee claims the takeaway would “affect the amenity of neighbouring properties” and that there is “already adequate provision of this type of business in the local area”.

Councillors have also questioned the statement, made by applicants Domino’s Pizza, that the garage is currently “unused”.

Objections to the scheme have also been lodged by residents of neighbouring properties in Dewfalls Drive and The Pasture, with one letter containing eleven signatories.

Residents’ concerns include the increased noise, smells and litter that they fear would be generated by the new business.

They also claim that the presence of a takeaway might lead to increased incidences of trespassing, with customers attempting to take a short cut by clambering over the fence that separates the shopping centre from Dewfalls Drive.

Read on for details of the anticipated decision date »

Journal reader Owen Richards reports:

A dog was rescued from the lake in the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve, Bradley Stoke, earlier today (at about 4pm), having presumably gone on the ice and fallen through.

A crew from Avon Fire & Rescue on scene broke through the ice and eventually used an inflatable boat to get to the dog (Morgan, a spaniel).

Photo credit: Owen Richards

South Gloucestershire Council is encouraging residents to make use of a new cycle route between Bradley Stoke and Cribbs Causeway to help get in some last minute Christmas shopping.

The three mile route, which runs from Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre to the Mall at Cribbs Causeway, consists of a series of dedicated or mixed-use cycle paths and quiet roads which have been joined up in recent months with resurfaced paths, new street lighting and safe level crossing points.

The route has been provided at a cost of £200,000, funded from ring-fenced Cycling City money.

Councillor Brian Allinson, South Gloucestershire Executive Member for Cycling City said:

“This route will make it easier for cyclists to travel to Cribbs Causeway, which is timely for that last bit of Christmas shopping.”

The Council says signage for the new route will be completed in the new year. In the meantime, a map of the route is available on the MapMyRide website and a YouTube video of a cyclist following the route can be seen on the Better by Bike website.

For those looking to complete their Christmas shopping nearer home, Bradley Stoke’s Tesco Extra store is open until 7pm tonight (Christmas Eve).

Related link: Bradley Stoke Christmas 2010 opening times

The Almondsbury telephone exchange, which serves much of Bradley Stoke, has made it onto the leaderboard of a national competition designed to measure the demand for faster broadband connections.

After attracting more than 1,000 votes from local residents and businesses, Almondsbury has joined a select group of (currently) 18 exchanges, out of 2,495 eligible, at the head of BT’s Race to Infinity competition.

The exchange currently lies in 14th position, although it might be overtaken by one or two late finishers before the competition ends on 31st December.

A top five position, which would have guaranteed the installation of BT’s superfast Infinity fibre optic broadband by 2012, is now beyond reach but it is hoped that achieving the qualifying mark will greatly increase the prospects of the exchange being upgraded in the near future.

Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, who has has vowed to make the fight to secure faster, more reliable, broadband coverage across his constituency one of his top priorities, welcomed the news, saying:

“I am delighted that so many people have expressed their desire for better broadband services by supporting the campaign and voting online.”

“In the New Year I will be discussing the result of the campaign with both BT and Virgin Media.”

“To my mind we have demonstrated that there is real demand for an early upgrade and I look forward to having validation of this and positive discussions with both companies.”

Read on for more comments on The Journal’s campaign »

Abigail Newton Smith, the young cerebral palsy sufferer from Bradley Stoke who travelled to the USA for an operation that it is hoped will help her get around without a wheelchair, has had her first physiotherapy session just three days after undergoing the selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedure at the St Louis Children’s Hospital.

Local people and businesses rallied round to raise the £36,000 required to pay for Abigails’s travel and operation in response to the Footsteps 4 Abigail appeal started by her parents Carrie and Tim Newton Smith.

Writing on the appeal’s blog, Carrie and Tim say the physiotherapist was “really pleased with Abigail’s dedication on her first day”.

The blog also includes photos and short video clips taken before and after the operation.

Abigail has also started her own blog: Abigail’s  Thoughts

The strong-willed nine-year-old was featured in a BBC1 Inside Out West documentary [viewable here on YouTube] before leaving for the operation and a follow up report, including footage from the USA, is planned for a future programme.

Related links:

• Footsteps 4 Abigail website
• Footsteps 4 Abigail Facebook page

Two local MPs were in town recently to take part in a debate about the Big Society with representatives from South Gloucestershire’s voluntary and community sector.

MPs Jack Lopresti (Filton & Bradley Stoke) and Steve Webb (Thornbury & Yate) heard about the diversity and value of the work which is already being done in local communities by the voluntary and community organisations, addressed concerns about government spending cuts threatening these services and answered questions on the delivery of the Big Society.

The event took place at Baileys Court Activity Centre on Friday 10th December.

Mr Webb said after the event:

“Voluntary groups and charities play a crucial role in providing support and services for local people in South Gloucestershire. Though we all recognise that money is tight, the conference was a reminder of the great value that voluntary groups provide”

Mr Lopresti added:

“I was extremely pleased for the opportunity to speak in the debate, and to see, firsthand, the dedication, passion and professionalism of the people I had the chance to meet. I look forward to visiting some of these projects in the very near future and to give my support to them in any way I can.”

“I have secured a debate in the House of Commons, on 21st December about ‘How the Big Society promotes Social Mobility’ and I will be using some of what I learnt last Friday.”

The event was run in partnership by infrastructure organisations CVS South Gloucestershire and Southern Brooks Community Partnership.

Read on for comments from the organisers of the event »