Bradley Stoke Town Council has decided to conduct a public consultation to gather ideas for possible future uses for the hard court area at the Brook Way Activity Centre.
The news comes just two months after Mayor Brian Hopkinson was accused of attempting to “railroad through” a decision to build on the land, with half the plot being given over to the Incredible Kids charity and the other to a yet-to-be-formed body called the ‘Bradley Stoke Youth Trust’.
September’s meeting of Full Council rejected the Mayor’s plea for an instant decision to be made, instead calling on officers to produce a report “on all possible proposals”.
Reporting back to the November meeting of Full Council, officers said their investigations had revealed that there appears to be no condition on the current planning permission for the whole Brook Way site, which is leased from South Gloucestershire Council, that would require the hard court area “to remain as such”.
Apart from the possibility of using the site for community buildings, the report also identifies “extra car parking spaces” and “allotments” as alternative uses.
The cost of permanently converting the hard court into an area suitable for car parking is estimated at £53,000.
The report also suggests that a temporary solution to the ongoing parking problems at the combined community centre and doctors’ surgery site could be achieved for less than £2,000, by taking out some of the hard court fencing and constructing an entrance drive for vehicles. However, some councillors are sceptical that the current hard court surface would be adequate for this purpose.
Councillors were told that “it would be advisable … to carry out a public consultation exercise to gauge public opinion” before making any firm decision and they agreed to engage with the local media in Bradley Stoke to launch a first phase of consultation, “asking a simple question about the future of the hard court at Brook Way Activity Centre, with officers reporting back to the next Full Council meeting in January 2014”.
This article originally appeared in the December edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to all homes in Bradley Stoke.
Skate park? That space is much bigger than the area at the leisure centre and it is already fenced.
full public consultation, There is plenty of space to redevelop the site with extra car parking. Because they have a duty of care to the users of the centre and the locals, it’s time to look at ways of doing this. But to remember to consult the locals, to do their impact and risk assessments with correct planning permission. we dont need fast food van’s when there is a shortage or car spaces!
Maybe Tesco should build another store on it.
Recycling site
Recycling site is an excellent idea – just containers for green waste would be sufficient…..
It’s pretty clear that, considering the massive parking pressures on the doctors’ surgery, that it ought to be parking. I don’t really know how the heck the extension was cleared considering the issues there – every time I go now it’s a fight. Many vehicles are parked on verges as well.
But, what’s really galling is the dozens of empty spaces outside the activity centre. Sensible from the town council to block that side off?
Shelter for doctors when u have to wait out in the cold to get appointment save getting wet cold worse or it centre to update doctors daries to include a whole year not just day to day to book in to c them
Proper Car Parking for me please, OK I should walk to the surgery, but when I am not well I would rather drive and there is just no space to park now, sorry, I know killing the planet and all that but we have to be realistic.
I’m really disappointed with the comments on this story. The problems with the Dr’s surgery and lack of parking are well documented and the extension should never have been given planning permission.
Asking for extra car parking to replace a sports hard court is disgraceful. This was a facility used by many sports groups until BSTC decided to close Brook Way to community users and make it a youth club. Then within a couple of years the whole project was shelved and now our young people have nowhere to meet and hang around on street corners.
The “neighbours” have never liked the fact that this area was developed and have taken great delight in getting the facility mothballed. Who knows who was responsible for the vandalism which took place there over a number of years, but the outcome must be very satisfying.
We need more facilities for the community, not less, so this site must not be allowed to become a car park extension of a recycling centre. It must be of real worth to the community and the community should be asked what it wants.
Come on BSTC do something positive for a change.
“Come on BSTC do something positive for a change.” – yes, make it a car park.
Sorry, Jon, I just can’t agree with any of the above comments save the one about the surgery extension and planning permission. It was clear at the time that it would cause issues with parking. What’s done is done. Let’s try and resolve the situation now that it’s here.
It’s clear and obvious that the extended car park will benefit more in the community that using it as some kind of hard court area for sport.
Although, the town council could get shake off it’s “mine” attitude and open the other half of the car park… That would help. Of course, they won’t, as it might affect the handful of people using the centre there.
Building a car park is NOT something positive. For many years the surgery have assumed they can make use of BTSC’s side without a thought and if a new car park was made who would benefit; Yes, the surgery. OK I know residents would also benefit, but public money should NOT go to support a private enterprise and let’s not forget the surgery IS privately owned.
BSTC should maintain the “mine” attitude as any assets BSTC have belong to the community.
I say again, come on BSTC do something positive for a change.
Jon – it’s that kind of selfish attitude that has not helped this town. I’m sorry, but politicians are elected to carry out the wishes of the electorate. And it seems many here want a car park. If that is so, then it should happen. This should not be left to the egos.
For once I appear to agree with Jon.
The surgery and BTSC area are both for local people and whilst I accepted that some people will need to use their cars, the car area park is sufficient.
If car park parking it is extended it will only promoted more car use!
Whilst I’d like it to be kept as a leisure area, the idea of a recycle point for cardboard, glass, plastics is good
Are you kidding, Simon?
I live the other end of Bradley Stoke. You want to try and get a toddler up to the doctors without a car? Good luck.
In my view, extending the car park is the only option.
Toxteth
Maybe it’s time to move to a GP surgery nearer to where you live! The Concord Medical Centre is excellent AND you don’t queue outside AND there is a nice big car park.
Problem sorted – No charge
I’m equidistant between the two. I’ve built up a relationship with my GP. Why should I move to a surgery out of town because the council is too short-sighted to see an opportunity here?
Problem not sorted. Don’t attempt to dictate where I should go to see a doctor. Next.
Sorry Toxteth, your location does not compute. In one post you live “the other end of Bradley Stoke” and now it’s “equidistant between the two”!
How selfish can you get. Just because you want to be able to drive and park within a few metres of your GP’s front door, the rest of the community has to endure more tarmac.
And referring to your earlier post, No, politicians aren’t there to carry out the wishes of electorate… if the electorate are wrong!!
Wowsers. I can get a map out and prove it, but there’s barely a few hundred yards’ difference. So it does compute.
And, you still haven’t answered how I’m supposed to move after building up a decade-long relationship with my GP. I suggest you saying me moving is “problem sorted” is selfish in the extreme.
I want to drive, yes. But at either surgery I’d have to drive. That argument makes no odds.
You suggesting politicians are not there to carry out the electorate’s wishes goes to show how out of touch politicians are these days. Is it any wonder turnout is so low for local elections?
Use it for a senitaph for all those soldiers that haven’t died in Bradley Stoke yet…
A car park extension is most defiantly needed – I am a local and can/do walk to the surgery when possible – but have a several situations lately when I have had to drive and park across the road – one time with a very poorly 6 year old that had to be carried as she couldn’t walk! At the same time I witnessed another parent doing the same whilst the other side of the car park remained empty! Although this isn’t the best idea we have to be practical and realistic!
I think you lot have got off track here talking about where someone lives. The fact of the matter is parking is an issue at the doctors surgery and anyone can see that for themselves on a standard day. Bulldozing the courts and replacing with parking seems stupid to me when there are spaces next door. It does not matter if one side belongs to the privately run surgery and the other to the publicly run council. The 2 sides should reach an agreement on using both sides of the car park, for example the doctors use both during the weekdays and the community centre used both at the weekends. Don’t let money and politics get in the way of common sense, there’s enough of that in the rest of the world already.
I’m against more car parking- what is there is sufficient. I don’t think we need more recycling facilities either- there’s already a sure on Tesco carpark and at baileys court shops, plus the weekly street collections!
Allotments would be a great idea- people coming together to grow vegetables- the exercise and healthier lifestyles would reduce their need to fill the doctors waiting room and carpark!!
I will be honest my first reaction was to say turn it into a car park.
But I didnt realise part of the car park that is already there wasn’t used.The council need to get something sorted with respect to this before additonal parking is made. Also maybe the surgery should be pushing for thier staff to find other means of transport to work. I appreciate the on call GP needing a space but the people working “office hours” really?
As for a recycling point, whats wrong with the tip on station road in little stoke and Tesco also has some. I know they dont have a card one but why aren’t you putting that out with your green bin, you should have a bag for it the same as paper and plastic. Oh by the way if you don’t the council will replace them free of charge if you call them.
I like the idea of something for the children to do, skate park we already have one that is about to get a refurb. What about a proper adventure playground with a rope slide and proper swings etc? Just a thought.
Wow, you would think the residents of Bradley stoke were really hard done by! Just look at the situation we are really in, we have a doctors surgery offering appointments- on a daily basis, which is provided for by the NHS, by the sounds of it most of you are able to afford and run a car. Also you have facilities that are able to offer children after school activities and areas suitable to run these facilities in!
Someone will always be upset with what ever this area is turned into, i’m sure if it is a car park then you can run events for youths from many other locations in Bradley Stoke- and why wait for someone else to do it?? If you want something done for the kids then get out and do it yourself!
If it is not turned into a carpark, and the spaces are always on demand, then park about 200 yrds across the road in the big supermarket carpark!
We should be grateful we have options, I just hope the council can do what they are actually paid for and make a decision, rather than have meeting after meeting after meeting (which costs money) and then deliberate some more!
I think that if the council can take a more pragmatic stance the parking issues can be met by opening the whole car park area and if that does not suffice there is a large car park just next to the Hollow Tree. Let’s get back to the original problem of there being a community centre and hard court that ate not being used to their full potential. Have all possibilities of utilising this resource been full explored ir is it just easier and politically more expedient to mothball and tarmac? Do people really know what is actually there other than the doctors’ surgery? I don’t think that it is well advertised at all. Anything that gets kids out and engaged rather than permanently plugged into Xboxes/Playstations or sitting in their rooms posting endless selfies to Facebook must surely be nurtured, shouldn’t it?
A big play park for children as the one next to the surgery is a disgrace!
The two sides should make an arrangement as half the time the left side is empty. I don’t live far but I,m physically unable to walk up to the drs so need to be able to park . If the car park is full of staff parking then it is them who should be made to park elsewhere and to leave the spaces for the infirm, just like we have to in the Doctors surgery I work in not that far from here!
Not exactly the first time that Jon Williams has thrown insults around.
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-councillor-swore-stormed/story-11275463-detail/story.html
And the irony of the comment “the rest of the community has to endure more tarmac.” Now just who was it who personally campaigned for some of that hated “more tarmac” for the pet project of more speed bumps/raised tables, each of which cost us £20k?
anon-e-mouse
Not sure who you are hiding behind the name, but in these posts there have been no insults made, just comments about other posts.
Yes, as a District councillor I campaigned for 2 raised tables; one on Brook Way and the other on Pear Tree Road. I did this with a huge amount of support from parents at Wheatfield Primary and Holy Trinity Primary so it wasn’t a personal crusade but one where the community needed some support.
These 2 installations were done to raise safety standards and protect children; quite different from the posts that support a car park.
As for suggestions for the site, Ann has earlier suggested allotments and this is a brilliant idea and the Town Council has a duty to provide these. If someone out there supports this idea a petition should be started.
Unfortunately, I can’t do this as some posters on this site would accuse be of being “political” and it would prevent a “community” response.
Jon, I didn’t accuse you of being political. I merely countered your assertion that politicians should not carry out the wishes of the electorate if they are wrong. What’s political (in a party sense) about that?
Everybody knows you have been a councillor in the town so why, all of a sudden, end a good debate by saying a so-say political debate would “prevent a community response”? That does not make sense and does no justice to your much-respected background.
If everybody agreed on everything the world would be a very dull place …
I like the idea of allotment spaces but in reality who would maintain them all year round? I think the groups that rent space at the Brook Way activity centre should be asked for their votes – as renters they may well be crying out for an outdoor facility of some sort.
Jonboy- just for the record, as neighbours it was a pretty unpleasant time for us having a youth club in the activity centre, we were intimidated and felt at great personal risk especially from the older youths who used the youth club ;up to the age of 21. Several residents properties and cars were damaged constantly, I was injured when a large stone was thrown at my back whilst in my front garden, to mention but a few. The anti social behaviour was constant, we were even threatened outside our local shops by the head youth leader(caught on CCTV?)
No one had issues with the courts being used as tennis courts; as this is the use for which residents were initially consulted. Comments can be very damaging when not based on facts, we have plenty of solid written evidence obtained through the the freedom of information act from Avon & Somerset Police, SGC, BSTC and the Anti social behaviour team proving who was responsible for the aggravation and vandalism – it makes for interesting reading and does prove it was not the ‘neighbours’.
It seems easy for everyone to have ideas on what this space should be used for but please remain mindful of the impact this could have on local residents.
Allotments sounds like a good idea. At least it would be something to help people keep active in place of the currently mothballed sports facilities.
If it was turned into a car park to help with issues at the surgery, the council would be able to rent the car parking facilities to the doctors surgery. If the doctors weren’t interested in paying for the space (they are a private business after all) then it shouldn’t be made into a car park for that business as it is council owned land supposed to be for public use. After all when it was tennis courts you’d have to pay to use them or allotments would be rented to users.
Dear Sirs,
Approx. fifteen thousand patients are registered with the Bradley Stoke Surgery which offer an essential service to the Bradley Stoke Residents. They pay their rates and taxes which fund and enable this underused building to exist, yet they are denied access to the parking areas even when this building is not being used !. There are two other building funded by the tax payer in Bradley Stoke which are for hire and which I believe are also not used to capacity at our expense.
Extra Parking is the most sensible option for all, Patients attend the Surgery because they need Medical Attention, not for a jolly hour of tea and biscuits. We are stuck with what we have thanks to the incompetence of South Glos Council and its predecessor Avon. We must also be thankful for a small say in the matter as the Mayor ( did you vote for him? ) wanted to bulldoze another development through (with no doubt his name on it) with no consultation at all. These people rely on the lethargy of the Public, as they have all been voted in by a minority so you get what you deserve. Population of Bradley Stoke approx. twenty five thousand. How many voted ?