2008's Plans That Never Came

south west | local government | news report Wednesday January 07, 2009 17:17 by MoneyWatch - SouthWestWatch

Two Big Plans for Bristol: Two No-Shows at the Planning Office

South West Watch - keeping a beady eye on the great and the so-called good in the South West. A news view for 2009 with bells on! Looking back to 2008 to ask - where are the plans for Dove Lane and Bristol Airport?

There were two sets of plans missing by the end of 2008 that had been expected but never arrived. First is the Dove Lane development - back in May 2008 it got huge press in the Evening Post - a big front page image of the 'gerkin' hotel-type thing that would be build in St.Pauls and hailed by the paper as a grand new start for the area. You can see a piccy of it here; http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=26328

Lots of verbage and huzzahs for the new development as the people were asked to pick one of 3 development plans - A, B and C (C was the gerkin). Then the wait for the consultation to complete and the plans to be submitted so we could see the final goal - but over 7 months later - nothing. Rumours have been about that there have been tensions between the developers and the local community and perhaps the credit crunch has resulted in the gerkin being sliced - but as we write this, Dove Lane is currently a no show. Will we see it in 2009? Ask the bookies for odds.

Next was Bristol Airport - to Councillors (as they are much more important than us) first - oh and the Evening Post in October 2008 http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/689107 and again much beating of drums and popping of streamers from the Post over the plans. Received wisdom was the plans would be in for December 2008 and the fight would begin. But December came and went. Rudolf came and went and no plans. Will we see it in 2009? Some are saying march may see it, but with the national cabinet split over Heathrow and the strong possibility of an election and change of government to the Tories who seem to be down on this sort of thing. The future is murky.

More SouthWestWatch articles;

Gannett Plans 10% Cut in Workforce
http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/689199

SW Media Credit Crunch Update
http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/article/689318

Christmas Commiserations to the Daily Mail Group
http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/article/689448