FREE EVERY MONTH IN THE GREATER FISHPONDS AREA
fishpondsvoice December, 2015 — ISSUE 10
Staple Hill Tailoring
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TEL: 0117 329 0640 07877 737143 101 High Street, Staple Hill, Bristol, BS16 5HF
WHAT’S ON GUIDE - PAGES 26-27 | BUSINESS OF THE MONTH PAGE 38
65 cheaper homes at St Matthias site
Blackberry Hill redevelopment: builder pulls out
Starting to sparkle … CHRISTMAS lights are starting to appear along the Fishponds ‘retail mile’ for the first time in 12 years. There have been delays in putting up some of them, due to “technical issues” but by the beginning of December a good number of shops were sporting trees with twinkling bulbs.
PLANS for 300 homes and shops on the former Blackberry Hill Hospital site in Fishponds could face further delays following the decision of one of the partners to pull out of the redevelopment scheme. Curo Homes, which was to have built affordable homes at the site, is withdrawing because of the “escalating costs and and complexity” of the project, Fishponds Voice can reveal. The Bath-based company said the project has become “unviable” for them. However, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which is masterminding the scheme to transform the 21-acre site into a new community with homes, jobs and open space, say they are committed to the plans. According to the Government agency, a public consultation is
Merlin housing association has signed a deal with Barratt Homes that will mean 65 affordable homes – 50 for rent – at the St Matthias development.
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Traffic worries over new school site Concerns are growing over potential traffic problems in the Abingdon Road area when a new Chester Park Junior School is built.
EXCLUSIVE
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“likely” to begin next year. Three years ago the HCA chose both Curo and Linden Homes as partners to work with a Community Development Board, aimed at involving local people and groups to regenerate the site. Although the scheme was first mooted in 2009, the public have yet to be consulted and plans submitted to Bristol City Council. In May 2009 the site was sold to the HCA by North Bristol NHS Trust, which planned to use the money to pay off historic debt. At the time HCA said the development of the site will “act as a catalyst for further Turn to Page 12
Workhouse deaths: memorial unveiled A standing stone at Rosemary Green in memory of more than 4,000 people who died at Eastville Workhouse in the 19th century has been unveiled.
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Young cricketer is an inspiration Cameron Edwards, 11, does not let a disability stop him from playing cricket, football and rugby to a high standard.
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