The Week In - Issue 802 - 11th October 2023

THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset Issue 802

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11th October 2023

Read by more than 40,000 people each week

Popeyes and Burger King drivethrus planned for Longwell Green US chicken restaurant chain Popeyes looks set to open a drive-thru restaurant at Longwell Green.

The latest blueprint for the redeveloped Kingswood Industrial Estate at Aldermoor Way also shows a drive-thru Burger King.

Popeyes has outlets in and around London and in other parts of the UK, including Cardiff, Brighton, Oxford. Reading, the Midlands, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. It is understood the one at Longwell Green would be the first in the South West.

The

map

of

the

proposed

redevelopment also shows a third

The site of the proposed drive-thrus

un-named drive-thru.

Demolition work is now well

leisure and community opportunities and create around 440

under way on the old estate. Last

new jobs.

week trees fronting Marsham Way

Demolition work is also under way on the Icescape building

were ripped out as part of the clearance of the former Savilles

at Aldermoor Way, which is next to Longwell Green Retail

Freights yard and neighbouring trampoline centre Flip Out

Park, home to Costa Coffee, Subway, DFS and Carpetright.

to make way for new units.

The retail park is unaffected by the redevelopment.

South Gloucestershire Council granted outline planning

In Issue 797 we reported that Travis Perkins had become the

permission earlier this year for a mixed development of

first company to announce its intention to move to the new

161,866sq ft of development on the site of the rundown

estate. The builders’ merchant is planning a store where

industrial estate. The regeneration will provide employment,

Savilles was.

Also in this week’s issue

Plans for solar farm near Keynsham . . . page 2

Customers mourn the closure of Wilko in Kingswood . . . page 3

Continued on page 3

Trees have been removed along the Marsham Way boundary

Oldland play park forced to close again . . . page 4

Concerns over more industrial units at Keynsham business centre . . . page 10

Plans for 66-acre solar farm near Keynsham There are plans for a 66-acre solar farm on fields near Keynsham.

Before submitting a planning application, agents for Conrad Energy have asked Bath & North East Somerset Council if an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is needed in relation to the proposed groundmounted solar array with battery storage and associated infrastructure and equipment on land off Gypsy Lane.

The purpose of an EIA is to ensure that the environmental effects of a proposed development are properly considered.

The proposed location for the solar farm is

east of Burnett, approximately 850 metres to the south of Keynsham and 1.2km to the south west of Saltford.

Burnett Business Park is immediately to the north of the site and the land lies within an

assist in establishing a diversity of energy sources in the UK.”

They say the biodiversity of the site would also be significantly improved.

area of the Forest of Avon Community Forest and the Bristol and Bath Green Belt.

The proposed renewable energy generating station would supply clean energy to the National Grid. Conrad Energy’s agents say: “The proposed development responds to the Government’s support for solar energy by providing a greater renewable energy supply that would reduce carbon emissions and

Van crime alert

2

Police say that thieves broke into a number of

off in a car after the owner shouted at them

Ford Transit vans in the Keynsham area

from a bedroom window. And two men were

during the night of Thursday 14th September.

seen on CCTV driving up to a home in

One was in Rock Road where the offenders

Alexander Road. One got out and tried the

got into the front of the van and emptied the

side door handle of a parked van. They drove

contents of the glove box and other areas onto

off when they realised the doors were locked.

the seats. They were unable to get into the

If you have any information regarding any of

rear. Power tools were stolen from a van

these incidents call 101 or Crimestoppers

parked at Walnut Walk. The offenders drove

anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The solar farm is proposed on a site covering 66 acres

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

Wilko in Kingswood closes for the last time Customers are mourning the closure of Wilko in Kingswood.

Staff at the anchor store in Kings Chase Shopping Centre gave people the chance to share their thoughts before it closed for good last Tuesday.

Their message on the noticeboard said: “As the sun sets over Wilko Kingswood over the next few days, the team want to thank all our customers over the last 26 years.

“We’ve laughed with you and been proud to be there through the thick and thin of the last few years to serve you. We will miss you all.

“If you feel you would like to leave a message for the team then please use a post it note and stick it to this board.”

Comments included: “Thank you for your friendly service and helpfulness over the years. You will leave a very big hole in Kingswood.”

Another said: “I got so many useful things from here. It will feel like the heart is missing from Kings Chase.”

People have also been having their say on the closure on our Facebook page and the post has received more than 70,000 views. Customer Richard wrote: “I am very sad for you all and I liked using your store for all of my home and health shopping. I will miss you all.”

Staff member Tina Hancock wrote: “It was a pleasure to serve

The empty store on the last day

you all for the last 15 years and I’m going to miss working there.”

Our thanks to Adam Bryant who posted a picture on our Facebook page from inside the empty discount store on the

last afternoon. Wilko fell into administration in August. Some Wilko units across the country have been saved by rival discount firms B&M and Poundland, and The Range has bought the Wilko brand.

Popeyes and Burger King drive-thrus planned for Longwell Green Continued from page 1 Meanwhile at the nearby Gallagher Shopping Park, signs have gone up for the new Superdrug store which is due to open in part of the unit formerly occupied by fashion retailer Outfit. The unit has been divided and preparation work is under way in the other section which will be occupied by Mountain Warehouse.

• Last year Kentucky Fried Chicken’s controversial plans to open a drive-thru in the car park of the nearby Asda supermarket were refused by South Gloucestershire Council which said it was not the right place for a fast food outlet.

There had been more than 100 objections.

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

3

Play park closed again The play park at Redfield Hill in Oldland Common is closed again after a recent inspection found that someone had removed many bolts on the multi-gym, making it unsafe for use.

Bitton Parish Council has said that replacements are being ordered and the park remains closed in the meantime. The council

was forced to close the park in the spring for several weeks after vandals wreaked havoc, causing thousands of pounds of damage. A group of youths lit a fire with aerosols under the main play frame, damaging the safety flooring and underneath the main equipment.

They also damaged the slide with nailed wood and destroyed all the signs.

Motorcyclist dies Police are appealing for witnesses and

and paramedics, the rider was pronounced

information following a fatal collision in

dead at the scene.

Brislington on Friday night.

The road was closed while emergency

Emergency services were called to Pilgrims

services attended. Anyone with dashcam,

Wharf, by St Anne’s Park, at around 9.30pm

doorbell or CCTV footage, as well as anyone

following reports of a collision involving a

who witnessed the collision, is asked to

motorcycle. Despite the best efforts of officers

contact 101 and quote reference 5223244416.

THE WEEK IN Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge.

The play park is closed

Trees are vandalised Whitchurch Village councillors say they are

The damage took place on the evenings of

very disappointed to report that three mature

Monday 11th and Wednesday 13th September

trees in the play park at Norton Lane have

and has been reported to the police. Anyone

been vandalised.

with information is asked to contact the

These trees were planted as part of an ongoing

council or the police. There have also been

scheme to attract wildlife, promote clean air

reports of anti-social behaviour in Hamilton

and add nature to the village.

Way and Sleep Lane in the village recently.

16,000 copies are distributed through retail outlets, libraries, pubs, community centres each week.

Verified pick-up rate of 97%.

The Week In Community Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. BS31 1HA 0117 986 0381. www.theweekin.co.uk ISSN: 2052-9767 Publisher Editor Contributors

Stephen Rodgers admin@theweekin.co.uk Becky Feather 07403 273967 Christine Rogers

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0117 986 0381 sales.theweekin@gmail.com @theweekineditor the_week_in_news

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4

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

Blame game continues over car park charges in South Glos The row over who is to blame for a proposal to introduce car parking charges in South Gloucestershire heated up in the council chamber in Kingswood last Thursday during a budget debate.

The council has operated a policy of free parking to support local shoppers and encourage local spending. In the run-up to May’s local elections, all three political parties pledged that would continue.

At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, opposition Conservative leader Sam Bromiley said he accepted that the council’s financial position had worsened since February and sympathised with officers and members of the new Lib DemLabour coalition who are working to plug the shortfall.

Changes to recycling and waste services South Gloucestershire Council needs to find ways to close an expected annual shortfall of between £2.7m and £4.7m in waste and recycling services.

In a consultation that launched this week, residents are being asked for their views on the potential to reduce the frequency of black bin collections from fortnightly to three or fourweekly from 2026, and within the next budget doubling the annual garden waste charge to £60 so that the service is not subsidised by council tax payers.

South Gloucestershire residents already recycle 59.9% of their waste – the second highest rate in the country among unitary authority areas – but analysis of what is still going into black bins shows that almost two-thirds could be recycled using existing recycling collections and new schemes that the council wants to roll out.

The council says that changes to the frequency of black bin collections have been introduced in other areas and reduced costs and decreased the amount of waste sent to landfill or for incineration.

South Gloucestershire is already in a national pilot to collect soft plastics at the kerbside for 1,995 households. This is going very well, with residents needing to put significantly less material in their black bins. The council is keen to expand the pilot up to 25% of homes in the next year, before rolling it out across the district in 2025.

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

But he said the budget that was agreed in February – when the Tories were in charge - was balanced for two years and contained a £40m savings target that officers are working hard to deliver.

He said: “I can categorically state on the record now that the budget approved by the council in February did not seek to introduce car parking charges in South Gloucestershire. The Conservative group has never attempted, nor even desired, to introduce parking charges.

“The budget contained a review of some potential incomegenerating schemes with the aim of identifying other opportunities to raise income. But when parking charges have been raised during the resource allocation process, we Conservatives, when in administration, chose to remove it.

To paint us as the architects of parking charges is incredibly dishonest.”

He said the coalition now had the choice to take parking charges off the table and look at other options.

Cllr Chris Willmore, Lib Deb Cabinet member for Planning, Regeneration and Infrastructure, said: “I hear the protests from Conservative members of the former administration about the income targets. What I haven’t heard yet is how they actually planned to raise that money if it wasn’t from car parking charges. And if you did have a way of doing it that avoided car parking charges, I’m all ears.”

She added: “You were using reserves to try and pin the money together and these vague promises of extra income and savings. We are not playing that game. What we are having to do is to make the changes that you bottled.”

Lib Dem leader Cllr Claire Young said council officers had assured the coalition that the income-generation targets included car parking charges.

She said there would have to be changes to services because the Government has chronically underfunded local government, with the Local Government Association estimating that across the country local councils are £3bn short.

“We have to make some difficult choices because we don’t want to end up in a situation like Birmingham.” (The city council effectively declared itself bankrupt last month).

Cllr Young said South Gloucestershire’s new budget, which

will be going out for public consultation, provides details of cost-cutting that was approved in the budget in February prior to the election of the current administration. She said that since February the financial situation has deteriorated even further - by a predicted £3m in the next financial year and £2m in 2025-26 - due to factors outside the council’s control, such as inflation. She said there would have to be more savings if money is not provided by the Government and she and the council’s Labour co-leader Cllr Ian Boulton were writing to the relevant Government minister to ask for a fair settlement for local government.

“In recent years the council has been able to balance the budget by using reserves but these more difficult decisions have been known about and the can has been kicked down the road,” said Cllr Young.

Cllr Boulton said the coalition wanted active public engagement on the budget proposals. He said: “The previous administration seems to be the biggest critics as we are forced to enact the budget we inherited from them. It feels like they are now more engaged in the detail of the budget this year than they were last year and I welcome their seemingly late engagement.”

5

Corner shop loses its licence A Kingswood corner shop which has sparked more complaints and police intelligence than any other licensed premises in South Gloucestershire in the last 21 months has lost its licence.

The council’s licensing sub-committee last week considered the application for the review of a premises licence for Park Food & Wine on the corner of High Street and Alma Road. The review was submitted by Neighbourhood Inspector Jonathan Raisey, acting on behalf of Avon & Somerset Police because of serious concerns.

The hearing was told that premises licence holder and Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) Hitesh Trivedi had held the licence since March 2022; however, he was never at the shop during the many visits by police and the shop was managed by Axsay Patel and his wife.

The police and the council’s Trading Standards department had received intelligence and a number of complaints about the sale of alcohol and ‘vapes’ or ‘puff bars’ at the premises to under 18s. They had visited the premises on a number of occasions and given advice to Mr and

6

Mrs Patel. In February 2022 Trading Standards seized 123 disposable e-cigarettes which were not compliant with legal requirements.

Mr Trivedi and Mr Patel had been interviewed by the police and given a final written warning last November after admitting to selling a vape to a 15-year-old boy without checking for age identification.

In June of this year a member of the public reported to the police and Trading Standards that her 14-year-old daughter and friends had been sold a bottle of vodka and vapes. The police had tried to view the CCTV from the premises for the time of the sale but it had been deleted.

Video footage concerning the sale of alcohol and vapes to a minor was however handed to the police by a member of the public and the footage was presented to the sub-committee.

Mr Trivedi and Mr Patel were at last Monday’s hearing and highlighted that the Patels understood their roles and responsibilities; although Mr Patel struggles with IT, he had done his best to assist the police with CCTV enquiries.

Mr Trivedi said he had been working away

Park Food & Wine

but had recently handed in his notice so he could focus on his role as the DPS. He had trained staff in their roles and responsibilities under the Licensing Act, which was formally recorded, and the sub-committee was told that an incident logbook of identity checks is maintained at the shop.

However, sub-committee members were very concerned by the history of complaints and intelligence received by the police and

Trading Standards in regard to alleged sales of alcohol and e-cigarettes to young people under 18, and said they were very disappointed that the DPS and premises manager had failed to follow guidance and advice given by the police and Trading Standards.

The felt they had no option but to revoke the premises licence and remove Mr Trivedi as the DPS.

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

Plans for emergency hostel for single mums Plans to turn a property in Kingswood into emergency housing for single mothers and babies have been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council.

Alterations are proposed to convert 52 Downend Road into a 10-person, six-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO). The

by council planners last month. Those plans included raising the roofline and installing a loft extension and rear dormer. That was turned down on the grounds that it would be out of keeping with the Victorian terrace and not enough parking was planned.

Some objections have already been sent to

house is currently split into two flats.

The application says the temporary rooms would each have a bathroom and small cooking space. It is also proposed to lift the

the council about the latest scheme, including the impact on parking on an already busy road and that the property would be overoccupied. It has also been pointed out that

eaves to match the house next door.

Five of the bedrooms would be in the existing footprint of the house with one extra in a

work appears to be under way already: “The scaffolding is already up and people are working on the property.”

One objector said: “Community needs stability, not landlords making as much money as possible by taking a home and adding rooms to rent. If you pass this, you are

dormer loft. The plans include parking for three vehicles and storage for six bikes.

The planning statement says: “This proposal will provide single mums with a nice temporary living space rather than being left out on the streets.”

A separate scheme to change the use from two flats to a seven-person HMO was refused

helping to destroy a community that has flourished for many years.”

The planning reference is P23/02668/F. The deadline for comments is 13th October.

Sustainable fashion show An event called Keynsham Re-loved will take place on Sunday 22nd October at the Fear Hall in the town.

Working with some of the local charity shops, Keynsham Re-loved’s main event will be a high street fashion show featuring different runway themes including festival wear, winter warmers and party wear.

It is a partnership between Keynsham Eco Festival, Keynsham Town Council and Keynsham Cultural Programme.

“Sustainable fashion doesn’t have to be

boring,” says Cllr Caitlin Brennan, from Keynsham Town Council. “Sustainable living is about thinking in a creative way to take an item – clothing or furniture – and make it unique and totally suited to your own needs.” The fashion show will take place at 12:30pm and 2pm with models strutting the runway to inspire people to shop local and shop sustainably.

Coinciding with the fashion show will be a market of local retailers focused on sustainable products and practices.

Scaffolding up at the property in Downend Road

HMO approved despite concerns Plans by Live Line Properties to turn a home in Soundwell into a six-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been approved by South Gloucestershire Council, despite some objections raised by local residents.

The concerns relating to 1A James Road focused on noise disruption and parking

Children’s home plan There are plans to turn a five-bed house at Siston Common into a children’s home.

Bristol Care Group Ltd has applied to South Gloucestershire Council to convert No 52 into a home for a maximum of three children aged eight to 18, with carers working on a rota basis.

The application says that children will

undergo a stringent impact risk assessment to ensure they integrate with the local community and will live at the property long term.

The planning reference is P23/02795/CLP and the deadline for comments is 24th October. The council plans to make a decision by the end of November.

Autumn fayre at church An autumn fayre will be held at St Mary’s Church in Bitton on Saturday 28th October from 11am to 3pm.

Following last year’s successful event there

will be even more stallholders with a total of 16 booked. Entry is free although donations are welcome. There will be parking in the Glebe Field.

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

7

LETTERS especially if you’re young. Diabetes UK has a

cars position themselves to the centre of the road

important of subjects.

Dear Editor

programme designed to help children and young

to avoid having to slow at all.

Alastair Singleton,

Today (4th October) we received a Christmas

people who live with the condition to feel less

Despite the repeated concerns regarding speeding

Chewton Keynsham

card. I thought it was rather early.

isolated and alone. It’s called Together Type 1.

vehicles on Memorial Road, a speed assessment

On further inspection the date it was posted

The initiative aims to help children and young

has not been carried out there since December

was 18.12.2022! It has taken 10 months to get

people aged 11 to 25 to feel more confident about

2016. Maybe now is the time to officially reassess

here.

managing type 1 diabetes, provide them with

the speed of vehicles along Memorial Road and

opportunities to connect with others and empower

replace the outdated and worn speed humps with

them to communicate effectively with healthcare

speed tables as a result?

professionals to help improve their care.

Nick Hudd

Late delivery

and we hope that this programme will provide them with the opportunity to thrive.

able to help trace a treasured item. Approximately six months to one year ago, I donated a doll to the

collectable porcelain doll from Age UK in the

Deum is an inspiring, heartfelt and compelling

last 12 months, I would be so grateful if you

call to action addressed to all people of good will

could find your way to allowing me to purchase

in the face of the rapidly growing challenges

it?

posed by the climate crisis.

She is called Lena, has blonde hair and a dark

He acknowledges the damage already inflicted on

green velvet dress, with matching hat, edged in

our shared environment by human activity and

green ribbon. She has black shoes (one of which

asks us to work rapidly to tackle the situation. It

the sole had come loose) and was on a stand, no

is a message entirely in harmony with the

box.

Dear Editor

values and beliefs of the vast majority not just of

I made a grave error in donating this item and it

I write with reference to the ongoing concern and

local Catholics, but of people of all religions and

would mean the world to me to retrieve it. If you

reference to speeding traffic on Memorial Road

none.

or anyone you know has a doll of this description,

in Issues 799 and 800 of The Week In. Despite

How wonderful it would be if our own (very

I would be eternally grateful if there is a

this being a very ongoing issue that residents and

publicly) Roman Catholic MP, Sir Jacob Rees-

possibility of a return.

users alike continue to highlight, nothing appears

Mogg, could find it in himself to examine his

K Stride

to be done to solve the situation or reduce the

conscience, hear the call and act in line with His

Editor’s note: Contact The Week In if you can

speed of traffic.

Holiness's leadership and teaching on this most

help

sign

up

to

get

involved:

www.diabetes.org.uk/youth-programme-sign-up

Mail Centre which I believe is fairly local. Snail

Aled Newton

mail would be quicker if the snails delivered it!

Youth co-ordinator, Diabetes UK (South West

Stewart Butterfield

and South Central)

Longwell Green

suffer on the Keynsham bypass? Nowhere near enough to justify bus lanes, but some jobsworth wishes to justify themselves even though they cannot by this ill-thought-out scheme.

But hey, why worry, they are not paying for it in monetary terms or inconveniences for others without any real gain.

And why if it is necessary to gain access to the bypass other than the Hicks Gate junction, or from the junction by Waitrose, did not someone get Taylor Wimpey to implement it and pay it for when they were building the estate on the former Cadbury's land. Of course, that would have required councillors and planners actually having foresight, which is not something they possess.

B Charles

Getting the hump over speeding traffic

I'm sure I am not the only one who realises that the two sets of speed humps outside of the school on Memorial Road actually do very little to they can drive down the middle of the road and avoid them altogether!

The current concrete speed humps that replaced rubber cushions in 2016 were positioned in their same location as a result.

Hanham District Green Belt Conservation Society’s Annual General Meeting takes place on Wednesday 8th November at 7.30pm.

The venue is Hanham Baptist Church’s large hall at 157a High Street.

Everyone is welcome. Topics to be discussed will include the protection of the Green Belt, in particular The Batch where there are currently plans to build 149 homes.

After further investigation I found that the recommends speed humps should be no more than 0.75 metres apart. A Freedom of Information request to South Gloucestershire Council finds

Dear Editor

these are a staggering 1.96 metres apart! An

Life with type 1 diabetes can be complicated -

average UK car is 1.82 metres wide; no wonder

8

Green Belt meeting

reduce the speed of the majority of vehicles, as

Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1999

Support for young people living with diabetes

endeavouring to retrieve it, if at all possible.

Pope Francis's Apostolic Exhortation Laudate

and

It was sorted at 01:17:38 at the BA, BS, GL, TA

How much delay in either direction do the buses

Unfortunately, it was not mine to donate and I am My plea is to all readers - if anyone purchased a

more

Dear Editor

Age UK shop on Keynsham High Street.

Could Sir Jacob examine his conscience?

Dear Editor

Visit the Diabetes UK website to find out

Lack of foresight

Dear Editor I am writing to you in the hope that you may be

We want to make sure children and young people don’t feel held back by their diabetes diagnosis,

Doll donated to charity shop in error

Councillors’ surgery Labour councillors representing the Keynsham South ward will be at Community at 67 in Queens Road on Saturday (14th October) from 10am to noon to listen to any issues or concerns residents have about the area.

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

Accommodation plans approved for redundant office block South Gloucestershire Council has granted prior approval

car park, along with storage for 26 bikes. A concurrent planning

about parking, overdevelopment and that the accommodation

to Steadfast Investments Ltd to turn a boarded-up office

application for external changes to the building including new

would be social housing “with lower standards of living and

block in Kingswood into 25 one-bed flats and one two-bed

cladding and window alterations has also been approved.

increased crime/drug abuse”.

flat.

The council received eight letters of objection with concerns

However, council planners were satisfied with the proposals.

The two-storey White House Business Centre is in Forest Road by the junction with Douglas Road. A total of 26 parking spaces, two of them for disabled people, are proposed within the existing

Community coffee morning raises over £1,300 A coffee morning held at Hanham Community Centre on Friday 29th September raised £1,359 for the Macmillan cancer charity. Pictured are some of the people involved in hosting the event.

Organiser Maureen Parfrey thanks the community centre for giving the venue for the event, the two Cooperative stores in Hanham, and Hanham Common Butchers for their ongoing support.

The office block will be converted into flats

Windows smashed

Poll position

Someone smashed two front ground-floor windows at a home at Mayfields in Keynsham at 11.05pm last Tuesday (3rd October).

The occupier saw a figure running away but was unable to give police a description. It is thought that the windows were broken by a hand-held object as nothing was left behind.

If you have any information about this incident call 101 and give the reference 5223241374 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

South Gloucestershire Council is asking people for their views on the location of polling stations and if they are accessible. The council has a statutory duty to undertake a full review of all polling districts and polling places for the whole of the district to ensure they have accessible and convenient facilities to vote from. You can find more information and have your say at https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/Polling23 The consultation runs until 30th October.

Sudoku 1-Easy

SUNDAY CHEMISTS Sunday 15th October

2 -Hard

Boots, Gallagher Retail Park, Longwell Green (10.30am-4pm) Asda, Longwell Green (10am-4pm) Keynsham Pharmacy, 15 Station Road, BS31 2BH, (10am-4pm) Tesco, Callington Road, Brislington (10am to 4pm) Morrisons, 688-718 Fishponds Road, Fishponds (10am-4pm) Boots, Avonmeads Retail Park, St Philips Causeway, (11am-5pm)

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

9

Concerns over more industrial units at business centre A decision on whether two more industrial units can be

included both HGVs and articulated lorries.

permitted at Pixash Business Centre in Keynsham has been

He drew attention to an alternative proposal

deferred because of a number of concerns.

suggested by local businesses which would

The proposed units are next to Proximity House and planning

retain the existing turning head and remove

permission has been recommended by Bath & North East

one of the two proposed units.

Somerset Council’s planning officers.

Although Keynsham Town Council did not

But ward councillor Andy Wait told the planning committee that

object to the application, it did raise

there were a significant number of objections, the basic one

concerns in respect of the development

being overdevelopment which would lead to difficulties with

being Class B2, which could have a

access to the sites nearby. Other new developments in the area

detrimental effect on the local community

include the Hygge Park housing estate, the new recycling centre

if the wrong type of industry was permitted

and Meryton Place nursing home, while a further 200+ homes

so close to residential properties which has

are planned at nearby Withies Green.

been the case in other areas of the town.

Cllr Wait said that companies already at the Pixash Business

B&NES planning committee agreed to

Centre are extremely worried as the current location is

defer the application to pay a site visit and

effectively an open space where HGVs can manoeuvre in safety.

allow the developer to provide a swept path analysis for 16-

of ownership and use and has asked for a review of the B2 use

He also highlighted that a right of way has been in place for 80

metre-long vehicles; members also asked for further information

to see if conditions could be attached in relation to the future use

years and a covenant agreed in 1998 requiring access at all times

to be provided to demonstrate that there would be no negative

of the site.

would likely be broken by the application.

impact on existing businesses.

Another request was for further information on the viability of

Cllr Wait said that analysis of vehicle movements should have

The committee is also seeking clarity on the access road in terms

the loading and unloading of forklift trucks.

Advice day at community centre A walk-in community ‘catch-up’ session will be held at

They will be able to help people looking for help with housing,

For Curo residents there will be staff to answer any issues

Community at 67 in Queens Road in Keynsham on Monday 16th

including single people, older people and those looking for

residents are experiencing with their housing including repairs

October from 10am until 4pm.

sheltered housing. Their money advice team will be on hand to

to anti-social behaviour.

Staff from Curo Housing will be on hand to help anyone (not

help with advice in ensuring people are claiming funding to help

Volunteers from Community at 67 will also be there to listen to

just Curo residents) with everyday living issues.

with the cost of living.

ideas people have for the centre to develop.

Wombles at work

Crossword

Keynsham Wombles met at St Francis Church and litter

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Surprise attack (6)

1. Writer (6)

4. Tristan and ------ (6) 2. One under par (golf) (6)

picked the surrounding areas. Around 25 volunteers attended, including some children, who collected stickers for their Womble sticker books. When they’ve taken part in five Wombles, they receive a prize.

8. Fine cord (6)

3. Frightens (6)

Everyone then gathered in the church hall for coffee and

10. Illusion (6)

5. Plains (anag.) (6)

homemade cakes.

6. Listed (6)

To find out more about the work of the Wombles email

11. Continue uninterrupted (3,2) 7. Expels (6) 12. Supposes (6) 9. Powder (4) 14. Most secure (6)

womble@transitionkeynsham.org

10. Flowerless plant (4)

16. Compass point (4) 13. Mother-of-pearl (5) 17. Sleigh (4) 15. Barrier (5) 19. Donkey's cry (4)

18. Cut down (6)

22. Truth (4)

19. Quieten (6)

26. Dairy food (6)

20. Behind (naut.) (6)

27. Vigour (6)

21. Period of time (4)

28. Silent (mus.) (5)

22. Experience (4)

29. Dealer (6)

23. Pranks (6)

30. Small finch (6)

24. Hypnotic state (6)

31. White fur (6)

25. Method (6)

32. Regard (6)

10

Several bags of litter were collected

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

Coveted award for Soundwell Swimming Club Soundwell Swimming Club, who train at Kingswood Leisure

The award is designed to recognise

Centre and Winterbourne Academy, are celebrating their

clubs and coaches who are the most

most successful year ever at the British Swimming Summer

successful in preparing their athletes to

Age Group Championships, culminating in winning the

swim season’s best times at the British

coveted Club of the Year award.

Summer Age Group Championships.

The club had seven swimmers compete

Colourful mural being created Work was taking place last week on a colourful mural to brighten up the Two Mill Hill shopping area on the Bristol side of Kingswood town centre.

Street artists have been commissioned by the city council to create artwork for the area, helping to renew a sense of pride and identity in the community.

– the most in its 61-year history - with a gold medal for Jack Brown in the 100m butterfly, silver medals for Jack Brown in the 200m Butterfly and Jake Gaunt in the 100m Freestyle, and bronze medals for Rhys Dodd in the 100m breaststroke and

Roger

Davis

in

the

200m

breaststroke.

In addition, the swimmers also qualified for seven additional finals, including the

Soundwell Swimming Club national qualifying swimmers with the trophy

boys aged 14 to 16 100m individual medal relay.

their 2024 Swim Camp, as well as an invitation for their head

The Club of the Year Award comes with financial support for

coach Jon Wills, and Chair, Sarah Taylor, to attend the British Swimming Annual Awards which took place recently.

Menopause event

The swimmers also had more record-breaking success at the

A free menopause awareness and wellbeing evening will take

National Open Water Championships over the summer, with two

place tomorrow (Thursday) at Wellsway Sports Centre in

golds, one silver and a bronze medal, as well as qualifying for

Keynsham at 7.30pm.

another 15 finals.

There will be a presentation with a question-and answer-

The club are now focusing on preparing all swimmers for

session by Hazel Hayden, from the Bristol Menopause

county, regional and national championships.

Clinic, as well as a talk on nutrition and fitness.

Beginners through to high level competitors are welcome at

To book your free place visit the Eventbrite website.

Soundwell Swimming Club. For further information email

English National Swimming Championships and English

Headcoach@soundwellswim.org.uk

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

11

New centre will tackle backlog of patients waiting for ops Plans have been approved for a new £49.9m Elective Centre at Southmead Hospital which will provide capacity for an additional 6,500 operations a year to be carried out.

The centre will tackle the backlog of patients across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and is planned to open in spring 2025.

It will provide additional capacity for North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) to support each trust’s elective (planned care) recovery plans.

The facility will feature four surgical theatres and 40 beds for patients to recover, as well as 12 medirooms (where patients prepare for, and recover from, surgery) and X-ray facilities. It will mainly be used for

Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.

However, when the hopes of opening an elective centre were shared just over a year ago with South Gloucestershire Council’s

substantial international recruitment campaign.

Last week we asked the trust for an update on its recruitment plans now that the centre has been given the go-ahead. A spokesperson

orthopaedic procedures and will enable more patients to be seen in existing theatres sooner for a range of other specialties.

As the centre will be separated from emergency services, surgical beds will be kept free for patients waiting for planned operations, reducing the risk of short-notice cancellations.

The plans have received approval from the

Health Scrutiny Committee, North Bristol NHS Trust admitted that finding staff to run it could prove a “challenge”. They said that around 300 full-time staff would be needed to support the centre which would involve a

told us: “We have a workforce strategy for the new Elective Centre, and will soon start to action this, now the centre has received the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care approvals.”

Celebrating Age Festival Events are taking place in Staple Hill as part of Bristol’s Celebrating Age Festival this month.

Bristol u3a is a charitable organisation for older people dedicated to life-long learning. It is volunteer-led and costs £20 a year to become a member. Once you’ve paid that, you are not charged any more to participate in activities. There are more than 150 diverse interest groups running across Bristol which include physical activities, discussion groups, academic subjects and social groups.

The group features in the Expo at Page Community Association in Staple Hill on Saturday afternoon (14th October) and there are many events in Page Park next week as part of the festival including table tennis, walking, gardening, Tai Chi Shibashi and a daytime disco.

For details of all events contact Lindsay Gough at learnlaughlive.Bristolu3a@gmail.com Find out more about u3a at https://u3asites.org.uk/bristol/groups

12

How the new centre will look

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

No mass transit for the region The debate about whether to have an underground or an overground transport system in Bristol has been settled – we won’t get either.

The West of England Combined Authority effectively pushed the matter into the sidings last week when, not for the first time, Regional Mayor Dan Norris and the three council leaders of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset failed to reach agreement on the way forward.

Where that leaves plans for a sustainable transport system to relieve congestion and regenerate the local economy is currently unclear. All that is certain is the cost of around £2m so far to produce the outline business case.

Friday’s committee meeting held at The Space in Keynsham was preceded by a demonstration against recent cuts in local bus routes by residents from parts of the region who have lost lifeline services. More than 30 speakers then made representations during the public participation section to explain how the removal of some taxpayer-funded bus services was affecting their day-to-day lives.

But the main item on the agenda was not actually a decision on what form of mass transit system should be adopted but on whether to fund the next stage in the evaluation process – called a strategic business case. Work carried out by the combined authority since 2018 has so far resulted in a draft network consisting of four transport corridors – from Bristol Airport in the west, Filton in the north, Kingswood in the east and Bath in the south. On each line, a number of different options had been assessed, including some sections which would run underground.

What the committee was being asked to decide last week was whether to fund the next stage of evaluation, either of all the options identified or the Mayor’s preferred choice of the overground routes only. The debate between underground, championed by Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, and overground, which Dan Norris claims is cheaper and quicker to deliver, has been aired in public over the last year or more. As we

reported in last week’s issue, the Metro Mayor, during his previous public appearance in Keynsham, voiced his opposition to the possible £18bn bill for the underground.

But Marvin Rees challenged that £18bn price tag, claiming it could be half and called for the consultants’ reports used to arrive at the figure to be made public. He also said the region should not simply accept the cheapest option but strive for the best, pointing to the success already being enjoyed following the opening of the Elizabeth Line in London (which, after delays and budget overruns, is reckoned to have cost £19bn).

The Bristol Mayor’s concerns over the potential traffic chaos in building an overground system in pinch points such as Gloucester Road, Church Road in Redfield and East Street in Bedminster were also echoed by Richard Bonner, Chair of

WESTlink and 522 bus service extended With a forecast underspend from the £105m Bus Service Improvement Plan this year, the West of England Combined Authority has decided to extend its funding for a year on four new bus routes, including the 522.

Money was originally made available for the service from Radstock to Bristol via Keynsham to replace the old 178 which was withdrawn by bus company First. The plan was to provide financial support for the service with the aim of increasing patronage for two years in the hope that it would become self-funding. But now, with the Metro Mayor’s ‘birthday bus’ fares promotion not costing as much as originally forecast, funding has been diverted to underwrite

also been identified.

the 522 through to April 2026.

But patronage, particularly in the north zone, is growing and

Money will also be used to guarantee the WESTlink demand

an improved version of the app was launched last week. In

responsive transport system until the same date. Last week’s

extending funding for the system for another 12 months, the

combined authority meeting was told that problems with

committee was also told that work was taking place to reduce

driver recruitment meant that a little more than 70% of the 30

the size of the ‘zones’ in which the buses operated. The aim

buses were actually on the road when the service began in

will be to reduce average journey times and improve

April. Problems with the functionality of the booking app had

connections with key bus and train services.

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023

The meeting at The Space

the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership. It is felt that closing the roads during construction would have a devastating effect on local businesses there.

But the broader concern around the table was the threat of a legal challenge further down the line if the combined authority did not consider all other options before deciding on an overground light rail or tram system. The report authors and three local authority leaders all had reservations about pursuing that course of action.

But in the end, the committee had to decide between progressing with a strategic business case on all the mass transit route options identified, or just the overground ones.

The Regional Mayor vetoed the first and none of the three council leaders supported the second. A mass transport system for the Bristol region might not be on the scale of HS2, but for the second time in a week, a major transport infrastructure project appeared to have been scrapped.

In an ironic twist to the HS2 story, the Government last week rushed out a raft of replacement projects following the cancellation aimed at using the £36bn of savings. In the hours and days that followed, many of these plans simply disappeared. And one of those initially listed but seemingly no longer, was £100m towards a mass transit system for Bristol. Prescient or coincidence?

13

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16

The Week in • Wednesday 11th October 2023