southbristolvoice November 2016 No. 18
www.southbristolvoice.co.uk
INSIDE: Your guide to fireworks p37
FREE EVERY MONTH in Totterdown, Knowle and Windmill Hill
Mayor wants Bristol to grow – up MAYOR Marvin Rees has vowed he will see the arena built, and he will deliver on his pledge to build 2,000 homes a year by 2020 – partly by building higher. The news won’t be welcome in Bedminster Green, where campaigners have released their own planning brief that seeks to limit buildings to five storeys. But the mayor told the Voice he is not thinking of building “cities in the sky”. “I’m not saying we should be like Manhattan,” he said. “I grew up at the bottom of two tower blocks, and I didn’t aspire to live in them – although many people made good lives in them.” Any changes will involve the community, with a bigger role for councillors and local voices, he promised. But change looks certain: “We are a crowded city with limited land available. I think one of the freedoms that we need is the ability to build up.” In his first annual address to the city on October 6, Mr Rees said he would look at changing Bristol’s local planning policies to allow “tall buildings in the Continued on page 14
Dare to be scared?
Row over cycle route through park Page 3 Roll up, roll up for the Arts Trail Page 4 Hate crime on the rise, figures show Page 6 Why should we pay to play tennis? Page 8
Arena: delayed, and will it harm the bats? Pages 11, 12 Libraries and parks in £92m cuts threat Page 13 Our new columnist: Wicked Witch Page 22 These spooky characters were discovered hanging around Stanley Hill, Totterdown the week before Halloween, during the monthly road closure for the Playing Out party. • Rat-run work shelved: page 16
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