Posted on: 1 July, 2024
Bristol City Council has issued a Decision Notice, section 106 agreement and planning conditions, which set out the planning obligations any developer of the site must meet.
It comes after the Council’s Development Control Committee resolved to grant planning consent for the Society’s application to develop the site in Clifton, in April 2023.
The plan includes 196 homes (20% affordable), a new public park, Conservation Hub, café and playground.
This is positive news, as the planning obligations include key aspects of the design, which the Society has always been committed to. This means a future developer implementing the scheme must ensure:
20% of the housing on site is affordable (30 homes for social rent and 10 for first time buyers).
Free public access to the gardens is maintained 365 days of the year between 8am and 5pm or 7pm, depending on the time of year.
The iconic entrance building is re-purposed to become a Conservation Hub, opened to the public with community rooms and a café.
Following the release of all Decision Notices, there is a six-week period during which anyone can bring a Judicial Review challenge to the planning process followed by Bristol City Council. Should such a challenge be submitted, this will take a few months to resolve.
During this time, Bristol Zoological Society will continue to focus on its mission – Saving Wildlife Together – creating a conservation led zoo at Bristol Zoo Project.
We are pleased to say work on our new Central African Forest habitat, which will open in summer 2025 at Bristol Zoo Project, began this month. The new habitat will become home to our existing western lowland gorilla troop, which will be joined by other threatened species including cherry-crowned mangabeys, slender-snouted crocodiles, African grey parrots and several species of West African freshwater fish.
At the same time, the Society will continue to progress the sale of the Clifton site this year.
Become a member of Bristol Zoo Project today for a year of wild adventure, and help protect the animals and habitats you love by supporting our conservation charity.
