Council backs residents and refuses Sainburys

In a historic victory the Council backed the residents of Bishopston's campaign to protect the unique nature of the Gloucester Road.

Planning permission for the new store was refused on the basis of loss of industrial land (one of the factors in the victory in greenbank over the Elizabeth Shaw proposals) and traffic problems.  Local residents, including members of the Bishopston Labour Party (as well as greens, lib dems and people without affiliations) formed the group BOGOFS (Bishopston Opposing Glut of Supermarkets).  Both Paul Smith, Labour's PPC and Bishopston Labour Party summitted written objections to the proposal earlier in the year.

Following a lengthy planning committee meeting on 28th November the council rejected the application to build a supermarket.

Paul Smith, present at the lobby of the planning committee stated, "This is a great victory for the Gloucester Road.  It is one of the few shopping streets in Britain that has a wide range of independent retailers.  Its character would have been destroyed by the building of a supermarket, sucking the life out of the road.  The BOGOFS campaign was incredibly professional and along with the residents of Greenbank they have shown how local people can be successful against large corporate interests.  There may be an appeal but again the experience of Greenbank shows that these can also be won."

 For more information see

www.bogofs.org/

Photo courtesy of the Bristol Evening Post