As our initial input to discussions on the future of the area around Bristol’s Cumberland Basin (named ‘Western Harbour’), BWA has put forward a statement identifying Key Walking Routes for the Western Harbour. The routes indicate the principal desire lines for pedestrians in order to allow walking to be a prime mode of travel through the area.
We believe that an important measure of success for any development of the Western Harbour is whether it provides a welcoming, safe, convenient and inclusive environment for walking.
In the statement we identify the key walking routes that must be considered in any future proposals, and highlight some relevant actions from our ‘50 Ways to Better Walking’ that should be applied in any development.
My major thoughts about the redevelopment, as someone who regularly walks in the area relate to building in an area with
1) high levels of air pollution make the area unsuitable for housing, and industrial use would make pollution worse. The Council already knows this as the clean air proposals are currently expected to come into effect this summer.
2) destruction of the recreational area for the south of the city and pedestrian access to Avon Gorge and Ashton Court
3) given the likely flooding levels due to climate change, the proposals are too short term. The lock on the Cumberland Basin is more likely to become a sea lock. We already have flooding when the neap tides coincide with heavy rain fall in Wiltshire coming down the Avon