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Bridge could cause "life threatening injuries" say Bristol ferry owners

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The proposed bridge across the Floating Harbour at Finzel's Reach, next to Bristol's Castle Park

It's a bridge which would help to open up a landlocked area of Bristol's city centre. But the council's planners, who support the principle of a bridge, say this design is not appropriate for the location and recommend that it should be refused planning consent.

Permission for a bridge was originally given as part of the Finzel's Reach regeneration project on the former Courage brewery site to provide a pedestrian link to Castle Park but work stopped four years ago as a result of the recession.

Now a new design has been put forward by the new developers, Finzels Reach Property LLP, which has a different alignment from the original one. Instead of crossing the Floating Harbour at right angles and at first floor height, this new design straddles the water at an angle and at a lower level which has raised navigational issues.

The developers want to change the crossing point at Castle Park so the bridge aligns with Cabot Circus instead of Union Street.

Ward Councillor Mark Wright (Lib Dem, Cabot) said the restrictions to water navigation as a result of the new design were unacceptable.

He said the plans would also mean a World War Two memorial would have to be moved and some trees there would have to be chopped down.

English Heritage says it recognises that long, sinuous pedestrian bridges have been successful in other parts of the country but are not convinced about these proposals.

It says the new design would have a visual impact on a number of listed buildings in the area such as St Peter and St Mary-le-Port churches.

The Civic Society questions the need for a bridge at all. "The bridge does not appear to be an obvious route to and from Temple Meads station," it says.

The society believes pedestrians are more likely to use existing bridges and this one would probably be unpopular after dark and "do little to promote the commercial viability of the developer's commercial development".

The Bristol Community Ferry Boats Company opposes the new design because of the dangers to water users. "This proposal creates such a danger for water users that if it proceeds, there will be serious, potentially life-threatening injuries," it says.

Councillors will decide whether to grant planning permission at a meeting of the Development Control Committee on Wednesday, starting at 6pm.

Finzels Reach bridge plans approved despite concerns

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The new foot and cycle bridge will link Castle Park with a planned development at Finzels Reach

A new footbridge across Bristol's floating harbour has been approved despite concerns it would be "visually intrusive".

The structure, set to link Castle Park and Hawkins Lane, was approved by councillors, against the advice of planning officers.

They had recommended the "incongruous" and "over-dominant" bridge be refused.

Developers said it was "integral" to the planned Finzels Reach development. Work on the bridge will begin in May.

Officers said the "design, scale and form" of the new cycle and footbridge, which spans two conservation areas, would "detract from the character and appearance" of the area.

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The application was considered and approved by Bristol City Council's planning committee

But architect Declan O' Donnell, from The Bush Consultancy, said the new development "depends on the provision of a bridge".

"One of the committee members suggested the planning officer was 'scraping the barrel' and the committee in general were not satisfied with the grounds for refusal," he said. "It has been a long, challenging process with an extensive period of consultation - we are delighted this has been approved."

Looks perfectly safe to me and a darn site better than some other bridge designs seen in recent years ;)