Planning in Bristol

Community facilities

Community facilities should be located where there is a choice of travel options and should be accessible to all members of the community. Where possible community facilities should be located within existing centres. Existing community facilities should be retained, unless it can be demonstrated that there is no longer a need to retain the use or where alternative provision is made. Where community facilities are provided as an integral part of a development they should wherever possible be within adaptable mixed-use buildings

Social, economic and physical regeneration in Inner East and Northern Arc

Social, economic and physical regeneration will be promoted in the Inner East and Northern Arc with the purpose of creating mixed, balanced and sustainable communities. New development will be encouraged in both areas which provides new employment premises, especially flexible and small business floorspace which can stimulate enterprise and deliver new employment opportunities. In the Inner East the emphasis will be on: • Retaining employment sites and supporting centres; • Ensuring a mix of new housing to meet local needs; • Encouraging development which provides a mix of uses. Opportunities will be taken to reduce the severance of communities caused by major roads and other physical barriers in the area. Development will include the provision of around 2,000 new homes. In the Northern Arc the emphasis will be on: • Encouraging higher density and mixed forms of development in the most accessible locations; • Making more efficient use of underused land; • Promoting improved access and linkages to neighbouring areas. Development will include: • The provision of around 3,000 new homes; • The redevelopment of Southmead Hospital to provide a new acute and community "super-hospital".

Quality Urban Design

New development in Bristol should deliver high quality urban design. Development in Bristol will be expected to: • Contribute positively to an area's character and identity, creating or reinforcing local distinctiveness. • Promote accessibility and permeability by creating places that connect with each other and are easy to move through. • Promote legibility through the provision of recognisable and understandable places, routes, intersections and points of reference. • Deliver a coherently structured, integrated and efficient built form that clearly defines public and private space. • Deliver a safe, healthy, attractive, usable, durable and well-managed built environment comprising high quality inclusive buildings and spaces that integrate green infrastructure. • Create a multi-functional, lively and well-maintained public realm that integrates different modes of transport, parking and servicing. • Enable the delivery of permanent and temporary public art. • Safeguard the amenity of existing development and create a high-quality environment for future occupiers. • Promote diversity and choice through the delivery of a balanced mix of compatible buildings and uses. • Create buildings and spaces that are adaptable to changing social, technological, economic and environmental conditions. To demonstrate the delivery of high quality urban design, major development proposals with a residential component should be assessed against 'Building For Life' (or equivalent methodology). As a guide, development should aim to achieve the standards set out in the table below.

Sustainable design and construction

Sustainable design and construction will be integral to new development in Bristol. In delivering sustainable design and construction, development should address the following key issues: Maximising energy efficiency and integrating the use of renewable and low-carbon energy; Waste and recycling during construction and in operation; Conserving water resources and minimising vulnerability to flooding; The type, life cycle and source of materials to be used; Flexibility and adaptability, allowing future modification of use or layout, facilitating future refurbishment and retrofitting; Opportunities to incorporate measures which enhance the biodiversity value of development, such as green roofs. New development will be required to demonstrate as part of the Sustainability Statement submitted with the planning application how the above issues have been addressed. For major development and development for health or education uses, the Sustainability Statement should include a BREEAM and/or Code for Sustainable Homes assessment. Additionally, in the case of a super-major development, a BREEAM for Communities assessment will be required. From 2016 residential development will be expected to meet Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. For non-residential development, also from 2016, a BREEAM "Excellent" rating will be expected. All new development will be required to provide satisfactory arrangements for the storage of refuse and recyclable materials as an integral part of its design. Major developments should include communal facilities for waste collection and recycling where appropriate. New homes and workplaces should include the provision of high-speed broadband access and enable provision of Next Generation broadband.

Quality Urban Design

Development should be of high quality, distinctive in character and should integrate into its immediate context. Successful development will be determined by the extent to which it meets the objectives and criteria listed below. All development should: a) Create a mix of uses and integrate with existing streets, public spaces and development edges and configure buildings to create clearly defined public/active fronts and private/passive backs; b) Be designed to deliver safe, secure, attractive, healthy, comfortable and convenient places in which to live, work, play and spend time. Development should take the opportunities available to improve the quality and appearance of an area and the way it functions. The built environment should be inclusive, respecting how people experience the city and addressing the needs of all in society; c) Deliver a multi-functional public realm comprising streets and spaces that can accommodate a range of appropriate uses and activities both now and in the future, which will assist in providing animation, vitality and surveillance. The provision and enhancement of green infrastructure and delivery of a coherent landscape scheme should be planned as an integral part of any development. Major development schemes should also enable the delivery of permanent and temporary public art, promoting a multi-disciplinary approach to commissioning artists in the design process; d) Consider the amenity of both existing and future development. Consideration should be given to matters of privacy, outlook, natural lighting, ventilation, and indoor and outdoor space. Development should also take account of local climatic conditions; e) Be achieved through a robust and collaborative design process from inception to completion on the ground. The design process should go beyond the development construction phase and should also ensure that suitable management arrangements and maintenance regimes are put in place. The Design and Access Statement that accompanies a planning application should demonstrate how development proposals contribute to the criteria set out within this policy; f) Proposals for major development with a residential component should demonstrate, through the Design and Access Statement, how the development would deliver high quality design, with reference to the Building for Life assessment criteria.

Avonmouth

Avonmouth is identified as a priority area for industrial and warehousing development and renewal. Its economic strengths will be supported whilst protecting its environmental assets and acknowledging its development constraints. Principal Industrial and Warehousing Areas will be identified and retained for industrial and warehousing uses. Development in these areas for those uses will be supported in principle. Proposals for port-related activities, manufacturing industry, logistics / distribution, waste management and other environmental technology-related industries will be particularly encouraged. There may be opportunities for the development of energy from waste facilities, biomass energy and further large-scale wind turbines. Development will be expected to respect the area's environmental assets and take account of its physical constraints. Proposals will be expected to contribute to both the strategic and local infrastructure necessary to mitigate any adverse impacts that would result from the development. Freight and passenger rail infrastructure sites will be safeguarded.

Delivering a Thriving Economy

The economic performance of the city will be strengthened by providing a sufficient and flexible supply of employment land, addressing barriers to employment and promoting the city as a place to invest. New employment land will be provided in the period 2006-2026. This will include: • Up to 236,000m² of net additional office floorspace: > Around 150,000m² in the city centre; > Around 60,000m² in South Bristol; > Around 26,000m² focused on town, district and local centres in the rest of Bristol. • Up to 10 hectares of additional industrial and warehousing land focused on the major regeneration areas in South Bristol. Principal Industrial and Warehousing Areas will be identified and retained for industrial and warehousing uses. Employment land outside of these areas will be retained where it makes a valuable contribution to the economy and employment opportunities. New employment floorspace suitable for smaller businesses will be encouraged as part of mixed-use development.

Climate Change

Development should contribute to both mitigating and adapting to climate change, and to meeting targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Development should mitigate climate change through measures including: - High standards of energy efficiency including optimal levels of thermal insulation, passive ventilation and cooling, passive solar design, and the efficient use of natural resources in new buildings. - The use of decentralised, renewable and low-carbon energy supply systems. - Patterns of development which encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport instead of journeys by private car. Development should adapt to climate change through measures including: - Site layouts and approaches to design and construction which provide resilience to climate change. - Measures to conserve water supplies and minimise the risk and impact of flooding. - The use of green infrastructure to minimise and mitigate the heating of the urban environment. - Avoiding responses to climate impacts which lead to increases in energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. These measures should be integrated into the design of new development. New development should demonstrate through Sustainability Statements how it would contribute to mitigating and adapting to climate change and to meeting targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by means of the above measures.

Renewable and low carbon energy

All development will be expected to make use of opportunities to incorporate on-site renewable energy sources in order to achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions from residual energy use in the development. Where the full requirements of Policy BCS14 cannot feasibly be delivered on-site, an alternative allowable solution will be considered, such as providing the residual emission reduction through a contribution to a relevant citywide low-carbon energy initiative or by agreeing acceptable directly linked or near-site provision. If meeting the full requirements of Policy BCS14, either through on-site measures or allowable solutions, would render development unviable, careful consideration will be given as to whether the development is appropriate in other respects and sufficiently necessary to justify an exception to the requirements of Policy BCS14. The development of a citywide CHP/CCHP/district heating network will be encouraged. New development in Heat Priority Areas will be expected to maximise opportunities for the development of a district heating network, which may, in the case of major development, include the incorporation within sites and buildings of infrastructure for district heating in areas where a district heating network has yet to be developed (for the purposes of Policy BCS14, major development is defined as development of 10 or more dwellings or development exceeding 1,000m² of other floorspace). Where possible the use of renewable biomass fuels to supply this network and the addition of a variety of heat sources such as the waste heat from industrial plant will be encouraged. In selecting the heating and cooling systems in accordance with the heat hierarchy, the lowest carbon heating / cooling solution feasible for the development will be achieved. Energy savings made by the use of CHP/CCHP will contribute to Policy BCS14's requirement to minimise energy requirements, while the use of renewable energy sources to power CHP/CCHP or community heating will contribute to Policy BCS14's requirement to reduce residual CO2 emissions by 20%. Where a new heating or cooling distribution network is proposed, it should be designed to be easily extendable to serve neighbouring developments.

Flood Risk Management

Development in Bristol will follow a sequential approach to flood risk management, giving priority to the development of sites with the lowest risk of flooding. The development of sites with a sequentially greater risk of flooding will be considered where essential for regeneration or where necessary to meet the development requirements of the city. Development in areas at risk of flooding will be expected to: • be resilient to flooding through design and layout, and/or • incorporate sensitively designed mitigation measures, which may take the form of on-site flood defence works and/or a contribution towards or a commitment to undertake such off-site measures as may be necessary, in order to ensure that the development remains safe from flooding over its lifetime. All development will also be expected to incorporate water management measures to reduce surface water run-off and ensure that it does not increase flood risks elsewhere. This should include the use of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS).

Pollution

Development should be sited and designed in a way as to avoid adversely impacting upon: • Environmental amenity or biodiversity of the surrounding area by reason of fumes, dust, noise, vibration, smell, light or other forms of air, land, water pollution, or creating exposure to contaminated land. • The quality of underground or surface water bodies. In locating and designing development, account should also be taken of: • The impact of existing sources of noise or other pollution on the new development; and • The impact of the new development on the viability of existing uses by reason of its sensitivity to noise or other pollution. Water quality and associated habitat of surface watercourses should be preserved or enhanced.

Green Belt

Countryside and other open land around the existing built-up areas of the city will be safeguarded by maintaining the current extent of the Green Belt. Land within the Green Belt will be protected from inappropriate development as set out in national planning policy. Proposals for urban extensions in the Green Belt beyond Bristol City Council's boundaries may emerge through the development plans of neighbouring authorities. If appropriate proposals come forward the council will continue to work with the adjoining authorities to consider the impact on existing areas, to assess infrastructure requirements and to ensure integrated and well-planned communities are created to the benefit of existing and future residents.

Strategic Green Infrastructure Network

The integrity and connectivity of the strategic green infrastructure network will be maintained, protected and enhanced. Opportunities to extend the coverage and connectivity of the existing strategic green infrastructure network should be taken. Individual green assets should be retained wherever possible and integrated into new development. Loss of green infrastructure will only be acceptable where it is allowed for as part of an adopted Development Plan Document or is necessary, on balance, to achieve the policy aims of the Core Strategy. Appropriate mitigation of the lost green infrastructure assets will be required. Development should incorporate new and/or enhanced green infrastructure of an appropriate type, standard and size. Where on-site provision of green infrastructure is not possible, contributions will be sought to make appropriate provision for green infrastructure off site. Open spaces which are important for recreation, leisure and community use, townscape and landscape quality and visual amenity will be protected. Some areas of open space may be released, through the development plan process, for appropriate development where: - They are no longer important for recreation, leisure and community use, townscape and landscape quality and visual amenity; - Development of all or part of an open space would result in improved urban form or an enhancement to existing open space areas. New development should incorporate, or contribute towards, the provision of an appropriate level and quality of open space. Internationally important nature conservation sites are subject to statutory protection. National and local sites of biological and geological conservation importance will be protected having regard to the hierarchy of designations and the potential for appropriate mitigation. The extent to which a development would contribute to the achievement of wider objectives of the Core Strategy will be carefully considered when assessing their impact on biological and geological conservation. Where development would have an impact on the Bristol Wildlife Network it should ensure that the integrity of the network is maintained or strengthened.

Conservation and the Historic Environment

Development proposals will safeguard or enhance heritage assets and the character and setting of areas of acknowledged importance including: • Scheduled ancient monuments; • Historic buildings both nationally and locally listed; • Historic parks and gardens both nationally and locally listed; • Conservation areas; • Archaeological remains.

Affordable Housing Provision

Affordable housing will be required in residential developments of 15 dwellings or more. The following percentage targets will be sought through negotiation: • 40% in North West, Inner West and Inner East Bristol; • 30% in all other locations; In residential developments below 15 dwellings an appropriate contribution towards the provision of affordable housing may be sought (either as a financial contribution or as on site provision) in accordance with any relevant policy in the Site Allocations & Development Management Development Plan Document. Residential developments should provide a mix of affordable housing units and contribute to the creation of mixed, balanced and inclusive communities. The tenure, size and type of affordable units will reflect identified needs, site suitability and economic viability. All units provided should remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or, if this restriction is lifted, for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision. Where scheme viability may be affected, developers will be expected to provide full development appraisals to demonstrate an alternative affordable housing provision.

Housing Type

All new residential development should maintain, provide or contribute to a mix of housing tenures, types and sizes to help support the creation of mixed, balanced and inclusive communities. To achieve an appropriate tenure, type and size mix the development should aim to: • Address affordable housing need and housing demand; • Contribute to the diversity of housing in the local area and help to redress any housing imbalance that exists; • Respond to the requirements of a changing population; • Employ imaginative design solutions. Residential developments should provide sufficient space for everyday activities and to enable flexibility and adaptability by meeting appropriate space standards.

Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

The following considerations will be taken into account in the determination of locations for Gypsy & Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites: • Proximity of the site to local services and facilities; • Access to the primary route network and to public transport; • Safe pedestrian, cycle and vehicular access onto the site; • Adequate provision for parking, turning and servicing; • Adequate provision for storage and maintenance where needed for Travelling Showpeople; • Inclusion of suitable landscaping treatment; • Impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding area; • The acceptability of living conditions for future occupiers of the site. Sites should not be located within the Green Belt and should not be located within Flood Zone 2 (unless the Exception Test in PPS25 is passed) or Flood Zones 3a or 3b. Suitable sites will be identified to meet the established need for Gypsies & Travellers and Travelling Showpeople for the period to 2011. Needs beyond 2011 have not been assessed but the considerations set out in this policy will also apply to any sites proposed to meet assessed needs arising after 2011.

Effective and Efficient Use of Land

New development will maximise opportunities to re-use previously developed land. Where development is planned opportunities will be sought to use land more efficiently across the city. Imaginative design solutions will be encouraged at all sites to ensure optimum

New Homes

The Core Strategy aims to deliver new homes within the built up area to contribute towards accommodating a growing number of people and households in the city. Provision of new homes will be in accordance with the spatial strategy for Bristol set out in this Core Strategy and it is envisaged that 30,600 new homes will be provided in Bristol between 2006 and 2026. Additional provision which accords with the spatial strategy may be appropriate within the plan period. The minimum target will be 26,400 homes between 2006 and 2026. The appropriate level of new homes will be reviewed within 5 years of the adoption of the Core Strategy. Development of new homes will primarily be on previously developed sites across the city. Some new homes will be developed on open space which does not need to be retained as part of the city's green infrastructure provision. In order to maintain the net housing stock existing homes will be retained unless they are unsuitable for residential uses, would be used for essential local community facilities or would be replaced. The broad spatial distribution of new homes as indicated on the Key Diagram will be: Area: Net additional dwellings 2006-26 South Bristol: 8,000 City Centre: 7,400 Inner East: 2,000 Northern Arc: 3,000 Rest of Bristol: 6,000 Citywide – small unidentified sites: 4,200 Contingency If monitoring shows that planned provision will not be delivered at the levels expected, or if land is required to accommodate higher levels of provision, the following contingency for development of new homes will be considered: • Use of some Green Belt land including southeast Bristol as a long-term contingency for an urban extension. The broad location is indicated on the Key Diagram.

Delivery of New Homes

Delivery of homes will primarily be by the private sector with a proportion developed by Registered Providers. The council will also facilitate delivery of homes working with its partner organisations, particularly in areas of change and regeneration, and where appropriate will support other mechanisms including self-building and community land trusts. Further information on delivering the housing provision is set out in the delivery sections of other Core Strategy policies. A trajectory showing the projected pattern of delivery of new homes up to 2026 is included as Diagram 4.5.1. The estimates of delivery have had regard to the impact of the major infrastructure required to support housing development. Delivery of the homes will be in part from land with existing planning permission. At the time of publication of the Core Strategy 7,037 have already been completed to contribute to delivery from 2006 to 2026 and there were 12,510 homes contained within planning permissions. Additional developable sites for housing (including mixed-use developments) will be allocated in both the proposed Site Allocations & Development Management DPD and Bristol Central Area Action Plan. This will include sites within the regeneration areas. Where proposals are in accordance with other policies in the Core Strategy and other development plan documents, the potential contribution of small unidentified housing sites towards the delivery of 30,600 homes will be a relevant consideration in decisions on planning applications. The council will monitor new planning permissions and completions arising from small unidentified sites in order to determine whether the assumptions about development from that source of supply remain accurate. The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment will set out the deliverable and developable supply of housing land to ensure a continuous supply of deliverable sites. The policy will be monitored and reviewed through annual Residential Development Surveys, Annual Monitoring Reports, regularly updated Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments and deliverable housing supply surveys. In accordance with a plan, monitor and manage approach to the provision of new homes, the council will continue to monitor the delivery of new homes and examine evolving evidence of need and demand. Within 5 years of the adoption of this Core Strategy it will review the evidence and consider the appropriate response in consultation with other local authorities, the West of England Partnership, the Local Enterprise Partnership and stakeholders. It will examine the latest evidence from population projections, economic forecasts and the progress of economic recovery since the Core Strategy was adopted. The review will consider the extent to which the planned level of new homes continues to be appropriate. If evidence suggests that additional provision of homes will be required the review will consider the appropriate response. The review will take place in the context of any changes to the planning system which have been introduced since the Core Strategy was adopted. The approach to affordable housing and housing type is set out in Policy BCS17 and Policy BCS18.

Development and infrastructure provision

Development and infrastructure provision will be coordinated to ensure that growth in the city is supported by the provision of infrastructure, services and facilities needed to maintain and improve quality of life and respond to the needs of the local economy. Development will provide, or contribute towards the provision of: • Measures to directly mitigate its impact, either geographically or functionally, which will be secured through the use of planning obligations; • Infrastructure, facilities and services required to support growth, which will be secured through a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) for Bristol. Planning obligations may be sought from any development, irrespective of size, that has an impact requiring mitigation. Contributions through CIL will be required in accordance with the appropriate regulations.

Effective and Efficient Use of Land

New development will maximise opportunities to re-use previously developed land. Where development is planned opportunities will be sought to use land more efficiently across the city. Imaginative design solutions will be encouraged at all sites to ensure optimum efficiency in the use of land is achieved. Higher densities of development will be sought: • In and around the city centre; • In or close to other centres; • Along or close to main public transport routes. For residential development a minimum indicative net density of 50 dwellings per hectare will be sought. Net densities below 50 dwelling per hectare should only occur where it is essential to safeguard the special interest and character of the area. The appropriate density for any individual site will be informed by: • The characteristics of the site; • The local context; • Its current and future level of accessibility by walking, cycling and public transport to a range of employment, services and facilities; • The opportunity for a mix of uses across the site; • The need to provide an appropriate mix of housing to meet the community's needs and demands; • The need to achieve high quality, well designed environments.

South Bristol

South Bristol will be a priority focus for development and comprehensive regeneration. Development will be for a mix of uses to include: • Around 60,000m² of net additional office floorspace focused on centres and the major regeneration areas; • Up to 10 hectares of new industrial and warehousing land focused on the major regeneration areas; • The provision of around 8,000 new homes of a mix of type, size and tenure. Development will occur across South Bristol with major regeneration particularly focused on the area at Knowle West and Hengrove Park. Regeneration in this area will require redevelopment of poor quality urban form in some locations to support the creation of higher quality environments. Development in South Bristol will primarily occur on previously developed land. However, the delivery of new homes and regeneration will require the planned release of some open space sites which do not need to be retained as part of the area's green infrastructure provision. Development will be supported by a range of improvements to key public services and infrastructure which will include provision of: • Community hospital, Skills Academy, Healthplex, leisure facilities and outdoor recreation located at Hengrove Park; • Improvements in the quality of open space and to the green infrastructure network as a whole. A new centre, either on a new site or at an enhanced existing centre, may be appropriate to serve the Knowle West area, acting as a new focus in the area and helping to improve provision of shops, services, employment and community facilities. Major improvements to transport infrastructure will be made to enhance links between existing communities within South Bristol, and between South Bristol, the city centre and the north of the city. Improvements will have an emphasis on pedestrian, cycling and public transport facilities and will include: • Rapid transit routes connecting Hengrove with the north fringe of the Bristol urban area via the city centre; • Extended Showcase bus corridors on the A37 and A4; • Reshaped pattern of roads and junctions to improve accessibility, connectivity and urban form and to reduce severance within South Bristol; • Safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists; and • Essential transport links and improvements.

Bristol City Centre's role as a regional focus

Bristol City Centre's role as a regional focus will be promoted and strengthened. Development will include mixed uses for offices, residential, retail, leisure, tourism, entertainment and arts and cultural facilities. The city centre boundary will expand into: • The St. Philip's area, north of the Feeder Canal; • The Newfoundland Street area; and • The former diesel depot site, Bath Road Development up to 2026 will include: • Around 150,000m² of net additional high quality office floorspace; • The provision of around 7,400 new homes; and • Improved transport systems and connectivity, including new public transport, pedestrian and cycling routes and transport hubs. There will be a continuing consolidation and expansion on the University of Bristol and Bristol Royal Infirmary sites. More efficient use of land and a greater mix of uses will be encouraged particularly within the Broadmead, Nelson Street and St James' Barton areas. Throughout the city centre higher density, mixed use development will be encouraged with active ground floor uses along the busier streets. Continued improvement will be promoted in regeneration areas including Redcliffe and Harbourside and at city centre gateways including Old Market, Stokes Croft, Cumberland Basin and Temple Meads. The Floating Harbour will be maintained as a location for maritime industries and water related recreation activities. Design of development will be expected to be of the highest standard in terms of appearance, function, conservation of heritage assets, sustainability and maintaining and enhancing green infrastructure. Key views will be protected. Street design will give priority to pedestrian access, cycling and public transport. New development should include measures to secure public access and routes for walking, cycling and public transport, including access to waterfront areas. Major developments should demonstrate measures to enhance social inclusion and community cohesion, especially in respect of those communities close to the city centre. Opportunities will be taken to reduce the severance of parts of the city centre from neighbouring communities caused by major roads and other physical barriers. Facilities and services, including those of a small scale, which contribute to the diversity and vitality of the city centre will be encouraged and retained.

Centres and Retailing

Retail development, offices, leisure and entertainment uses, arts, culture and tourism uses will be primarily located within or, where appropriate, adjoining the centres in the identified network and hierarchy serving Bristol. Town, District and Local Centres will also be focuses for the development of: • Community facilities; • Higher density forms of residential development provided the centre is suitable for such development and has a high level of accessibility by public transport, cycling and walking; and • Smaller scale office developments providing local office floorspace provision. Development will be of a scale and intensity appropriate to the position of the centre in the hierarchy and to the character of the centre. Where proposed developments would be significantly larger in scale than existing uses, it should be clearly demonstrated that the catchment the development will serve is in keeping with the role of the centre. Mixed-use development at accessible centres will be particularly promoted where it takes advantage of under-used land. Uses which contribute to maintaining the vitality, viability and diversity of centres will be encouraged. Active ground floor uses will be maintained and enhanced throughout the centres. Retail shop uses will predominate in the designated primary shopping areas of the City and Town Centres, supported by a wider range of appropriate uses in the other parts of these centres. The role of District and Local Centres in meeting the day-to-day shopping needs of their catchments will be maintained. Developments in all centres should include provision for a mix of units including opportunities for small shops and independent traders. Local shopping and service provision in smaller frontages or single shops away from the identified centres should be retained where it remains viable and provides an important service to the local community. The provision of new small scale retail facilities will be encouraged where they would provide for local needs and would not be harmful to the viability and diversity of any nearby centres.

Transport and Access Improvements

The council will support the delivery of significant improvements to transport infrastructure to provide an integrated transport system, which improves accessibility within Bristol and supports the proposed levels of development. In particular it will support, subject to environmental impact assessment where appropriate: 1. The implementation of the Greater Bristol Bus Network. 2. The delivery of transport infrastructure improvements, including: - Rapid transit routes (Ashton Vale to Emerson's Green and Hengrove to the North Fringe, all via the city centre); - Rail improvements, including the following prioritised schemes: > The reopening of the Portishead rail line for passenger use; and > The Greater Bristol Metro Rail Project; - And the following potential long term schemes: > The reintroduction of a local passenger rail service between Avonmouth and Filton (Henbury Loop); > New rail stations, for example at Portway Park and Ride, Ashton Vale and Ashley Hill; > And other passenger rail stations where appropriate; - New and expanded Park and Ride facilities: > New site on the M32; and > Expansion of existing Park and Ride sites where appropriate; - South Bristol Link; - Callington Road Link; and - A network of routes to encourage walking and cycling. 3. Making the best use of existing transport infrastructure through improvement and reshaping of roads and junctions where required to improve accessibility and connectivity and assist regeneration and place shaping. 4. Appropriate demand management and sustainable travel measures. Safeguarding of Routes and Facilities Land required for the implementation of transport proposals will be safeguarded to enable their future provision. Corridors with the potential to serve as future routes for walking, cycling and public transport will also be safeguarded. Appropriate existing transport facilities such as transport depots will be safeguarded where required. Development Principles Without prejudice to the implementation of the major transport schemes listed above, proposals will be determined and schemes will be designed to reflect the following transport user priorities as set out in the Joint Local Transport Plan: a) The pedestrian; b) The cyclist; c) Public transport; d) Access for commercial vehicles; e) Short stay visitors by car; f) The private car. The needs of disabled people will be considered within all of the above headings. Development proposals should be located where sustainable travel patterns can be achieved, with more intensive, higher density mixed use development at accessible centres and along or close to main public transport routes. Proposals should minimise the need to travel, especially by private car, and maximise opportunities for the use of walking, cycling and public transport. Developments should be designed and located to ensure the provision of safe streets and reduce as far as possible the negative impacts of vehicles such as excessive volumes, fumes and noise. Proposals should create places and streets where traffic and other activities are integrated and where buildings, spaces and the needs of people shape the area.