Residents living in bungalows on Wells Road in Hengrove are locked in a bitter dispute with Goram Homes, a city council-owned housing company, over a new three-storey housing development. They claim the new homes will overlook their properties, are too close to their back gardens, and that the construction process has already caused disturbances and safety concerns.
The row has been ongoing for 18 months, with multiple meetings, complaints, and even police involvement. Despite residents’ objections, Goram Homes is moving forward with its plans, and construction is set to begin in the coming weeks.
The Housing Development Plans
Goram Homes was granted planning permission in December 2022 to build 190 homes on the site of the former New Fosseway School. However, this approval was only for the outline development, with detailed designs and layouts submitted later.
The current plan includes:
- 130 new homes, with 50% classified as affordable housing for social rent and shared ownership.
- A separate 70-home extra care facility, to be developed by care home provider Anchor.
- Homes built as close as 21m from existing bungalows, despite initial promises of a 30m distance.
- Only two homes reduced from three storeys to two, despite residents requesting more changes.
Why Are Residents Upset?
Concerns Over Overlooking and Privacy
Local residents worry that the three-storey houses will allow new occupants to see directly into their homes and gardens, impacting their privacy and quality of life.
- Fran, a full-time carer for three vulnerable adults under Bristol City Council’s Shared Lives project, says:
“One of the people who live with me is already afraid to go out into the back garden.”
She argues that if the development was planned carefully to avoid disturbing a nearby children’s respite centre, similar consideration should have been given to her home. - Joe Brown, another affected resident, adds:
“We accept that this city badly needs new homes, but all we’re asking is for a handful of them to be scaled back a bit.”
Safety Issues from Construction Work
Residents were also shocked and angered when construction firm Vistry cut back a hedgerow buffer between the homes and the site, causing large debris and even metal objects to fly into their gardens.
- Joe Brown recalls:
“They could have seriously hurt my dog or my grandchildren if they’d been out there at the time.”
Allegations of Broken Promises and Poor Communication
Residents claim that Goram Homes originally promised more homes would be reduced in size and kept further away, but the final plans do not reflect this. They feel misled and ignored.
- Joe Brown states:
“Everything Goram Homes has done that has been inconsistent always falls in their favour. When they make changes or admit they were wrong before, it always seems to go against us.”
Police Involvement
The dispute escalated further when Goram Homes called the police on Joe Brown after a heated meeting in November 2023. Brown, in turn, filed a counter-complaint against a Goram Homes official.
“I was amazed and shocked,” he said. “We just want people to know what Goram Homes are like and the way they treat people.”
Goram Homes’ Response
Goram Homes insists that it has listened to residents’ concerns and made adjustments where possible.
- Homes will be at least 21m away from existing properties, meeting planning regulations.
- Two properties were reduced from three storeys to two, after discussions with residents.
- The boundary hedge will be maintained, and stricter safety measures have been put in place to prevent debris from entering gardens.
- Goram Homes claims that all meetings have been calm and constructive, but due to an incident at a recent meeting, they had to report it to the police.
A spokesperson for Goram Homes stated:
“It’s hugely important to involve local people in shaping our plans, and we’ve worked closely with residents on Wells Road over the last 18 months.”
Local Councillor’s View
Local councillor Andrew Brown (Lib Dem, Hengrove and Whitchurch Park) has been supporting the residents and working to facilitate discussions.
“As local councillors, we have sought to ensure that neighbouring residents have been kept informed and represented in the planning process,” he said.
The dispute over the New Fosseway housing development highlights the challenges of balancing new housing needs with existing residents’ concerns. While Bristol desperately needs more homes, locals feel that their quality of life and safety are being compromised.
With construction set to begin in the coming weeks, it seems unlikely that any further changes will be made. However, residents hope that by speaking out, they can raise awareness of Goram Homes’ approach before similar developments happen elsewhere in the city.
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