The Bristol Avon Flood Strategy
Flood defences are needed for the whole of Bristol. The Bristol Avon Flood Strategy sets out how we can better protect homes and businesses from flooding from the River Avon. There are no designs yet – Western Harbour masterplanners will need to work with the council’s flood risk team and the Environment Agency to ensure that flood defences are integrated into the local area, in a way that enhances public spaces, improves active travel routes, and protects heritage. Read more about flood defences for Bristol on the Flood risk strategy page on the BCC website.
The 2019 Transport Consultation
In 2019 BCC commissioned a transport feasibility study to help us better understand the options for Western Harbour’s transport network. This assessed 10 approaches to replace the Cumberland Basin Road System with new routes across the River Avon. Initial views from the community were sought on the three approaches that were considered most viable at the time. You can find a summary of these responses in the Western Harbour transport engagement report. Following this, it was decided to talk to local and citywide communities about their hopes for the area before deciding on any more detailed changes, leading to the Harbour Hopes engagement and the Vision for the area which will guide decisions going forwards.
A4 Portway transport improvements
Plans for the A4 Portway will improve bus, cycling and walking journeys along one of the main routes to and from the Western Harbour area. An engagement exercise relating to this took place in the summer of 2022. A section of the A4 Portway - from Hotwell Road, Dowry Place and Oldfield Place, including the elevated flyover system - was not in the scope of the engagement exercise as it is part of the Western Harbour project. Feedback from all engagement and consultation activities is being shared between both projects.
The Harbour Operations Review
Bristol City Docks is seeking Cabinet approval to apply for a new Harbour Revision Order to the Marine Management Organisation and to create assured ring-fenced financial accounts for the harbour authority.
The Harbour Place Shaping Strategy
Work started on the Harbour Place Shaping Strategy in 2023. The Harbour Place Shaping Strategy (HPSS) will set out the steps that must be taken to shape a financially self-sufficient, environmentally regenerative and socially inclusive future for Bristol’s Floating Harbour over the next 20 years. The strategy will establish an ambitious and compelling vision which galvanises landowners and other stakeholders to ‘pull in the same direction’ to deliver high quality place shaping in and around the harbour. Core to this will be the creation of a public realm and water space that can better support Bristol’s growing population and comfortably cope with an increasing number of visitors. To find out more information about the strategy please visit Ask Bristol, Harbour Place Shaping Strategy.
Bristol’s Clean Air Zone
The government has directed Bristol, and other cities, to reduce harmful pollution from vehicles in the shortest possible time. The size of the zone and its boundary has been designed to meet legal air quality targets in the central area where air quality is worst.
Central areas of the city and main routes, which include the Portway and the Cumberland Basin, have breached legal levels of pollution for several years because of the number of vehicles that use them. For this reason they are included in the Clean Air Zone, which was introduced in 2022.
Anyone driving within the Clean Air Zone will need to pay a daily charge if their vehicle does not meet the zone’s emission standards.
Find out more about Bristol’s Clean Air Zone
Bristol’s Local Plan review
Bristol’s emerging Local Plan will set out how the city can develop over the next 20 years to deliver the new homes and jobs we need and safeguard the environmental assets we value. A 2019 consultation on the Local Plan Review identified a number of areas of growth and regeneration, including Western Harbour, to support this. At the end of October, Full Council approved Bristol’s new draft local plan for publication. For more information and to find out how you can contribute see the Local Plan Review page on the BCC website.
Other changes happening nearby
A number of other projects are happening near the Western Harbour Project Area. These include:
- Baltic Wharf is a housing scheme being taken forward by Goram Homes to provide much-needed new homes, including affordable homes. A planning application has been submitted. Find more information about Baltic Wharf.
- Payne’s Shipyard is a private residential-led development - planning was granted in June 2022. Find out more information about Payne’s Shipyard here.
- Ashton Sidings is a development to build affordable homes led by Vistry. A planning application was approved for this in April 2021. A planning application was approved for this in April 2021.