CONVERSATION PR LTD.

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Approved. Bristol. Great outcome. 454 bed PBSA scheme 300 metres from the new #TempleQuarterCampus. Will really help kick-off this massive #universityofbristol -led urban regeneration. After extensive negotiations with #bristolcitycouncil the team finally secured delegated approval after 14 months. Very patient clients at #avoncapitalestates #archielord and #ashleywhittome. Excellent planning advice from #rapleys #michaelorr. Cool and calm development management from #deeleyfreed #rosschester. Superb design from the Bristol team #ahmm #iainwilliams and #cormacfarrelly. Glad #conversationpr was able to play a key role. AND, of course, the usual excellent market counsel from #nickallan #cushmanwakefield

Bristol. Great to see funding secured for the former Chanson Foods site, that we worked alongside #Savills (#GeraintJones and #MattTucker) to secure approval at committee some while ago (unanimous committee member support, not usually the case for PBSA in Bristol). Bringing the key community group and ward members with us was key to this outcome. Great scheme for #Host, in a great location for #UniversityofBristol's #TempleQuarterEnterpriseCampus. https://lnkd.in/gAQxp4iC

Bristol planning committees. Good to see former development control chairman Cllr Richard Eddy recognising improvements led by Bristol's Chief Planner Simone Wilding (as reported by Bristol Live). I am sure many will agree with Richard's comments that the local planning authority and developers are not “opposing forces, locked into battle” but “joint parts of the same solution to regenerate the city” and that they should work constructively together. https://lnkd.in/ecufdtyz #bristolplanning #simonewilding

Bristol committees update. Today the new committees (policy and regulatory) were formalised. A few things to note: homes & housing delivery policy committee is to be chaired by the Green's Barry Parsons (Easton) with Conservative Richard Eddy (Bishopsworth) as vice chairman. The Lib Dem's Andrew Brown (Hengrove and Whitchurch Park) will chair economy & skills policy committee with the Green's Jenny Bartle (also Easton) as vice chair. Two development control committees remain for now, but the chairs and membership have shifted. Notable points: the Green's Rob Bryher (St George West), a former transport officer at North Somerset Council and car-free Bristol campaigner will now chair DCA, with Labour's Katja Hornchen (Brislington East), a teacher and previous DC member as vice chair. Over on DCB, Labour's Don Alexander returns to chairing DC after the past few years with the cabinet transport portfolio. Don's vice chair doesn't appear to have been announced yet. Cllr Ani Stafford-Townsend was expected to chair one of the two committees but now doesn't appear to be sitting on either. The new committees have some familiar - and some less familiar - faces. Richard Eddy is the Conservative lead on DCB, where he sits alongside Fabian Breckels (Lab), Paula O'Rourke (Green) and Guy Poultney (Green) - all experienced DC committee members. Lisa Stone (Green, Windmill Hill) - representing Totterdown - joins the same committee. On DCA the former convenor of Action Greater Bedminster Ellie Freeman - who oversaw community involvement of the Whitehouse Street area - joins the Green bench. The two June committee dates are set provisionally for June 5 and 26. Hopefully we can look forward to Bristol continuing to welcome investment in homes and jobs. On a related note, former Conservative DC chair Peter Abraham was commemorated at today's Full Council meeting after his sad passing. In my limited dealings with Peter I found him very approachable and considered. There will always be a certain amount of tension between applicants and committee members, but hopefully the new committees will also be willing to engage and make informed and pragmatic decisions. 

Bristol elections. If you'd like to discuss what the elections might mean for you, please message me, ping me an email, or pick up the old dog & bone. As the dust settles post election, a new team takes over with collaborative, bridge-building Cllr Tony Dyer at the helm of a Green-led minority administration, seeking to work with other groups including two policy chairs going to the Liberal Democrats (with former DCLG minister Stephen Williams re-entering Bristol politics as a Lib Dem ward councillor). At Tuesday's Full Council meeting the committee membership will become clearer. It appears that - for now - the Council will retain two development control committees, with the first meetings kicking off in June. We've heard one will be chaired by a very experienced Labour councillor, the other by a familiar member of the Green group...but this and all the speculation will settle next week. On Monday the committee considering an interim CEO will meet, after Stephen Peacock announced he is joining the West of England Combined Authority as its new Chief Exec. It will be interesting to see if WECA can harness Stephen's significant experience and diplomatic skills, including to bring [a willing] North Somerset into the fold. The West of England region can really benefit from the investment WECA is well placed to secure. Under the guidance of Alex Hearn and Simone Wilding Bristol's draft Local Plan has - as everyone knows - been submitted, with an anticipated September examination...there will, of course, be challenges to the plan, not least on the level of PBSA numbers. There remain inevitable tensions between competing land-uses in this extremely wonderful and popular city that has very little room for growth without collaboration with neighbouring authorities. None of this is easy. But we will continue to work with our clients, BCC, neighbouring authorities and the wider Bristol community to find collaborative ways to make investment work for everyone. https://lnkd.in/e4n-EShh

Bristol. Debenhams. Delighted our client's proposal to redevelop the Debenhams site with 500 new homes was approved at today's development control committee. Three years ago the retailer closed its Broadmead doors for the last time. Today the site was given a new lease of life. Thanks to officers who've worked hard with my client's excellent team. And thanks to those members of the planning committee who put regeneration and homes first. Big shout out to AEW's Charlie Royle, Savill's Charlotte Burchell and Craig O'Brien, AWW's Jamie Furse and Kate Marrinan, David Finch at Churchman, Thornhill, Finch and Tom Brown at Hoare Lea. As Bristol goes to elections next week, this is a remarkable way to end this administration. https://lnkd.in/gyrsqV7a

This is great. Bristol. Ward councillor Christine Townsend told us that Bedminster needs more dentists, so our client Tariq Muhammad invited Omega Dental to become the new anchor tenant for his proposal to build 60 co-living flats above a new health hub on the site of the empty, former HSBC. This is how community engagement should work. Everyone's a winner. Just needs a conversation. #conversationpr #tariqmuhammad #cllrchristinetownsend #cllrtonydyer #omegadental #arenaglobalmanagement #johnwhiteagm

Hmm. Historic England's SW director's opinion piece. What do you think? Bear in mind this is a public body, and an important statutory consultee. The article was published the day before Bristol's planning committee determined two major applications, one of which the author described as 'risk[ing] eroding the character of the city centre,' and that the scheme falls 'short of the quality Bristol deserves.' That scheme - the Premier Inn redevelopment - did not have an objection from Historic England, was recommended for approval, and was supported by the development control committee.

🔑 BIG BIG NEWS - We've got the keys for our community kitchen! But we need YOUR help 🔑 It’s a big old warehouse in South Bristol, just off East street (so only 10min walk from where we are now) and we are moving in in January! The space will help DOUBLE OUR IMPACT go from supporting 80 young people per week to over 160, launch our educational cooking programmes and run wonderful supper clubs and events for the local and wider community! But, we need YOUR help! We need to raise £20,000 to build it into a community kitchen in South Bristol with a focus on working with marginalised 16 - 25 year olds. PLEASE SHARE AND DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER HERE THIS CHRISTMAS!!!! https://lnkd.in/ee_Ga9Vm Also a big thank you to Dandara Living and Acorn Property Group for helping secure the space and part fund the work 🙌 Thank you to some of our aMAZIng partners and supporters over the year including: Something Familiar | B Corp Neil Sellers Zoe Ruthven Joss Ford Oli Garnett alison weir Asher Craig Rob Hagen Lee Bignell Simon Cooke Dom Wood DL (Hon LLD) Niall Mckee Kari Halford Bristol Beer Factory David Copeland Cameron Johnson DAC Beachcroft Nathan Butcher Ped Asgarian Mali Evans James Ewin Tom Burstow Rebecca Burgess