Hundreds of residents in a new housing estate in Stoke Gifford have backed calls for a community park. With no space for older children and teenagers to play, they fear a growing rise in anti-social behaviour and a lack of places for the community to get together.
The first families moved into Brooklands Park a few years ago. There were plans to build a primary school on a two-hectare plot of land that is now empty but these were scrapped. Campaigners are urging South Gloucestershire Council to help them create a park there.
Council bosses said they would start discussing with the housing developer who owns the land about the potential for a new community park. Residents spoke at a cabinet meeting explaining why the expanding housing estate urgently needs a proper park.
Ewelina Gregolinska is a resident and one of the leaders of the Brooklands Park and Highbrook View Residents’ Association. The association represents more than 1,500 residents in the new housing estate in Stoke Gifford, which includes the two-hectare site.
She said: “New homes must come with all the amenities that are needed to make a liveable community, especially green and recreational spaces. Without them, residents and especially young people are left behind. There are two tiny play parks for toddlers, but for teenagers and slightly older kids, there’s nowhere safe to play sports and gather in a positive way.
“Teenagers are playing football against residents’ doors and they’re hanging around with nothing to do. Anti-social behaviour has suddenly increased, parents are worried, and young people feel they have been let down. We would like to turn this two-hectare site into a community park, with trees, paths, benches, picnic space and multi-use games area (MUGA).”
The site was originally set aside for a planned school, but these plans were dropped a couple of years ago. Instead, the need for school places will be met with a new school in the Mulgrove Farm Village development in Harry Stoke and also by expanding existing local schools.
The campaigners are hoping to get the park delivered within the next 12 months, and have built up a growing base of support. More than 540 petitioners have backed their calls, as well as the Stoke Gifford Parish Council and the local youth charity FACE.
Campaigners asked council bosses to engage with Crest Nicholson, the housing developer building the estate, to make sure the site is kept for community use. This could include issuing a “memorandum of understanding”, and consulting with children and young people on the park.
Ms Gregolinska added: “This is about more than just the land and the houses. This is about whether Brooklands Park and other developments in the area become just a collection of houses, or a healthy thriving community.”
A new community centre has been built in Brooklands Park, with a café, kitchen, office, meeting rooms and hall. Construction started last November and the community centre is due to open soon. The park would be created on a plot of land adjacent to the community centre.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, leader of the council, said: “Crest is still the landowner there so to an extent we are in their hands. We need to liaise with them and get the discussion started.”
After the meeting, Crest Nicholson said plans were
being explored for a new multi-use games area. In the next few weeks, the housing developer
will start talking to local residents and councillors about their ideas for the site.
A Crest Nicholson spokesperson said: “We understand local sentiment about the former school site at Brooklands, and we are grateful to residents for setting out their priorities through the petition. The site was originally reserved for a primary school, with a MUGA and nursery, secured in 2007. In 2011 the agreement was varied to allow residential use if the council did not confirm an intention to build the school within ten years.
“That period has now passed and, during the school planning application considered in July 2024, the council confirmed a school is not required here. The draft South Gloucestershire Local Plan, which is currently under independent examination, identifies the land for around
50 homes.
“We are exploring how best to bring the site forward for new homes, a MUGA, and a nursery, and will seek pre-application advice from planning officers. Just as importantly, over the next few weeks we will begin early and open engagement with local residents, ward members, and the Parish Council so we can share emerging ideas, listen carefully, and reflect local priorities where we can before an application is submitted.
“We want to work constructively with the council and the community. We welcome a discussion about how this site can be planned in a way that supports local needs. We are ready to meet to talk through ideas and next steps.”
By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter