Bristol Arena developers must look beyond the facility’s recreational benefits and focus on using the project to bring jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for city residents, says the MP in whose constituency it will be built.
Karin Smyth (Bristol South) also wants the impact of the Arena on people living in nearby communities such as Totterdown and Windmill Hill to be ‘deliberately and thoughtfully’ addressed, with the close involvement of the residents themselves.
The Labour MP’s response to the official consultation on the Arena welcomes the development, focusing primarily on the need for it to bring employment benefits for Bristol residents.
“Those overseeing the Arena project simply must ensure it creates genuine employment and skills opportunities for jobs for Bristol residents, and much-needed apprenticeships for local people living in the city,” she says.
“The Arena’s creation is a development opportunity that comes along all too rarely and it must be seized upon by planners and developers – for the benefit of Bristol people.”
She says she expects to see apprenticeships provided in the build phase through procurement with contractors and looks to the City Council to ensure that there are equalities of opportunity for Bristol South’s young people access these.
“The Arena has been anticipated for a number of years and it is right that a city the size of Bristol has a facility for leisure and recreation of this type,” she adds. “However, it is now vital that issues relating to employment, skills and impact are deliberately and thoughtfully addressed – in conjunction with local people – as plans are moved forward in the months and years ahead.”
Impact on local residents
Whilst she welcomes a project that will “regenerate a long derelict area of the city within the Bristol South constituency”, she expresses serious doubts about the level of consideration so far given to the impact on people who live nearby, in terms of traffic, access and noise. She also notes how South Bristol itself appeared to have been left out of initial consultation plans.
“People within my constituency are telling me that if a Residents Parking Zone is required to meet increased traffic demand, then the Arena developers should meet the costs, not the people who happen to live in streets that are affected. I am particularly concerned about the impact on residents in Totterdown, Windmill Hill and Knowle specifically as they are closest to the development.
“I know many residents who live in my constituency fear the details have been overlooked in favour of fanfares,” she says. “From the consultation papers, residents would be forgiven for thinking the detail of the public art that will festoon the building may have been given more thought than the effect of noise on the Arena’s neighbours.”
Below is the full consultation response from Karin Smyth MP
I welcome the Bristol Arena and associated developments and the positive opportunities the project will create for people across the City.
Arena Island will regenerate a long derelict area of the City within the Bristol South constituency and has the potential to offer many opportunities of different types for local people.
Bristolians have been waiting for years, not just for a finished Arena to serve Greater Bristol, but also for all the many other types of opportunities it can offer.
Whilst the Arena has the potential to provide a first-class recreational facility, it is as important that we ensure deliberate measures are taken to create opportunities for local jobs, skills, apprenticeships and standard of living.
It is of course imperative that the project pays due attention to the impact on neighbouring residential areas. There are some serious issues to be considered as we
head towards the planned opening date, and I know many residents who live in my constituency fear the details have been overlooked in favour of fanfares.
When the consultation was first announced, it was disappointing that South Bristol appeared to have been left out of plans given that these are the residents who will be most affected. I was pleased to see that a consultation was belatedly included for South Bristol and it is vital that the developers act on the responses.
Access
It is very disappointing that although the Arena is within the South Bristol boundary, so little is proposed to improve access for my constituents. From the consultation plans, all of the improvements are designed to benefit people travelling from the north, east and west and include road, cycling and pedestrian improvements.
Any development of this type will include investment and it is imperative that people in the Bristol South constituency benefit from this. Although my constituents will be the closest to the development, the roads, cycling and pedestrian access all require much needed improvements in order for people to use them. The proposed access improvements in the current plans are not sufficient and do not address the access needs of people in the South of the City.
For example, the Bath Road is already a busy main road, fraught with dangers for pedestrians, and it is far from clear from the consultation plans how pedestrian safety for people travelling to the Arena from the Wells and Bath Roads will be enhanced.
Employment and Skills
The Arena’s creation is a development opportunity that comes along all too rarely and it must be seized upon by planners and developers – for the benefit of Bristol people.
Residents of Bristol South and the city as a whole join me in welcoming the 1,000 jobs which the consultation document states will be created.
Those overseeing the Arena project simply must ensure it creates genuine employment and skills opportunities for jobs for Bristol residents, and much-needed apprenticeships for local people living in the city.
I would, for example, expect to see apprenticeships provided in the build phase through procurement with contractors and look to Bristol City Council to ensure that there are equalities of opportunity for young people within my constituency to access these.
In terms of the jobs which are on offer at the Arena, people must be paid the real living wage in order that they can be rewarded for their endeavours and that they can afford to
enjoy what is on offer there.
Impact on residents in Totterdown, Windmill Hill and Knowle
People within my constituency are telling me that if a Residents Parking Zone is required to meet increased traffic demand, then the Arena developers should meet the costs, not the people who happen to live in streets that are affected. I am particularly concerned about the impact on residents in Totterdown, Windmill Hill and Knowle specifically as they are closest to the development.
The development must ensure that residents in the areas closest to the Arena are not negatively impacted in terms of their quality of life.
From the consultation papers, residents would be forgiven for thinking the detail of the public art that will festoon the building may have been given more thought than the effect of noise on the Arena’s neighbours.
The projection of a ‘worst case scenario’ of 80% of people travelling by car is bound to place significant pressures on my constituents in the residential areas closest to the arena, particularly as there are no plans to build any parking spaces other than disabled parking on the arena site. In addition to visitors arriving at the arena, there will also be the setting up of operations for the day.
In conclusion, the Arena has been anticipated for a number of years and it is right that a City the size of Bristol has a facility for leisure and recreation of this type. However, it is now vital that issues relating to employment, skills and impact are deliberately and thoughtfully addressed – in conjunction with local people – as plans are moved forward in the months and years ahead.
Karin Smyth MP
October 2015