Huge wind turbine plan for Avonmouth

A 111-metre wind turbine would be built at Avonmouth under new plans recently submitted. Each week Bristol City Council receives dozens of planning applications seeking permission for a whole range of developments.

Over the past seven days, those applications also included a roller shutter at a building society to stop people defecating and leaving drug needles in the doorway that staff then have to clear up, and a multi-use games area (MUGA) at a school. Here’s this week’s round-up of notable planning applications submitted to the council.

Every week dozens are validated by the local authority and we have selected some of the more interesting proposals. All planning applications submitted to the council have to be validated and are available for inspection by the public. Anyone is also allowed to submit comments about the applications — whether in support or objection.

The majority of applications are decided by planning officers at the council under delegated powers. However, some will go before elected councillors who sit on planning committees. No dates have been set for when the planning applications below will be determined. They can be viewed by going to the planning portal on Bristol City Council’s website.

Wind turbine

A huge wind turbine would be built at a waste recycling plant in Avonmouth. Grundon Waste Management, which runs the site at the former Avonmouth Bio Power facility off Zinc Road, is asking the council whether it needs to carry out an environment impact assessment ahead of submitting a formal planning application.

The 111m structure would have 69m rotors and sit between three new buildings that would be used for industry and warehousing. In a letter to planning officers, renewable energy specialists said an EIA would not be necessary because there would be no significant environmental impact on the existing industrial zone.

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Roller shutters

A building society branch in the city centre wants to install roller shutters to stop staff from regularly having to clean human excrement and pick up drug needles left in the doorway. Leeds Building Society in Wine Street is asking for planning consent to protect employees’ safety.

In planning documents, the company’s agents said: “The key driving factor for this proposal is that Leeds Building Society branch colleagues are frequently required to clean human waste (faeces and urine) and, on occasion, discarded needles and other drug related paraphernalia. Our prime concern is the health, safety and welfare of our colleagues, tenants and visitors to our locations and we feel that this proposal eliminates or considerably reduces the risk exposure that our colleagues are exposed to.

“The proposed roller shutter system would not adversely affect the amenity of the neighbouring retail units. The planned works as outlined in the justification statement are necessary, minor, appropriate.”

Multi-use games area

A north Bristol primary school would create a MUGA with artificial turf on part of its playing fields. St Ursula’s E-ACT Academy in Brecon Road, Westbury-on-Trym, says it is needed because bad weather and lots of use of the existing grassed sports area cannot be used for most of the year.

The school, which has about 630 pupils, has applied for permission to create the facility which would be surrounded by 3m perimeter mesh fencing. No lighting is required because the MUGA would be used only by pupils between 8.30am and 5pm weekdays.

In planning papers, St Ursula’s said: “It is greatly disappointing that for most of the year we cannot use our fields for any sports or general recreation. To have a MUGA of this kind would completely transform sport and structured play in our school.”