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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
bristolpost Administrator

Bristol housing shortage needs 'Nimby brigade to move on' - letter

From the rough sleepers on the streets to the constant construction noise around the city, signs of Bristol's housing crisis are everywhere.

There is no debating the fact that there is a shortage of accommodation in the city - but the question of where housing is built is one that has long prompted controversy.

The balance of protecting green spaces and delivering much-needed housing continues to be a dilemma, and many development plans attract a fierce backlash from existing neighbours.

READ MORE: Family-of-seven say mouldy and rat infested two-bed flat is a 'living hell'

However, one man has shared a strong-worded message to those he describes as the Bristol "nimby brigade", arguing that there are "not enough brownfield sites" to accommodate needs and that the loss of some green spaces is necessary.

In a letter to the Bristol Post published on Wednesday (November 16), Simon Lloyd wrote: "Bristol needs a lot more new homes, there can be no doubt about that.

"There is a national shortfall of maybe two to three million homes and since Bristol is such a great place to live, we too have a shortfall in homes.

"The city has grown over the past 30 years and is set to continue to grow. So we need more homes, and lots of them.

"It’s not enough to say, as some do, that we can build them all on brownfield sites in Bristol and with small plots of 'infill'. You can’t.

"Infill is typically just a few homes, and there are not enough brownfield sites. Propose anything and the Nimby brigade (Not In My Backyard) get all shirty and irate. A lot of the time, these people just don’t have the basic facts."

'The view is not yours'

He highlighted how Bristol is a city, not the countryside. The letter argued: "If you want nature, go and live in the countryside. If you live in a city, expect growth. The view is not yours.

"Angry local residents should be grateful for what they’ve had. They can go out to the countryside on trips like everyone else. There are some good sites coming along in south Bristol and we need the new homes. The local Nimbys have lost on that one, so get over it and move on. Try telling the nurses, teachers and bus drivers they don’t deserve to have a decent home.

"One simple solution could be to look at the map, see where the existing underused train lines are, and see where they lead. Are there any good areas within commuting distance of Bristol? Well yes, come to mention it, there are!"

He favoured building homes in commuter areas as well as in the city, adding: "Building outside will help relieve high demand in Bristol itself. After the pandemic anyway more people will be working from home a few days a week, not the office, so local areas become more important.

"Train routes out of Temple Meads to north Bristol and its adjoining areas could see a building boom. We need another Bradley Stoke, but with decent train connections this time. Anyone got any ideas for the mayors?"

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