Why Does Bristol Never Build Anything -Bbc Article

[hippy273]

That will draw in serious visitors. We close our poxy ice rink and turn it into student flats!

As South Glos develops this is exactly the type of facilities I expect (on smaller scale).

Meanwhile in Bristol, any spare cash is spent on being "A City of Sanctuary" and being "Green capital of the year".

 

I hope the police commissioner has plans to expand the drug squad..

[Red-Robbo]

It is possibly the case that some wading birds have been displaced, but there is still a LOT of mudflats around the city, the area that was in the docks is insignificant, and either way new wildlife areas have been created.

 

But yep, Cardiff is less likely to let a few birds hold up progress, and rightly so. We are still the greenest city in the UK (proportionately) and Bute Park would provide life to a range of wildlife in Cardiff that simply doesn't exist in Bristol City centre.

 

I've always associated Cardiff with mucky birds. Made for a great night out!

 

Cardiff Bay is a lovely development and most of the city centre is - tidy! (Apart from that big construction site next to the bus station). It's a shame Bute Town is right between them. An area that would make Il Raderino quake with indignation!

[Mr Mosquito]

As South Glos develops this is exactly the type of facilities I expect (on smaller scale).

 

 

South Gloucestershire Council is a far better run authority than Bristol. South Gloucestershire Council hit the jackpot with their Mall shopping precinct that must rake in a fortune for that authority. I remember it all starting there with the Carrefour hypermarket back in 1978. It wouldn't surprise me to see this club have to pull out of South Bristol at some future date and relocate to South Gloucestershire where they are not so anti sport.

[City1970]

Because Cardiff doesn't have to deal with the Toytown councils that control over half of the built-up Bristol area, but don't give a damn about providing facilities for it.

To be fair to the council they did listen to the majority and renamed Merchants Corner, Cabot Circus.

[WhistleHappy]

Shit...now i think of it..I also saw a council house fly

and turn into a Bumblin B****** hive  -  aka City Hall  (a green honey pot on College Green)

 

amazing creatures run our City...  Bumblin B******'s the lot of 'em.

 

(wish a few of the bloody B's would buzz off to where they come from & let real Bristolians get on with it.)

[...]

Clifton suspension bridge .......................... Great Eastern ........................ Great Western Railway ...................... M32 .......................... BigTone's e-link to UK top 10 joke websites .......... Primark store ...................

 

Bristol has built plenty!

[Mr Mosquito]

[BS34Red]

South Gloucestershire Council is a far better run authority than Bristol. South Gloucestershire Council hit the jackpot with their Mall shopping precinct that must rake in a fortune for that authority. I remember it all starting there with the Carrefour hypermarket back in 1978. It wouldn't surprise me to see this club have to pull out of South Bristol at some future date and relocate to South Gloucestershire where they are not so anti sport.

tbh far more gets built here in South Glos, in the last few years there has been the science park at Emersons, the ongoing redevoplment at Filton Airfield, Bradley Stoke, Yate town centre plus further plans for cinema etc, the continued expansion of Cribbs Causeway, recent developments at abbeywood, the managed motorways which runs all through south glos, just look at the ring road, got built in South Glos and it still hasnt been completed because the remainder of it is in Bristol. Things just get built in South Glos despite there being more green spaces than there is in Bristol. Even the rovers stadium went through easily enough, its just Bristol stopping it from being built.

Even the cricket club was about to jump ship to South Glos as BCC wouldnt give them planning permission.

Bristol is fast falling behind South Glos, the only problem South Glos has is it doesn't have one defined town centre, no focal point, it instead has lots of smaller centres. It wont be long until Bradley Stoke and Yate meet each other imo.

Being honest I very rarely venture into Bristol. 95% of my income now gets spent in South Glos, from here it can take 45 mins + to get into Bristol City centre, it takes the same to to get to Cardiff from here. Bristol is a nightmare to park and then verycostly. Everything I need to do I can do it in South Glos and its far cheaper. In 5 mins I can be at Cribbs, ten mins at Bradley Stoke, 5 mins from Parkway, 20 mins from Yate and all with free parking.

There just isnt any real incentive for me to go into Bristol,

[BS34Red]

[Mr Mosquito]

Had Steve decided to build it in South Glos back in 2006 then it would be built by now, Sainsburys plans for ag was approved so nothing would have got in the way. Maybe Steve should have mooted the idea to move to South Glos? Ashton Vale would have then been pushed through.

 

In the week, I was talking to a builder that had done work on the Manchester City Eastlands/ Etihad Stadium. He said that there's still massive amounts of building work going on there and they're looking to increase the ground capacity still further and put in an enhanced rail link as well. Problem is, Steve Lansdown is on his own as a major investor but if there were some more powerful people with money and his philosophy - as in Manchester - Bristol would have a superb football stadium that would now be attracting further investment in infrastructure and thus jobs. It looks like Bristol will remain a football and sport backwater for decades now.

[Rich]

tbh far more gets built here in South Glos, in the last few years there has been the science park at Emersons, the ongoing redevoplment at Filton Airfield, Bradley Stoke, Yate town centre plus further plans for cinema etc, the continued expansion of Cribbs Causeway, recent developments at abbeywood, the managed motorways which runs all through south glos, just look at the ring road, got built in South Glos and it still hasnt been completed because the remainder of it is in Bristol. Things just get built in South Glos despite there being more green spaces than there is in Bristol. Even the rovers stadium went through easily enough, its just Bristol stopping it from being built.

Even the cricket club was about to jump ship to South Glos as BCC wouldnt give them planning permission.

Bristol is fast falling behind South Glos, the only problem South Glos has is it doesn't have one defined town centre, no focal point, it instead has lots of smaller centres. It wont be long until Bradley Stoke and Yate meet each other imo.

Being honest I very rarely venture into Bristol. 95% of my income now gets spent in South Glos, from here it can take 45 mins + to get into Bristol City centre, it takes the same to to get to Cardiff from here. Bristol is a nightmare to park and then verycostly. Everything I need to do I can do it in South Glos and its far cheaper. In 5 mins I can be at Cribbs, ten mins at Bradley Stoke, 5 mins from Parkway, 20 mins from Yate and all with free parking.

There just isnt any real incentive for me to go into Bristol,

I'm sorry to dissagree with your interpretation of things but here goes. The only reason South Glos is as it is today is because of Bristol. Yate was built as a new town overspill to accomodate the need for modern housing in the region with most of the demand coming from Bristol, from a rising population and the slum/bomb site clearance after the war years. Avon CC was formed to have a regionwide authority centralised around Bristol ( a good idea in reality). Cribbs causeway has only been built because of it's transport links and most importantly, a large population on it's doorstep with poor existing shopping facilities. None of the new developments in south Glos would have happened if it were not for the greenfield sites being made available for Bristols expansion, note they are greenfield sites, not Greenbelt sites, a totally different kettle of fish when it comes to obtaining planning consent. The areas in south glos were chosen sites for development by Avon CC as a regionwide planned environment. Since and before, Avons devolvement, south Glos collects all the rates from those developments, yet it's Bristol that's always had to pay for and upkeep the major attractions in the area.  

I found it quite ironic when the residents of south Glos, who used to laugh at the rates we citizens of Bristol had to stump up compared to them, suddenly had to pay (through their local council) for services and school places previously paid for and supplied to them by Bristol CC.

 

Make no mistake, I am very critical of Bristol  but, if we had a level playing field to start with and didn't have to compete with councils on our borders creaming of the goodies, or the likes of Wales taking our jobs and businesses, we'd be a lot better off for facilities than we currently are. Bristol has very limited tight boundaries and, it was forced to designate areas within it's boundaries as greenbelt, such as AV. there really are very few places within the existing boundaries to develop. 

[Aizoon]

The existing boundaries are a result of gerrymandering when Avon was created. Rather than expanding Bristol to its natural boundaries, as happened to other major cities, Avon was defined to ensure that Gloucestershire, Somerset and Avon all had Tory majorities.

 

Unfortunately for the Tories, gerrymandering only works when people can't move or change their allegiance, as in Norn Iron before the 1970's.

 

When this failure was realised and another Tory government dismantled Avon, Bristol was left at the same size as in 1973 and, indeed, as in 1939. This was despite the fact that the urban area had almost doubled in size. That's the root cause of many of our problems today.

[BS34Red]

I'm sorry to dissagree with your interpretation of things but here goes. The only reason South Glos is as it is today is because of Bristol. Yate was built as a new town overspill to accomodate the need for modern housing in the region with most of the demand coming from Bristol, from a rising population and the slum/bomb site clearance after the war years. Avon CC was formed to have a regionwide authority centralised around Bristol ( a good idea in reality). Cribbs causeway has only been built because of it's transport links and most importantly, a large population on it's doorstep with poor existing shopping facilities. None of the new developments in south Glos would have happened if it were not for the greenfield sites being made available for Bristols expansion, note they are greenfield sites, not Greenbelt sites, a totally different kettle of fish when it comes to obtaining planning consent. The areas in south glos were chosen sites for development by Avon CC as a regionwide planned environment. Since and before, Avons devolvement, south Glos collects all the rates from those developments, yet it's Bristol that's always had to pay for and upkeep the major attractions in the area.

I found it quite ironic when the residents of south Glos, who used to laugh at the rates we citizens of Bristol had to stump up compared to them, suddenly had to pay (through their local council) for services and school places previously paid for and supplied to them by Bristol CC.

Make no mistake, I am very critical of Bristol but, if we had a level playing field to start with and didn't have to compete with councils on our borders creaming of the goodies, or the likes of Wales taking our jobs and businesses, we'd be a lot better off for facilities than we currently are. Bristol has very limited tight boundaries and, it was forced to designate areas within it's boundaries as greenbelt, such as AV. there really are very few places within the existing boundaries to develop.

Your perfectly correct, without Bristol there would be no South Glos, it was indeed an overspill but now Bristol faces being left behind by South Glos, it is fast becoming an attractive place to live, I was born and raised in Bristol but become fed up of the poor services, poor public transport, poor schools and also the fact Bristol is stuck in the dark ages.

Now i'm happily settled in South Glos with Cribbs close by and all the free parking I could ever want, my children are in an excellent school and its generally a better all round area to live in, plus the council isnt BCC!!

Forgive me if i'm wrong but wasn't the tram shelved because BCC wanted it to teeminate at Almondsbury interchange where as SGC wanted it at Cribbs which actually made sense but BCC was scares of the competition that Cribbs poses to Bristol retail.

[BS34Red]

In the week, I was talking to a builder that had done work on the Manchester City Eastlands/ Etihad Stadium. He said that there's still massive amounts of building work going on there and they're looking to increase the ground capacity still further and put in an enhanced rail link as well. Problem is, Steve Lansdown is on his own as a major investor but if there were some more powerful people with money and his philosophy - as in Manchester - Bristol would have a superb football stadium that would now be attracting further investment in infrastructure and thus jobs. It looks like Bristol will remain a football and sport backwater for decades now.

Indeed their plans are very very impressive, a massive traning complex which even includes its own stadium for reserve and youth teams which would rival our own stadium!!

[Barrs Court Red]

I'm sorry to dissagree with your interpretation of things but here goes. The only reason South Glos is as it is today is because of Bristol. Yate was built as a new town overspill to accomodate the need for modern housing in the region with most of the demand coming from Bristol, from a rising population and the slum/bomb site clearance after the war years. Avon CC was formed to have a regionwide authority centralised around Bristol ( a good idea in reality). Cribbs causeway has only been built because of it's transport links and most importantly, a large population on it's doorstep with poor existing shopping facilities. None of the new developments in south Glos would have happened if it were not for the greenfield sites being made available for Bristols expansion, note they are greenfield sites, not Greenbelt sites, a totally different kettle of fish when it comes to obtaining planning consent. The areas in south glos were chosen sites for development by Avon CC as a regionwide planned environment. Since and before, Avons devolvement, south Glos collects all the rates from those developments, yet it's Bristol that's always had to pay for and upkeep the major attractions in the area.

I found it quite ironic when the residents of south Glos, who used to laugh at the rates we citizens of Bristol had to stump up compared to them, suddenly had to pay (through their local council) for services and school places previously paid for and supplied to them by Bristol CC.

Make no mistake, I am very critical of Bristol but, if we had a level playing field to start with and didn't have to compete with councils on our borders creaming of the goodies, or the likes of Wales taking our jobs and businesses, we'd be a lot better off for facilities than we currently are. Bristol has very limited tight boundaries and, it was forced to designate areas within it's boundaries as greenbelt, such as AV. there really are very few places within the existing boundaries to develop.

The question if the new developments would have happened with or without Bristol are irrelevant. Fact is they happened.

Enjoy your "City of Sanctuary", I'm off to the mall tomorrow, can park for free you see and its been a busy day taking the little 'un swimming in the brand new swimming pool in Longwell Green.

[Aizoon]

Your perfectly correct, without Bristol there would be no South Glos, it was indeed an overspill but now Bristol faces being left behind by South Glos, it is fast becoming an attractive place to live, I was born and raised in Bristol but become fed up of the poor services, poor public transport, poor schools and also the fact Bristol is stuck in the dark ages.

Now i'm happily settled in South Glos with Cribbs close by and all the free parking I could ever want, my children are in an excellent school and its generally a better all round area to live in, plus the council isnt BCC!!

Forgive me if i'm wrong but wasn't the tram shelved because BCC wanted it to teeminate at Almondsbury interchange where as SGC wanted it at Cribbs which actually made sense but BCC was scares of the competition that Cribbs poses to Bristol retail.

 

Dead right. An act of quite mind-boggling stupidity, especially as Cribbs (like UWE) now forms a major public transport hub. My point is that Cribbs should be part of Greater Bristol, not in a different county from most of its customers.

[BrizzleRed]

I'm sorry to dissagree with your interpretation of things but here goes. The only reason South Glos is as it is today is because of Bristol. Yate was built as a new town overspill to accomodate the need for modern housing in the region with most of the demand coming from Bristol, from a rising population and the slum/bomb site clearance after the war years. Avon CC was formed to have a regionwide authority centralised around Bristol ( a good idea in reality). Cribbs causeway has only been built because of it's transport links and most importantly, a large population on it's doorstep with poor existing shopping facilities. None of the new developments in south Glos would have happened if it were not for the greenfield sites being made available for Bristols expansion, note they are greenfield sites, not Greenbelt sites, a totally different kettle of fish when it comes to obtaining planning consent. The areas in south glos were chosen sites for development by Avon CC as a regionwide planned environment. Since and before, Avons devolvement, south Glos collects all the rates from those developments, yet it's Bristol that's always had to pay for and upkeep the major attractions in the area.  

I found it quite ironic when the residents of south Glos, who used to laugh at the rates we citizens of Bristol had to stump up compared to them, suddenly had to pay (through their local council) for services and school places previously paid for and supplied to them by Bristol CC.

 

Make no mistake, I am very critical of Bristol  but, if we had a level playing field to start with and didn't have to compete with councils on our borders creaming of the goodies, or the likes of Wales taking our jobs and businesses, we'd be a lot better off for facilities than we currently are. Bristol has very limited tight boundaries and, it was forced to designate areas within it's boundaries as greenbelt, such as AV. there really are very few places within the existing boundaries to develop. 

Bang on!

 

I'm Bristol born, but now live just over the border in South Glos.  I travel in every day to work for Bristol City Council and am well aware that when Avon was disbanded, all the outlying authorities such as B&NES, South Glos, etc had rate support grants which propped up their funding, so the council tax was lower in the outlying areas.  That's all spent now, which is why the council tax paid is pretty similar in all areas, but Bristol has far more infrastructure and facilities to fund and many of the outlying residents still feel it's their right to use Bristol's facilities, but not have to pay for them.

 

This is the ideal time to get rid of all the petty council point scoring that still goes on and create a Greater Bristol Council.  One of the things that holds our region back is there are far too many local councillors who have a vested interest in stopping things happen, that could benefit the whole of our region.  

 

You just need to look at Cardiff.  I think you'll find the built up area of Cardiff doesn't even reach its city boundaries, whereas Bristol outgrown its city boundary and spread into the outlying areas, which are run by separate authorities, particularly in the north and east of the city.  

 

We are long overdue an council who look at the bigger picture and make decisions that will benefit the whole of the area, and not one split by ridiculous recently created boundaries.  

 

Just because Avon didn't make it work properly shouldn't be a reason for keeping things as they are now and we only need to look at Greater Manchester and the like to see how we could benefit.

[Rich]

Your perfectly correct, without Bristol there would be no South Glos, it was indeed an overspill but now Bristol faces being left behind by South Glos, it is fast becoming an attractive place to live, I was born and raised in Bristol but become fed up of the poor services, poor public transport, poor schools and also the fact Bristol is stuck in the dark ages.

Now i'm happily settled in South Glos with Cribbs close by and all the free parking I could ever want, my children are in an excellent school and its generally a better all round area to live in, plus the council isnt BCC!!

Forgive me if i'm wrong but wasn't the tram shelved because BCC wanted it to teeminate at Almondsbury interchange where as SGC wanted it at Cribbs which actually made sense but BCC was scares of the competition that Cribbs poses to Bristol retail.

I don't know about terminating at the Almondsbury interchange, I think it was Abbey Wood.  You are correct, Bristol was worried about the financial effect terminating at Cribbs would have caused to Broadmead, understandable I suppose seeing as it had already lost trade to Cribbs and the greedy Glos council wanted even more customers from Bristol to frequent Cribbs. Personally I'd have welcomed the competition and tried to entice shoppers or other visitors to abandon Cribbs, use it as a park and ride and visit the historic city of Bristol, or even encompass both.

[Rich]

The question if the new developments would have happened with or without Bristol are irrelevant. Fact is they happened.

Enjoy your "City of Sanctuary", I'm off to the mall tomorrow, can park for free you see and its been a busy day taking the little 'un swimming in the brand new swimming pool in Longwell Green.

This is a little example of the snide comments south Glos occupants often used to dish out to Bristolians. They have no allegience to the area, just like the mile upon mile of boring new housing estates that have no identity. They are full of immigrants from different parts of the country who say things like, "you see". Isn't it, don't get excited, good value those new boxes in south Glos. You could pop along and have a  swim in the new pool at Hengrove but it's probably too big for you, don't want you getting out of your depth do we, or lost in the historic streets of Bristol.

[BS34Red]

This is a little example of the snide comments south Glos occupants often used to dish out to Bristolians. They have no allegience to the area, just like the mile upon mile of boring new housing estates that have no identity. They are full of immigrants from different parts of the country who say things like, "you see". Isn't it, don't get excited, good value those new boxes in south Glos. You could pop along and have a swim in the new pool at Hengrove but it's probably too big for you, don't want you getting out of your depth do we, or lost in the historic streets of Bristol.

I'm from Bristol, in fact as the crow flies i'm about a mile from where I grew up, just by moving a mile and accross the border the change is noticably different. Is that the histpric housing estates of Knowle and Hartcliffe ypur talking about? I may live on a boring new housing development as ypu put it but in my tree lined woodland setting street house prices begin at 400k, there is no dirty needles in parks, or litter on the streets or dog muck everywhere and i'm not governed by BCC. I think you will find many residents in south glos have jumped ship from Bristol simply because the standard of living in South Glos is so much better than in Bristol. Nothing would make me return to Bristol. Even most of our players live in places such as Portished, Bristol is nothing but a huge village with a village mentality. In Bristol I can list all the failed projects, with south glos i'm struggling to think of many.

Bristol should have expanded its boundries but thank fully it didn't, there should also be a greater Bristol area but again thankfully there is not.

I think you will also find within south glos there is indeed many many historic places, if you ever need a tour guide let me know.

As for Hengrove due to Bristols poor transport it would take over an hour to reach, maybe it woupd be better for residents of South Glos to go over the Bridge and use Cardiff International swimming pool? Set in the superb Cardiff Bay, could make a nice day of it, swimming, ice skating and a concert, something that is impossible to do in Bristol.

[City Rocker]

The existing boundaries are a result of gerrymandering when Avon was created. Rather than expanding Bristol to its natural boundaries, as happened to other major cities, Avon was defined to ensure that Gloucestershire, Somerset and Avon all had Tory majorities.

 

Unfortunately for the Tories, gerrymandering only works when people can't move or change their allegiance, as in Norn Iron before the 1970's.

 

When this failure was realised and another Tory government dismantled Avon, Bristol was left at the same size as in 1973 and, indeed, as in 1939. This was despite the fact that the urban area had almost doubled in size. That's the root cause of many of our problems today.

 

Eloquently put. Political self-interest is a major reason why the city has failed to realise its full potential in the last 20 years. Despite which, Bristol remains one of the nicest and most comfortable places to live in the UK, economically and environmentally.

 

I'm from Bristol, in fact as the crow flies i'm about a mile from where I grew up, just by moving a mile and accross the border the change is noticably different. Is that the histpric housing estates of Knowle and Hartcliffe ypur talking about? I may live on a boring new housing development as ypu put it but in my tree lined woodland setting street house prices begin at 400k, there is no dirty needles in parks, or litter on the streets or dog muck everywhere and i'm not governed by BCC. I think you will find many residents in south glos have jumped ship from Bristol simply because the standard of living in South Glos is so much better than in Bristol. Nothing would make me return to Bristol. Even most of our players live in places such as Portished, Bristol is nothing but a huge village with a village mentality. In Bristol I can list all the failed projects, with south glos i'm struggling to think of many.

 

 

Well each to their own I suppose. Born and raised in the mind-numbingly dull suburbia of South Gloucestershire (Northavon, as it was then), I am relieved to have moved to the big vibrant city 20-odd years ago and nothing would persuade me to return. The Mall is handy though, I must admit.

 

Living near the Gloucester Road, apart from the fact we have a rather tedious local football team which attracts a few badly-dressed dullards to the area occasionally, I've never seen any evidence of the downside you imagine in the city. Indeed, the only two times in my life so far I've been a victim of crime were when I lived in...South Gloucestershire.

[Aizoon]

Today, we got the bus to the zoo, enjoyed a sight of the animals (no hedgehogs, alas) and a more than acceptable sausage (animal not specified) and chips. I notice there are two red pandals - does anyone know which of them contributes to this forum?

We then returned across the Downs and enjoyed the view from allegedly the highest point in Bristol (276 feet in real money) on Horfield Common. From here there's a fine view including four real counties or seven of the new-fangled ones, slightly spoiled by some sort of rickety shack with light bulbs on sticks

Not bad for a day out in the city.

[BS34Red]

Eloquently put. Political self-interest is a major reason why the city has failed to realise its full potential in the last 20 years. Despite which, Bristol remains one of the nicest and most comfortable places to live in the UK, economically and environmentally.

Well each to their own I suppose. Born and raised in the mind-numbingly dull suburbia of South Gloucestershire (Northavon, as it was then), I am relieved to have moved to the big vibrant city 20-odd years ago and nothing would persuade me to return. The Mall is handy though, I must admit.

Living near the Gloucester Road, apart from the fact we have a rather tedious local football team which attracts a few badly-dressed dullards to the area occasionally, I've never seen any evidence of the downside you imagine in the city. Indeed, the only two times in my life so far I've been a victim of crime were when I lived in...South Gloucestershire.

I just personally like being able to park outside my home without having to fight for spaces, kids can play out in the street etc. The thing about Bristol the most is I can go months without stepping foot inside it yet when I do absolutly nothing has changed at all (apart from more pointless roadworks) and that sums it all up really.

[Rich]

[JudgeRed]

The problem with Bristol is it's dragging it's heals, Kicking & screaming to avoid joining the rest of the World in the 21st century. It's a city that refuses to come in to the present day.

[BS34Red]

[Hillzider]

An angry Bristolian talks

 

 

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Angry-Bristolian-Outsiders-ruining-Bristol/story-20464919-detail/story.html#ixzz2qswW6vpJ

[Running Man]

Born and brought up in Brislington, I spent a number of years in the wilderness of Bradley Stoke, came back to Whitchurch Village about 8 years ago. Anyone who prefers to live in the South Glos estates to the vibrant urban streets of South Bristol can only be doing so out of prejudice. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

[Kingswood Robin]

Today, we got the bus to the zoo, enjoyed a sight of the animals (no hedgehogs, alas) and a more than acceptable sausage (animal not specified) and chips. I notice there are two red pandals - does anyone know which of them contributes to this forum?

We then returned across the Downs and enjoyed the view from allegedly the highest point in Bristol (276 feet in real money) on Horfield Common. From here there's a fine view including four real counties or seven of the new-fangled ones, slightly spoiled by some sort of rickety shack with light bulbs on sticks

Not bad for a day out in the city.

 

Highest point is at Cossham Hospital I believe, right on the border.

 

I was born in Bristol, but spent most of my life just over the border. I used to socialise, shop, work, go to the cinema and most importantly watch my football in Bristol. I would always say I'm from Bristol, never South Gloucestershire. When I see Bristol lagging behind other cities or the council squabbling over something stupid, I'm no less embarrassed by it because I live over the border. If Bristol thrives, we all thrive. I think the Bristol boundary moved 3 times from the 1850's to the Edwardian times and not once since! An expansion is long overdue.

 

The NEC was built some distance from Birmingham city centre, close to a motorway junction and the airport. What do we do here, try and shoehorn an arena into a tight central site, locate the airport on a fog bound hill with poor access roads to it and stick of load of houses on a former airfield, right next to a motorway junction and a railway line. Absolute madness. I really don't understand why the local authorities can't co-operate a little more for the benefit of everyone.

[Aizoon]

Highest point is at Cossham Hospital I believe, right on the border.

 

I was born in Bristol, but spent most of my life just over the border. I used to socialise, shop, work, go to the cinema and most importantly watch my football in Bristol. I would always say I'm from Bristol, never South Gloucestershire. When I see Bristol lagging behind other cities or the council squabbling over something stupid, I'm no less embarrassed by it because I live over the border. If Bristol thrives, we all thrive. I think the Bristol boundary moved 3 times from the 1850's to the Edwardian times and not once since! An expansion is long overdue.

 

The NEC was built some distance from Birmingham city centre, close to a motorway junction and the airport. What do we do here, try and shoehorn an arena into a tight central site, locate the airport on a fog bound hill with poor access roads to it and stick of load of houses on a former airfield, right next to a motorway junction and a railway line. Absolute madness. I really don't understand why the local authorities can't co-operate a little more for the benefit of everyone.

 

Because they're pompous little toads who jealously guard their tiny bit of power?