Teacher’s

Fieldwork Resource

Pack

Bristol’s Floating Harbour

Regeneration

Land use

Sustainability

Sustainable Developmentroles for classroom debate

Four views on development planning

Local Councillor: “Schemes must be sustainable. They must have a mixture of land uses and we want to encourage public transport. This will reduce pollution and traffic congestion. We do not want the developers to provide garages and lots of parking. They should encourage people to leave their cars at home. The plans should provide jobs for people and attractions to draw tourists to the area.”

Conservationist: “Developments must respect the environment. They should be energy efficient, recycle materials where possible and use local building materials. There must be open spaces and places for wildlife.”

Local Resident: “I used to work on the docks and I think that the area should provide jobs for people like me. I would like to see boat building and engineering works included in developments, and affordable housing so that my son can buy a home in the local area.”

Developer: “I want to maximise my profits with as little interference as possible. I am putting up the money and taking all the risk. I must comply with government guidelines on consultation and building regulations as long as they are enforceable”

For more information about Bristol’s floating harbour, plus lots of images and primary sources look at . It is an excellent website created from Bristols’ Museums, Galleries, and

Acrchives collections.www.bristolfloatingharbour.org.uk

Top Tip

By 1800 Bristol's prosperity had begun to wane, and it had been overtaken by Liverpool as the country's second port. Worse still, ships were steadily increasing in size and those entering the River Avon from the Bristol Channel had to contend with seven miles of winding river with fast currents and an exceptionally high tidal range before they reached the quays in the city centre, where they could only be unloaded by beaching them at low tide and carrying the goods ashore.

Obviously, this practice could not be allowed to continue, and so In 1809 Bristol turned a two and a half mile stretch of the Rivers Avon and Frome into one vast Floating Harbour.

Unfortunately, this did not ultimately save the Port of Bristol, but it had consequences unforseen by Bristolians at the time...

How did the floating harbour sustain economic activity when it was built?

How does it sustain economic activity today?

How has it contributed to the social sustainability of the harbour today?

What was the environmental impact then and now?

TotterdownBasin

Bristol’s floating harbour and the decline of the Port

The floating harbour and environmental sustainability

Today environmental concerns have been addressed by several new developments.

If you were developing a building on the harbour how would you make it

environmentally sustainable?

case study

Bordeaux Quay has gone to some trouble to make their building low-energy and low impact, including?re-useing an existing building as well many of its fixtures and fittings?toilets flushed with rainwater harvested from roof?free, filtered, chilled tap water in reusable glass bottles instead of bottled mineral water?re-cycled and FSC timber?natural ventilation?maximum natural light and low energy light bulbs?comprehensive waste re-cycling policy?solar panels to heat water ?practical energy saving policies throughout the building

Their business is socially sustainable as well as economically profitable. They hope to inspire other business and subsidise a community education programme. their policies includes?a commitment to source seasonal food locally to reduce food miles?a intention to educate the public about environmental and social sustainability?a cookery school including subsidised workshops for children and community groups

The floating harbour and environmental sustainability

The extensive ‘Harbourside’ development stretches from Lloyds TSB to Capricorn Quay. It has been much criticised both for its asthenic (voted the second ugliest development in England by RIBA) and for the high density low spec nature of the build. The development proved very controversial highlighting the undemocratic nature of England’s planning processes.It has incorporated several environmental features including reedbeds to filter ‘grey’ water returning to the harbour and provide wildlife habitat. The huge HBOS office building has a cooling system with chilled beams using harbour water and automatic lighting system that turns off lights when unoccupied. Other developments that incorporate green initiatives are The Create Centre, The River Station restaurant and Lloyds TSB,

What are planning conditions are developers obliged to include in harbourside developments??a walkway providing public access to the harbour

?20% social housing?energy saving infrastructure

Re-using old buildings

Bristol and West Building 1990 Same Building 2009

Instead of demolishing the existing building, the developers

have re-used the concrete frame, cladding it to create a contemporary appearance.

The glass gets lighterr as it gets to the top to create an illusion of

disappearing into space.

It is more expensive to adapt and re-use existing buildings,

and developers usually prefer to work from a blank slate.

The cascade steps were created as part of the

Millennium development by the City Council.

The building is now part of the Radisson Hotel Development comprising an hotel, serviced apartments, affordable flats,

private residential apartments, and four shops.

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Plans for the harbour in the1970’s

What would Bristol harbour be like today if this had happened?

St. Augustine’s Reach would have been concreted over, and the M32 roundabout built over it. The oil crisis and public protest saved the harbour from this fate.

Office ghettos?

Along Temple back offices were built to replace the heavy industry and manufacturing that

used to thrive in this area. While this provides jobs and space for businesses to develop

hat are the social consequences?

Compare this area with Welsh Back and the City Centre.

What elements create a more socially sustainable environment?

What are they doing to improve social sustaiability along Temple Back?