Now Showing on Stockwood Open Space

 

The Open Space has - at last - got a couple of Interpretation Boards installed, one at the Whittock Road end and one at the main Stockwood Road entrance. They should encourage people to take a closer look at  what this wonderful but little known reserve has to offer.

Now's a good time to start, after the warm spell has seen the early flowers burst into life...

Cowslip - this one making a first appearance in the glade behind Whittock Square

Blackthorn (sloe) at the 'back door' entrance to the reserve, at Ilsyn Grove

detail of blackthorn blossom

Bluebells and celandine in the Ilsyngrove woodland

Primroses in the woodland edge of the orchid meadow

Snakes Head Fritillary, orchid meadow

Bullace blossom in the orchard edge

Dog Violets, Ilsyngrove woodland

Viola Alba, now carpeting the orchard floor since we cleared the brambles a few years back (thanks, DR, for keeping up the good work)

Wood Anenome at the foot of Ilsyngrove woodland

and finally something completely different - new arrivals that appeared in the cart-washing pond.  At least until the herons find them!

Wealth redistribution - Bristol style

Every time council officers need to explain what green spaces are being considered for sale, whoever carefully tabulates the data must take a holiday. The result is jumbled lists like this that won't mean much to anyone other than dedicated openspacewatchers.  And, maybe, watchful developers.

Crow Lane Open Space; Arnal Drive open space; Land at rear of Merrimans Drive; Muller Rd Rec / Downend Park Farm; Arnal Drive open space (north); Longcross Woodland; Lockleaze Open Space; Elderberry Walk; Moorend Gardens; Portway Tip (Daisy field); Plummers Hill open space; Moorgrove; Small land, Snowdon road open space; Sturminster Close; Napier Square Park; Bracey Drive open space; Gill Avenue; Sherrin Way (Billand Close); North Valley Walk; Delebare Avenue; Huntingham Road/ Keble Avenue (Four Acres?); South Valley Walk; Tranmere Road; Willmott Park North , Hartcliffe; Cook Street Open Space; Terrell Gardens; Willmott Park South, Hartcliffe; Withywood Park (Paybridge Rd); Fonthill Park; Ladman Road and Bus Terminus; Henacre Open Space; Belroyal Avenue; Gillebank Close; Broomhill Road/Emery Road; Furber Road; Ladman Road and Bagnell Road; Brentry Hill; Gladstone Street; Maple Close; Hazelbury Road Open Space; Trym valley; Duchess Way O/S; Bath Road (3 Lamps) Burnbush Close; Broomhill Park; Craydon Road Triangle, Stockwood; Bonville Rd Open Space; Allison Avenue; Newbridge Road, Open Space; Dovercourt Road Open Space; Salcombe Road.

That's the list as approved by Cabinet last month.  Barely comprehensible.

So, for clarity, here's a map - and a reshuffled list - showing which Neighbourhood Partnerships are being told to decide which of their green spaces to sell - and how many are on the hit-list in each.   Where there's no number, of course, there's nothing to be sold.

The whole unsustainable strategy of financing the parks by selling parkland was based on the illusion that this would be 'fair', helping all parts of Bristol achieve a common standard of access to parkland amenities.  Wealth redistribution in action - a rare thing from any Con-Dem administration.   But the map shows that with the parks, a loss of assets in poorer parts of the city will provide more in the wealthier wards. (OK, it's a generalisation, but it's broadly true).

That's what the outer Neighbourhood Partnerships are being asked to approve.  And the more they sell, the more open space they lose, and the more receipts go into the central pot. 

........................
Here's the full list, by NP

Avonmouth & Kingsweston (NP01): 
Land at rear of Merrimans Drive
Longcross Woodland
Moorend Gardens
Portway Tip (Daisyfield)
Moorgrove
Napier Square Park
Cook Street Open Space
Henacre Open Space


Henbury & Southmead (NP02)
Crow Lane Open Space
Arnal Drive Open Space
Arnal Drive Open Space North
Elderberry Walk
Brentry Hill
Tranmere Road
Fonthill Park
Trym Valley


Horfield & Lockleaze (NP04)
Muller Road Rec/Downend Park Farm
Lockleaze Open Space
Dovercourt Road Open Space


Greater Fishponds Area - Eastville, Hillfields & Frome Vale (NP05)
Small land, Snowdon Road Open Space
Bracey Drive Open Space
Gill Avenue
Delebare Avenue
Duchess Road Open Space


St George East & West (NP09)
Plummers Hill Open Space
Terrell Gardens
Furber Road
Gladstone Street


Filwood, Knowle & Windmill Hill (NP11)
Bath Road (3 Lamps)
Salcombe Road


Brislington Community Partnership (NP12)
Broomhill Road/Emery Road
Newbridge Road Open Space
Belroyal Avenue
Bonville Road Open Space
Broomhill Park
Allison Avenue


Dundry View - Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe & Whitchurch Park (NP13)
Sherrin Way (Billand Close)
North Valley Walk
South Valley Walk
Huntingham Road/Keble Avenue (Four Acres?)
Withywood Park (Paybridge Road)
Willmott Park North
Willmott Park South


Hengrove & Stockwood (NP14)
Sturminster Close
Hazelbury Road Open Space
Craydon Road Triangle
Burnbush Close
Ladman Road Bus Terminus
Gillebank Close
Ladman Road/Bagnall Road
Maple Close

There's more about each site among the draft  Area Green Space Plans  and (most of them) in this FoI disclosure

The Ever More Open Space

Eight trees thought to present a public risk, are due to be felled in the 'Open Space' hillside between Burnbush School and Stockwood Top. Another four will undergo surgery to make them safe.

The details (well, some of them) are posted nearby (the notice at the top of Craydon Road includes the schedule and map) - or are available from the Parks Dept (Anna.Willcox (at) bristol.gov.uk) .

I don't have the expertise to challenge the professionals on this, and I assume it's all for the good. But it strikes me that there's a climate of suspicion about any proposals affecting Parks and Open Spaces, given that a fair slice of them are likely to be selected as development land.

I'm trying to find out whether the condemned eight will be replaced