Redcatch Quarter
Here's some info and links available about the Redcatch Quarter development. FORP is fronting the liaison with the developers and their agents on behalf of Redcatch Park and its users
The Current Status
The Redcatch Quarter development is at Outline Planning stage. Which means it has been registered with BCC Planning Department and the information is available for the public and interested groups to review. There are 139 documents on the portal pertaining to the application and some are difficult to understand unless you are used to planning terms. But everyone is entitled to see them so please visit it via the link below and download any documents you wish to view.
We submitted the FORP comments about the application after all the results of the Park User Survey had been gathered and summarised and in close liaison with other community groups to ensure we have a coordinated response that maximises our chance for positive outcomes for the park. This included a wish list of items for the park should the development proceed, to mitigate for the possible impacts on the park, not just during the building process but for the years after completion. This is the biggest single thing that has ever happened to the park and we understand how important it is to have the voice of the park heard. It is after all, the lungs of our small community.
There are many vested parties involved or affected by the development and we are liaising directly with all of them including:
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BCC Planning, Parks & Transport
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Knowle Councillors
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The Developers & Their Agents
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KNPG
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Redcatch Community Garden
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Knowle Park Football Club
KNPG
Knowle Neighbourhood Planning Group is made up of volunteers comprising experienced planning professionals and others with relevant experience with regard to building developments as well as individual residents passionate about the community of Knowle. KNPG's job is to analyse the plans and shine a light on all potential issues which may affect the community, area and possible future residents of the development. They do this for all developments in Knowle, not just RQ. We are very confident in the expertise of KNPG to do the diligence and call into question all necessary points on behalf of the community of Knowle. FORP are working closely with them but are concentrating only on the direct affect the development may have on the park itself and its users.
Once all the comments submitted on the planning portal were gathered and reviewed by the planning department, there was then a Planning Committee Meeting to discuss the report and recommendations submitted by the Case Officer Peter Westbury. The public were allowed to submit comments for consideration at this meeting. There were be public statements allowed at the meeting.
At this meeting the planning committee voted unanimously to deny the application. There was then another meeting scheduled to present the reasons for denial (as it was against the Planning Officer's recommendation)
At the subsequent meeting just a few weeks later there was another vote and the committee changed the decision due to four labour councillors reversing their decision to deny the pre application. It was therefore approved.
Since then things have come to a pause. There are various queries being raised about the legality of the u-turn decision to approve the pre-application for the development. The latest query has come from MP Karin Smith who has written to the Chief Executive to call on the council to 're-run' the controversial meeting which gave the green light, to help 'restore trust' in the council and planning process. Local activists Broadwalk Redevelopment Community Group have since launched a Crowdfunder to help pay for legal advice to launch a possible Judicial Review into the process. A JR cannot be launched until the final decision to approve the pre-application is ratified and as we understand, this is dependent on negotiations currently taking place with regard to S106 planning conditions.
We are now waiting for the next stage.
