Filwood Broadway high street renewal project seeks levelling up funds

The high street plans include demolishing the former cinema which has been boarded up for about 30 years

Levelling up funds have been applied for to redevelop a rundown shopping street that has been awaiting redevelopment for more than a decade.

Filwood Broadway in Knowle West is within the 1.5% most deprived areas in England, Bristol's mayor said.

If successful it could receive £12m of government levelling up funding and the city council will contribute £1.2m.

Residents and councillors said they feared high street renewal plans submitted in 2012 were now out of date.

Mayor Marvin Rees said the levelling up funding could help Filwood Broadway high street "flourish".

"The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits is 60% higher in Filwood than in Bristol on average, with only 66.7% of local residents satisfied with their local area," he added.

The plans include knocking down a former cinema and building housing, community and commercial space, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

'Vital opportunities'

Given the long delay between the plans being submitted in 2012, residents are asking for new plans and fresh consultations.

Michelle Tedder, of the Filwood Broadway working group said they were "disappointed" at the lack of support for a new plan and asked the council to work together to avoid missing "vital opportunities".

Labour Councillor Zoe Goodman, representing Filwood, said: "We've been very disappointed in the responses of some council officers, particularly on pre-planning consultations.

"They have at times been extremely dismissive of our responses, telling us it's too late to make changes.

"What is the point of these consultations, other than to tick a box", she added.

Ms Goodman said it was important for residents to get the centre they deserved, instead off a "rushed, piecemeal development".

Councillor Tom Renhard, cabinet member for housing, said he understood local concerns and promised to visit the area "to go over their concerns".

If the government bid is unsuccessful it will leave the project facing further delays.