Why this campaign matters

Thank you for sharing our passion for nature and protecting the environment.

Generations before it evolved into a world famous Zoo, Bristol Zoo Gardens was bequeathed to the City as a pleasure garden - a beautiful sanctuary to nourish and sustain every citizen.

Over many years, it came to house rare and nationally important tree and plant collections, sumptuous floral borders (where many Bristolian's ashes have been scattered) and beautiful natural areas where generations of children have safely played.

In 2022, after 186 years, Bristol Zoological Society (BZS) abruptly closed the Zoo.  It applied for planning permission to build 196 luxury flats on the Gardens - none of which will be affordable for most Bristolians. 

We have no argument with the decision to stop the caging of animals, but we absolutely have an argument with the Society's dogged attachment to destroying a precious urban oasis - in the face of 10,000 petitioners and nearly 1000 formal objections. 

BZS wants to focus on a new site outside Bristol and on conservation.  It says it needs the money.  However the reported possible sale value of the Gardens (£30m to £40m) is a fraction of the approaching £150m BZS needs for the new site.

BZS proposes:

• concreting over much of the Gardens to build blocks of flats up to 6 stories high - which even some of BZS's supporters describe as 'massive' and 'horrible' (see image below)
• cutting down almost half the historic trees, including many unique specimens and some National Champions
• introducing an estate road and vehicular traffic into the Gardens for the first time in its history
• destroying the historic herbaceous borders

Who is Bristol Gardens Alliance?

A Community Benefit Society (registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014) founded by three volunteers - Alastair, Bill and Carrie.

For the last 18 months we have campaigned against the development and worked constructively to try and persuade BZS and the Council to consider viable, and better, alternatives. 

We believe that together we can build an alternative vision for the Gardens which will meet the Zoo's commercial objectives AND preserve the precious biodiversity of this site - for nature and for all Bristolians.

Legal case

In April 2023, Bristol City Council recommended approval of the development.  Councillors were persuaded it should go ahead because they were advised:

• it would provide social/affordable housing
• a separate agreement (a Section 106) would be negotiated that would secure free public access to the Gardens
• the plans would deliver a 30% net gain in biodiversity

We opposed the development on grounds that:

• building luxury flats does nothing to solve Bristol's housing crisis - and it is quite possible the small amount of so-called social/affordable housing may never be built
• there is no money and no credible plan backing up the promise of free public access - and anyway after 5 years any developer can apply to have the condition of public access removed

In the legal case we argue that:

• Bristol planners allowed BZS to use old unworkable methodology in its application and to show a biodiversity net gain as a result.  Using the correct workings experts calculate the development would actually cause a 20% NET LOSS in biodiversity
• the planners inconsistently used an old version of carbon factors to demonstrate a reduction in carbon emissions from the development
• The Gardens are an Important Open Space in the Local Plan. Development on these protected spaces is generally not permitted.  We say the reasons the planners gave to justify development were wrong in law

In June 2024, the s106 was signed and planning permission was formally granted. This clears the way for us to challenge the planning permission by Judicial Review.

There is no guarantee that any application for a Judicial Review will be successful.  But if it is in this case, it could lead to the planning permission being quashed, forcing the Council to  retake its decision.

This would promote a meaningful dialogue with all parties and community groups to produce a plan for the Gardens which benefits everyone, not just developers.

 We need your help!

We have funded over £10,000 of first stage legal costs from early fundraising and our own pockets.

Our initial target is to raise a further £10,000.  Once reached, we will set a stretch target of £43,500 in total to pay for the full costs of our Judicial Review.  That will go towards what we pay the Council if we lose, court fees and our legal team's discounted fees.

PLEASE HELP by contributing whatever you can.

Hosts of Bristol children (and their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents) have precious memories of visiting the Zoo Gardens. For many, it was a rare chance to immerse themselves in the natural world.

Together we can preserve this oasis of nature for the planet and the future.

And everyone.

Thank you, very much.

Alastair, Bill and Carrie

Save Bristol Gardens Alliance Limited