Investment of £14.5 million to transform Filwood Broadway- how will the money be spent?
Earlier this year local people celebrated the news of a £14.5 million investment for Filwood Broadway to transform the neglected high street. The money from the government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) aims to help “restore people’s pride in the places which they live”.
The successful bid by Bristol City Council means Knowle West is one of 111 areas across the UK to benefit from a share of £2.1 billion in Round 2 of the fund – and the only one in Bristol.
The cash injection will help kickstart the regeneration of the street - and help fulfil the 2012 Filwood Broadway Framework to make it “the busy, fun and welcoming heart of Filwood”.
Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes at Bristol City Council said: “…The funding will help to bring new
homes to the area, invest in a community centre, create space for improvements to local library services, new business and commercial space, new sporting facilities, and deliver a greener and more attractive environment…”
Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022)
all the things that needed to be done on Filwood Broadway…”
Chief Executive of re:work, a social enterprise based on the Broadway, Vicky Beckwith, says:
He added that following years of “under investment in the area” the council was ensuring Filwood and many other communities across the city were “being prioritised for regeneration funding” to bring jobs, homes and community facilities to their area.”
For many local people and businesses – the investment can’t come a moment too soon.
Filwood Broadway Working Group (FBWG) has been working over the past few years on ideas to improve the high street.
Chair of FBWG and Treasurer of Community in Partnership Knowle West (CIPKW) which runs Filwood Community Centre, Tim Jones says: “We are really pleased that the council has been successful in their bid. The money will enable us to do
“At Re:work we are genuinely optimistic that the Levelling Up Fund could improve the facilities and opportunities on the Broadway. We would love to see it return to the vibrant street it once was.
“The funding is coming here because of the amount of support and effort the community has put into the regeneration planning…”
But how will the money be spent?
Continued on P2
1. Filwood Library and Learning Centre
The historic Filwood Cinema - which was being demolished at time of going to press - sits next to the former derelict garage site on the Broadway.
The council is bringing this site, together with land behind the high street, forward for a new development of 30 affordable homes – with work due to start in spring 2024.
2. reCREATE Filwood Public Realm
Community workshops have been held over the past year to come up with ideas for the Boardway.
To make it an “attractive and welcoming place to visit, shop and spend time”.
Working together FBWG and the council facilitated by Create Streets.
3. Filwood Active Communities Scheme –new Multi Use Games Area
The planned redevelopment of the old swimming pool site on the Broadway for 29 homes means the current Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) would be lost.
Following community pressure - a new MUGA is planned for Filwood
4. Filwood Cultural Hub
The iconic Filwood Community Centre facing the Broadway will become a new cultural hub drawing both local and wider audiences. Built in 1938 and managed by CIPKW, the venue hosts a range of events, community groups and creative activities. But its current capacity and condition means it is unable to meet local demand. Just over half the Levelling Up
5. Westside Development
The parade of properties from 4 -16 Filwood Broadway, which includes the re:work building, and The Matthew Tree Project needs refurbishment
The LUF investment will develop two ground floor units on the Broadway to include a new library/learning space and retail unit.
As yet, a decision has not been made as to what happens to the current library building, next to Christ the King Church, which is not included in the LUF.
LUF investment: £3,153,912. Council funding: £230,000.
End date for completion: March 2025.
Suggestions include a flexible community and events space, new seats, shelters and planting - as well as changing the road layout to make more pedestrian space, traffic calming measures, accessibility improvements, new signage and public art as well as greening of the area.
Anyone is welcome to join the
Playing Fields with funding also covering new floodlighting and improvements to facilities.
Consultation events held this February showed “strong local support” for the proposed new location.
Ideas for the MUGA design also include fitness equipment, an obstacle course and a sheltered seating area.
investment will go to revitalise the building - with plans to develop the centre into a “highly visible pillar of the community”.
This will include creating an additional floor, art gallery and music studio as well as a café, theatre and events space.
The centre’s Creative Director, Makala Cheung, has been gathering information about what local people want to see there over several years – and
- with two of the shopfronts permanently closed.
The council says this acts as “a barrier for investment” in the high street and the Levelling Up
group for future meetings.
Email FBWG at Filwood21@aol.com
LUF: £2,156,918. Council funding: £1,490,000 End date: March 2025.
Residents also wanted the new play spaces to be “welcoming for everyone”.
More events are planned later this year - including a workshop with young people around the detailed MUGA design. To get involved email: filwoodMUGA@bristol.gov.uk
LUF: £350,000. Bristol City Council: £300,000. End date: July 2024
this helped inform the bid.
She says: “It will mean we will have even more space for our own activities and even more facilities to help those ideas people have to come to life…
“South Bristol deserves a creative, cultural event space to create and perform as well as welcome touring shows and events we might not normally get to see and experience.”
LUF: £7,645,640.
End Date: March 2025.
Fund may be used to renovate the buildings, with plans for a mixeduse development.
LUF: £425,000. End date: March 2025.
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Not ANOTHER survey?! Yep, we do
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and as a thank you we have arranged a prize draw – you could win one of the following:
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If you are not online, then printed copies of the survey can be found at (and returned to): The Park, Filwood Community Centre, Re:work, The Healthy Living Centre and Knowle West Media Centre. Deadline for returns: 5pm June 6th 2023.
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Scan the QR code with your phone or go to the link to participate.(Continued from page 2)
6. Commercial Improvement Scheme
The bid proposes to invest in a commercial improvement scheme to revitalise the parade of shopfronts
Signage
New wayfinding signage is planned to direct more people to the high street - which will be decided in consultation with the community.
LUF: £380,000 End date: March 2025
High Street Recovery Funding Project
This will see improvements to Filwood Broadway Children's Play Park which will be moved across to the west side of the green and increase in size.
With a planned build in the autumn, the play area will cater for toddlers and older children up to 12 years. Pupils from School of Christ the King have been involved in the project and their ideas will inform the final design.
on the east side of Filwood Broadway - where businesses including re:store, the Sandwich Stop and Badham Pharmacy are located.
The hope is this will contribute to the attractiveness of the high
The funding is also supporting a calendar of seasonal cultural events until September run by Filwood Community Centre and Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC), including Knowle West Fest on August 5.
High Street Recovery Fund: Playpark
£96,416. End date: autumn 2023.
Cultural events £48,208.
Other costs
LUF Project Management: £275,000.
For more information and regular updates visit www. bristol.gov.uk and search for
street and increase local shops and employment – with the aim of making the Broadway a “retail, residential, cultural and activity destination”.
LUF: £150,000. End date: February 2025.
the Knowle West Regeneration Project.
The council, working with community members, currently updating the Filwood Broadway Framework.
The street also has its own resident-run website. Visit: www.filwoodbroadway.com
A more in-depth version of this article can be found at: www. knowlewest.co.uk
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Goodbye and thank you Sue
Sue Mackinnon has been editor of The Knowledge since 2015. After the December 2022 edition, Sue stepped back from her role as editor.
Carolyn Hassan Chief Executive Officer at Knowle West Media Centre paid tribute to Sue:
Sue joined KWMC, thirteen years ago, in January 2010, as an Environmental Media Worker. Sue had a strong background in community development and regeneration having produced the local newspaper for Community at Heart in Barton Hill and had over 20 years' experience working as a journalist for local and national media.
Sue brought this experience, plus her brilliant people skills, to her work on environmental and digital projects, notably Carbon Makeover, which aimed to enable Knowle West residents to take collective environmental action on energy and waste reduction, healthy living, food, travel, transport and getting more in touch with nature.
A key part of Sue’s role was to support local people to run their Community Campaignsdemonstrating Sue’s rapport with
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers
Did you know that a lot of copies of The Knowledge are delivered to your home by volunteers?
We have a lovely group of local people who were volunteering for our Covid Support Hub and have
people and her skill at telling a story.
Sue also worked on many other community projects, some about energy e.g. 3 Ehouses and TwinERGY - all about reducing energy use and bills and working with technology to support healthcare through the SPHERE project, always ensuring there were events for older residents to enjoy.
Sue went on to produce and edit this newsletter – The Knowledge. Under her guidance The Knowledge has worked closely with the community, helping train community reporters, empowering individuals and projects to express their views
been helping us to deliver your newsletter ever since, as well as a few more helpful residents who’ve joined us along the way –a big thank you to David P, Councillor Jackson, Yvonne, David S, Ian C, Emily, Hannah, Mike, Pete and Judy, Ian W, Lee Abbey, Tim and Jill, Fran, Claudia, Jas and Good Gym. There are also people who work in our local organisations who take time out of work to help –thank you…you know who you are! We couldn’t organise it all either without the help of Gail who’s always willing to store copies at her home for collection. We appreciate you all!
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Sue’s dedication to getting these stories out, and ensuring there is always a balance of views, will be very much missed. We wish Sue all success for the future.
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