Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Labour’s Nicola Beech on whether developers or the public are getting the best deal out of our city

Why does it sometimes feel like developers are giving the council the runaround? Neil chats to councillor Nicola Beech about the crucial but complex world of city planning.

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs 30th March, 2023

Neil Maggs, Adam Cantwell-Corn and George Colwey

Nicola Beech has got a big portfolio at City Hall – strategic planning, resilience and floods, plus representing the St George Central ward.

So how does she juggle all that complexity with the pressures and controversies of political life? In this episode, Neil and Nicola dig into the question of what it means to try to lead a city – and why it sometimes seems like developers are giving the council the runaround.

Comments

Report a comment. Comments are moderated according to our Comment Policy.

Related content

Reports

Bristol City Council slapped with warning over poor performance on freedom of information requests

The local authority has been criticised for years over its failure to responding to FOI requests within 20-day timescales.

Alex Seabrook (Local Democracy Reporter)

Future of Cities

Image of a modern tram travelling along a narrow street in Bordeaux (credit: Per Karlsson / Alamy)

Trams, or an underground? As Bristol weighs its public transport options, can it learn from across the Channel?

Bristol is notorious for its congestion and poor public transport, and has been hit by a worsening bus crisis. As it looks to a new mass transit system to solve its problems, cities such as Rennes and Bordeaux can offer valuable lessons.

Steve Melia

Reports

How local ‘health hubs’ could encourage more women to get checked for breast cancer

Bristol breast cancer rates are 16% higher than the national average, and women from deprived areas are less likely to attend appointments. We asked women about the impact better community-based services could make.

Steph Cullen

Future of Cities

Bristol’s flood defences are being pushed to their limit. What is the city’s long-term plan, and will it be enough?

The council is searching for an extra £100 million to fund future flood defences to protect low-lying areas of the city. While residents call for greater action, the Cable looks across the North Sea to Rotterdam for inspiration.

Billy Stockwell

Reports

Bristol won’t bring in parking levy to fund transport as council forced to publish report

Mayor Marvin Rees has again hit out at sceptics of plans for a Bristol underground, and said smaller schemes won't do enough to give us the public transport we need.

Alex Seabrook (Local Democracy Reporter) and Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter)

Area in Focus

‘My anxiety levels are off the scale’: Tempers fray as student houses multiply on estate

As residents and students clash on High Kingsdown estate, Bristol City Council is being urged to enforce its own targets and lower the number of HMOs in the area.

Billy Stockwell

Cable

Community

Sections

Membership

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Labour’s Nicola Beech on whether developers or the public are getting the best deal out of our city

We’re facing an uncertain future. Your support will help us keep going

Comments

Post a comment Cancel reply

Related content

Bristol City Council slapped with warning over poor performance on freedom of information requests

Trams, or an underground? As Bristol weighs its public transport options, can it learn from across the Channel?

How local ‘health hubs’ could encourage more women to get checked for breast cancer

Bristol’s flood defences are being pushed to their limit. What is the city’s long-term plan, and will it be enough?

Bristol won’t bring in parking levy to fund transport as council forced to publish report

‘My anxiety levels are off the scale’: Tempers fray as student houses multiply on estate

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Labour’s Nicola Beech on whether developers or the public are getting the best deal out of our city

We’re facing an uncertain future. Your support will help us keep going

Comments

Post a comment Cancel reply

Related content

Bristol City Council slapped with warning over poor performance on freedom of information requests

Trams, or an underground? As Bristol weighs its public transport options, can it learn from across the Channel?

How local ‘health hubs’ could encourage more women to get checked for breast cancer

Bristol’s flood defences are being pushed to their limit. What is the city’s long-term plan, and will it be enough?

Bristol won’t bring in parking levy to fund transport as council forced to publish report

‘My anxiety levels are off the scale’: Tempers fray as student houses multiply on estate

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter