Why St Philip's Marsh needs one big park, not lots of little ones
St Philip's Marsh is about to become one of the biggest new neighbourhoods in Bristol — over 7,000 new homes, and somewhere around 14,000–15,000 new residents, all on the last big patch of brownfield land left in the city centre.
That's exactly why we've just sent in our response to the masterplan consultation, backing Bristol Parks Forum's call for one proper, big new park at the heart of the site. Not a handful of small green patches that look nice on a plan but can't actually cope with a neighbourhood this size.
Our response draws on our strategy, the Bristol Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2024–2039, and From proximity to inclusion, a policy brief we helped put together this month with the University of Bristol and Bath's Institute for Policy Research. We spoke to 53 people from over ten of Bristol's most deprived wards for that research, including several right next door to St Philip's Marsh.
What we like about the plan so far
To give credit where it's due, there's a lot here to welcome. 'Quality Open Spaces' is one of five Place Principles in the plan. There's a new Chapel Park, a new Fruit Market Park, an enhanced Sparke Evans Park, a promise that everyone will be within a five-minute walk of open space, and a target of 25% tree canopy cover.
What worries us is what happens next. Good intentions at the masterplan stage have a habit of getting watered down once delivery actually starts and we see one huge missed opportunity...
Our main ask: one big park, properly sized
Being near a park isn't the same as being able to use it
The masterplan mostly measures success by walking distance: everyone within five minutes of green space. But our research shows why that's not enough on its own — a quarter of the people we spoke to in deprived Bristol wards said they never use a park at all, even though they live close to one, because it doesn't feel safe, isn't looked after, or wasn't designed with them in mind.
So we're asking for St Philip's Marsh's parks to be judged against three things, not just one:
- Whether the park exists and is nearby
- Whether it feels safe and cared for day to day — lighting, clear sightlines, clean toilets, paths people can actually use, regular upkeep
- Whether it actually works for people and communities — space for groups to gather, somewhere for teenage girls and older kids, activities that reflect who lives there, and quiet space too
What else we're asking for
Our full response also calls for:
- The maths behind the open space target to be published, worked out against everyone who'll live nearby. That's new and existing residents, not just the new arrivals.
- Open Space to be bumped up from 'Important' to 'Essential' in the Infrastructure Schedule, so it actually gets proper weight in funding decisions
- Investment to go where it's needed most, in line with the city's own Parks and Green Spaces Strategy
- Money set aside for maintenance, not just for building — because a park that's built but never looked after ends up unloved within a few years, and that breaks trust too
- A proper, funded Community Green Space Partnership, so local groups get a stable role in looking after the new parks long-term
- Green space delivered early on, not left until after all the housing's gone up
Have your say — the consultation's open right now
This is the last big bit of open land left in central Bristol, and pretty much our last real chance to get this right. The council's consultation on the final draft masterplan is open until 28 July 2026.
Tell them Bristol needs one big, proper park here — not a scatter of small green bits — and that this chance shouldn't be missed. You can also read Bristol Parks Forum's case for a Big Park for more background.
Got questions, or want to read our full response? Drop us a line at community@yourpark.org.uk.
