Latest - Zoo Judicial Review announced -
Dec 5, 2025
It has just been announced that the Judicial Review challenge of the Planning permission given to Bristol Zoo to re-develop the Clifton site has failed. Save Bristol Zoo Gardens Alliance has acknowledged that the Judge's decision is disappointing but promise that it will 'not by any means [be] the end of the opposition to this dreadful plan. Thursday's Judicial Review decision turned on the lawfulness of the advice planners gave to Bristol's Planning Committee ahead of its decision to grant Planning permission. It was not a hearing on the merits of the proposed development....The proposal to destroy the former Clifton Zoo site with truly ugly high rise flats, car parking and a service road continues to be almost universally opposed. The proposed destruction of heritage trees, gardens and biodiversity would simply not be allowed if the Planning Application was being made today, as the rules on biodiversity net gain and emitted carbon have tightened since the Application was first made. In spite of the Society's spin to the contrary, it is entirely probable that the assurances of free public access to what remains post-development will end after a matter of a few years, and Bristol will be left with a gated private development. This would be a tragic end to 200 years of beauty, heritage and history, and is why our opposition will continue'.
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