Latest news with #JustinMorris
BBC News
05-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bristol Zoo to house RHS Chelsea Flower show rainforest garden
A rainforest garden due to be displayed at RHS Chelsea Flower Show later this month is going to be housed at the Bristol Zoo Project. The Wildlife Trusts' British Rainforest Garden is going to be used as an educational space within the zoo after it has been shown at is due to open in October and feature boulders and fern-lined trails, with a canopy of native trees created from hazels, field maples and silver birch from the show designer Zoe Claymore said: "The chance to educate the next generation of conservationist and gardeners is truly a huge honour." The garden can be seen at site number 340 throughout Chelsea week from Tuesday 20 May to Saturday 24 will then be recreated and reimagined in Bristol to inspire a link back to historic rainforests and teach younger garden will feature boulders, lush undergrowth, lichen-encrusted trusts, honeysuckle and ivy to bring the rainforest environment to life. Justin Morris, chief executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: "We are extremely excited about the arrival of the British Rainforest Garden later this year. "It will fit perfectly into our Sanctuary Garden. "This area will form the beginning of a new gardens biome at Bristol Zoo Project."He added visitors would be encouraged to pause and reflect on the value of gardens and how they could take action to protect Brown, director of climate change and evidence at The Wildlife Trust, said: "How magical to rehome this little rainforest garden in a place already loved by generations of families."The garden has been designed to be low carbon, with no concrete, clay, peat compost or virgin wood used in the design and all the plants are from UK nurseries using peat-free British Rainforest Garden was funded by grant-making charity Project Giving Back and supported by Aviva.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Campaigners hope to stop ex-zoo plan for 196 homes
Campaigners are to hold a meeting in the hope of saving the former Bristol Zoo site from being redeveloped into 196 new homes with public access to the gardens for free. The homes were set to be built at the former Bristol Zoo Gardens site, but an application for a judicial review of Bristol City Council's decision to approve the scheme has been submitted. The campaigners, from Save Bristol Gardens Alliance, said they were not satisfied public access to the gardens would be permanently guaranteed. Justin Morris, CEO of Bristol Zoological Society, said they had consulted extensively with the public and it was "categorically not the case" that free public access to the gardens was not protected. The planning proposal includes 196 new homes, of which 20% would be affordable, a new public park that would see the gardens accessible for free, a new cafe, playground and conservation hub. "They've got no mechanism for making sure it does happen," said Alastair Sawday, member of the Save Bristol Gardens Alliance. "So if you put in place permanent public access, in perpetuity, you have to have the means to support it and they haven't. "They can't do that. So the chances are, the developer will come along and find life's getting rather expensive, and bit by bit, they'll erode it." In 2022, Bristol Zoo moved to its new home in north Bristol. The Bristol Zoological Society said the proceeds of its sale would go towards the new site's expansion. Mr Morris said the decision to close and sell the site had been made in 2020. "It's categorically not the case that public access to the gardens, which will be free to access for the first time in their history, is not protected," he said. "It is protected and for any development of the site to take place, the gardens will need to be publicly accessible. " Save Bristol Gardens Alliance was given permission by the High Court last October to challenge the plans and they expect a hearing in May. The campaign group said they were also concerned about the removal of heritage trees. About 80 of 218 trees on the site would be removed. Of those being removed, 44 would be replanted and 470 new trees would be planted. "Bristol Zoo Garden's site has been important to Bristol for nearly 200 years," said Carrie Sage, founder and director of the Save Bristol Gardens Alliance. "It's the wrong development in the wrong place and that's why we keep pushing to overturn the planning permission." "And, if we are successful [at the judicial review], that will overturn the planning permission and force a complete rethink for this site." She added: "And one which we will really welcome, because there is a much better solution for Bristol here." A public meeting will be held at Christ Church in Clifton on Wednesday from 19:00 to 21:00 GMT. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Homes plan for former Bristol Zoo site on hold Homes will be built on former Bristol Zoo site Homes plan at former zoo site backed by government Bristol Zoo Project
