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What liveable neighbourhoods are and why we want them, our first pilot area, the Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods handbook.

Liveable neighbourhoods are areas of a city that are improved to be people-centred and more ‘liveable'.

They're safe, healthy, inclusive, and attractive places where everyone can breathe clean air, have access to better quality green spaces and safe spaces to play, and feel a part of a community.

The improvements in a liveable neighbourhood aim to make it easier to catch a bus and to walk or cycle, with improved infrastructure and less through traffic.

Designing changes with the local community means they'll meet local needs, this is known as co-design.

The improvements can be small scale and easy to install, such as:

  • planting trees
  • providing more benches
  • community activity spaces
  • cross points
  • better lighting

East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood pilot project

The East Bristol project is the first liveable neighbourhood pilot in Bristol. 

It's looking at improvements, designed in partnership with local communities, to achieve a better balance between how local streets are used by vehicles and people.

The pilot area in is Barton Hill and parts of Redfield and St George, south of Church Road and north of the River Avon.

Works to install the pilot project are being undertaken between 28 October 2024 and 10 January 2025.

Find out about East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood, where it is, the project trial and bus gates and exemptions.

Find out more about the scheme on the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood website.

South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood

We're starting early work on our second liveable neighbourhood in Bristol.

The project will consider the BS3 area, including Southville, Windmill Hill and Bedminster.

Our aim is to work with the local community to design safer and quieter streets to:

  • encourage people to walk, cycle and wheel for shorter journeys
  • improve air quality
  • enhance the public realm and green spaces
  • improve access to local high streets

Stakeholder engagement will take place in early 2024 and engagement with the wider BS3 communities will takeplace later in 2024.

Find out more about the South Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood.

The Liveable Neighbourhoods handbook

The Liveable Neighbourhoods handbook is for:

  • the public
  • local councillors
  • stakeholder groups

The handbook gives an overview of the design and engagement principles of Liveable Neighbourhoods. It's a living document that will be updated to incorporate learnings from:

  • our pilot project in East Bristol
  • the second pilot as it comes forward
  • examples from across the country

In the handbook, we set out a clear and consistent description of Liveable Neighbourhoods. This can help local councillors and communities to have informed conversations about these projects, and whether they're appropriate for their local areas.

The handbook is not intended to be used by groups to develop proposals for a Liveable Neighbourhood in their area without council input. It provides clarity on the necessary conditions for successful projects, to help set expectations and lay the foundations for how projects can be progressed.

Read the pdf Liveable Neighbourhoods handbook (210 KB) .