Bristol Zoo car park licence granted 'in secret'

A "secret deal" was struck to let a zoo continue using a public common as an overflow car park, campaigners say.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Bristol Zoo was granted a licence in private to allow it to use land on The Downs until 2039.

Campaigners said parking up to 700 cars there hampered the enjoyment of the space, and were "shocked" they were not told a new licence had been granted.

The zoo said it was not a public body so did not have to publish the details.

The Downs Committee, which manages the site, has been approached for comment.

The licence allows the zoo to use land at Ladies Mile for customer parking for up to 28 days a year, including public and bank holidays, for the next 20 years.

A Freedom of Information request, submitted to Bristol City Council by the campaign group Downs for People, revealed it had been renewed for 20 years on 1 January "in private" by the Downs Committee.

The committee is made up of Bristol councillors and members of the Society of Merchant Venturers, and its decision was not made public in official minutes on the council's website.

Susan Carter from Downs for People said: "This is a shocking decision, both in substance and in how it has been taken."

The zoo has been using the land for overflow visitor car parking since the 1960s.

The arrangement was expected to come to an end in December 2019 after council permission expired, and zoo bosses promised in 2017 not to seek further planning consent.

Ms Carter said: "Using The Downs for a 700-space car park on the best days of the year seriously interferes with people's enjoyment.

"Until 2013 the Downs Committee debated the issue of licences for zoo parking publicly. No licence was for longer than five years. 

"But now a decision to allow parking for another 20 years has been made entirely in private."

A city council spokesperson said the decision was taken by the Downs Committee, which "sits outside" of the council.

Dr Justin Morris, CEO of Bristol Zoological Society, confirmed the zoo had been given a new licence to use The Downs for parking.

"Under this renewed licence, we are also permitted to park cars on a small area of the Downs, off Ladies Mile, for controlled overflow parking on our busiest days, for up to 28 days per year. We have not applied to extend our permitted use of this area for more than the minimum time granted," he said.

"The area is less than half of 1% of the Downs and we take our use of this area very seriously.

"We use this area only when necessary and do so as a responsible approach to dealing with high visitor numbers.

"We are committed to encouraging guests to use sustainable transport whenever possible.

"Bristol Zoological Society is not a public body and as such is not required to publish the details of this or any other agreement."