Bristol Zoo Fallout

Bristol Zoo was, for many years, in a prime location in that city. It recently moved 'out-of-town' to a site in semi-rural Gloucestershire. There's no doubt that the now Bristol Zoo Project has much more space. Space is often at a premium in zoos. The zoo animals will also be less exposed to traffic noise and atmospheric pollution (vehicle fumes damage animal health). Some people are, however, very unhappy that Bristol councillors have approved a plan to build almost 200 homes on the zoo's original city site (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/apr/26/anger-in-bristol-as-councillors-approve-plan-for-homes-on-site-of-zoo). Bristol aspires to be 'greener' but it does have, like many other UK locations, a housing crisis. Some of the planned homes are said to be 'affordable' (whatever that means). The councillors admit the development will lead to some tree and habitat loss. Bat roosts, in that area, will also disappear. Protected buildings will, however, remain. Such 'balancing acts' involve difficult calculations. Freeing the site did provide an opportunity for developing a new 'green space' for Bristol. New homes, however, have to be built somewhere. It was never likely that this prime site would escape the attentions of developers. It's also predictable that people, living in that area, would like things to stay broadly as they were. Someone's going to be unhappy.