Travelling circus company Yard Arts hope to make Kingswood site its permanent home

A performing arts and circus company look set to make a piece of land in Kingswood their permanent home.

Creative Youth Network has lodged a planning application with South Gloucestershire Council for the permanent change of use of land at East Lawn, off Britannia Road, for the stationing of caravans and mobile homes.

It is part of the group’s plan to make the small piece of land a permanent home for Yard Arts, which has been using the site on a temporary basis since moving from St Pauls in Bristol due to redevelopment in 2017.

In a supporting document, Creative Youth Network, which own the land, said the organisation was now well established at the site and it now ‘wished them to stay’.

The circus group uses the land - once a hive for vandalism and theft - for accommodation while a marquee offers training for performances. Over the pandemic, with shows not taking place, the members have spent more time at the site.

The supporting document continued: “The site has been well maintained and improved during this period and has been trouble free.”

It concluded: “The current temporary use of the site is successful and should be allowed to continue with the landlord (Creative Youth Network) continuing to manage and improve the site.”

Creative Youth Network own 26 acres of land around the site, offering mostly community youth work. Organisations such as Kingswood Gym and Trampoline Club and Kingswood Commnity Transport benefit.

Two years ago, when a planning application was approved for the temporary use of East Lawn for the Yard Arts group, letters of support were sent to South Gloucestershire Council from members of the public.

Simon Philimore said: “Their presence is a reassurance to us and we couldn’t ask for better neighbours.”

The planning application can be viewed at https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/search-planning-applications with reference number P22/02442/F