Turbo Island One crime reported every other day on contested site

CRIMES on Turbo Island were reported to the police on average every other day last year, including arson and robbery.

- Alex SEABROOK

Bonfires are a common sight at the patch of Tarmac known as Turbo Island in Stokes Croft

Campaigners are trying to protect the crime hotspot in Stokes Croft as a "village green" and now Bristol City Council will hold a public inquiry into the idea.

A barrister will be hired to chair the two-day inquiry, which will explore whether the small patch of Tarmac on the corner of Stokes Croft and Jamaica Street should be protected from development. It's not yet known when the inquiry will take place nor how much the barrister will cost.

Councillors on the public rights of way and greens committee lamented that this would inevitably end up costing taxpayers "many thousands of pounds", when they approved the inquiry on Thursday. But their alternative options were also "reassuringly expensive".

Police figures show 21 crimes were reported on Turbo Island in August, the latest month available. Eight of those were violent and sexual offences. From September last year to this August, 185 crimes were reported on Turbo Island - an average of one crime every other day.

Turbo Island is often used by people drinking, chatting and starting bonfires.