Downs Clearance Delayed By Gay Men

Clearance work on dense undergrowth in the Downs area of Bristol has been delayed - by campaiging homosexual men who want to continue to use the area for sexual encounters.

Campaigners claim that gay and bisexual men in Bristol are in fact being "discriminated against" because of plans to remove the dense undergrowth - which they use for sex.

Bristol City Council employee's Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Group, also known as the Rainbow Group, has hit out at the proposals to clear the area next to Circular Road.

It is understood the clearing scheme has been agreed as part of the management plan for the Downs.

A report from a Bristol Council meeting said: "As part of the consultation, concerns were expressed by the Council's Lesbian and Bisexual Group (and a small number of consultants) that this action was potentially discriminating".

Head of Parks, Peter Wilkinson said the council has "strong equality polices to protect the interests of all groups, irrespective of their sexuality".

"We are working with the Terrance Higgins Trust to make sure any work we do is sensitive," he said.

The Bristol City Council Equalities Policy states that it will "take positive action to reassure lesbian, gay and bisexual people who use our services that they do not have to deny their relationships or sexuality to receive equal access to a service".

The Terrence Higgins Trust, which has an office in Bristol, is well aware of the issue as it already sends teams of workers to the area to hand out safe-sex advice.

However, former Lord Mayor, Tory Councillor for Stoke Bishop, and Down Committee Member Peter Abraham dismissed the claims.

Mr Mayor said "how can it be discriminatory to clear land that might stop what is illegal practise?"

"We need to manage the Downs properly. For a long time we have been told that the scrub land needs to be opened up," he said.

The report said that "the removal of scrub" was "in fact driven by policy imperatives to open up this part of the Downs and Gorge landscape, which has become overgrown over the past two decades".

The Rainbow Group has not released a comment and have said that the views expressed in the report were not from them.

Last October, a row broke out after it was revealed that four fire-fighters were disciplined for allegedly disturbing a gay sex session on the Downs, when they shone their torches into the undergrowth.

Although having sex in a public place could be deemed a criminal offence, police say they are unlikely to investigate unless a formal complaint is made.

A further meeting of the Bristol Downs Committee will be held later.

The Downs consists of Clifton Down and Durdham Down - two large, historic, adjacent grassed green spaces of about 400 acres.

The Downs were awarded a Green Flag Award in 2007.

(DS)