Developer Watkin Jones is considering an area of brownfield land, near Bristol Temple Meads station, for a 374-bed PBSA scheme. The approx 0.3087 ha brownfield site is a former ATS tyre centre and is within a short walk of the new £300m University of Bristol Temple Quarter enterprise campus.
The site is bounded by Avon Street and to the west by the floating harbour and is located within the Bristol Central Area and the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone – an area allocated for mixed-use regeneration.
AWW and Watkins Jones have set out its proposals for the vacant site at 68-72 Avon Street, which would also include a commercial or community space, courtyard gardens and a gym.
Watkin Jones is proposing to demolish the existing building and replace it with a new PBSA development, which will vary in height from six to 11 storeys. Student units include a mix of six and eight bedroom clusters and studios.
The plans also include private gardens for residents, student social and workspaces, a new courtyard, and improvement works to Avon Street itself.
The scheme is seeking to reduce carbon by connecting to Bristol’s District Heat Network, which will bring a low carbon hot water supply into the building for heating. The development will also generate on-site renewable electricity by roof-mounted photovoltaic panels.
Watkin Jones has appointed a project team to develop the design for the scheme and includes heritage architects Stephen Levrant, Jubb, Pegasus Group and BD Landscape Architects.
“The development site was historically used as a Vitriol Works – creating brightly coloured chemicals. We were inspired to reflect the historic use of the site through the design of the building – proposing the use of coloured glazed bricks.
“The area is already changing dramatically, with construction of the new University of Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus well underway, and nearby developments in support of the new facility also being built, or considered for planning consent.”
Consultation document
Part of a thriving ecosystem for learning, innovation and social value, the regeneration of Temple Quarter will create 22,000 new jobs and 10,000 new homes.
With a refurbished Bristol Temple Meads station at its heart, the area will become a world-class gateway to Bristol and the West of England.
Local residents and businesses are being invited to provide feedback on the plans, with the consultation open until 21 October 2024.
Feedback will inform the work of the project team to create detailed proposals, with Watkin Jones aiming to submit its planning application to Bristol City Council in Autumn/Winter this year.
