The scale of the ambition and opportunity at Temple Quarter was celebrated this week at a panel event at UKREiiF.
Speaking to a crowded Western Gateway pavilion, panellists from the Temple Quarter programme applauded the power of working in partnership as they aim to regenerate 130 hectares of brownfield land in central Bristol into a place people want to live, work and spend time.
The Temple Quarter partnership, made up of Bristol City Council, Homes England, Network Rail and the West of England Combined Authority, aims to deliver 10,000 new homes, thousands of new jobs, and new, inclusive public spaces, alongside a transformed Bristol Temple Meads station, over the coming years.
Speaking at the event, Stephen Peacock, Chief Executive at Bristol City Council, said that he hoped in 20 years Temple Quarter would be a place that people wanted to live and spend time, and be a place that worked for local people that felt distinctly “Bristol”.
Marianne Brook, Temple Quarter Director at Homes England, echoed this, urging the partnership to make Temple Quarter a place that reflects Bristol’s history, passions, and people.
The UKREiiF panel was an opportunity to showcase the growing momentum behind the project. In June 2022, Government awarded the programme £95m to deliver three new station entrances and enable new development around Bristol Temple Meads station.
Kirsten Durie, Industry Programme Manager for Network Rail, said that her aspiration was for Temple Meads to be turned into a “jewel in the crown” of the West of England’s railway infrastructure, while supporting the delivery of the new homes and jobs that Bristol and the region need.
Panellists stressed the importance of community involvement and inclusive development principles, to ensure that Temple Quarter delivers value for existing and future communities in the area.
In May, Bristol City Council’s Cabinet endorsed the Temple Quarter Development Framework following extensive public consultation. The framework sets the vision for change in the area. 87% of respondents to the consultation agreed or strongly agreed with the five principles that will guide change in the area.
Speaking to an audience of public and private sector figures, Richard Ennis, Chief Executive of the West of England Combined Authority, emphasised the support for the project across the political spectrum as a major opportunity to help to tackle the housing affordability crisis, boost skills and opportunities, and decrease inequality in the West of England region.
The need for private sector support and expertise to capitalise on the opportunity to bring investment to the area was also highlighted, with panellists encouraging private companies to work with the public sector to continue to drive Temple Quarter forward.
The partnership is soon to begin the search for private sector partners to help bring this vision to life. Later this year, a procurement process will begin for a masterplanner to develop a detailed plan for St Philip’s Marsh that can deliver a genuinely mixed-use new community at the heart of Bristol.
Key to the regeneration of Temple Quarter is the University of Bristol’s new Enterprise Campus. Set to open in September 2026, the £500m investment will bring thousands of new jobs and more inclusive routes to education to Bristol, stimulating wider investment at Temple Quarter and fostering innovative knowledge-led employment.
UKREiiF, the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum brings together the public sector with Government, investors, developers, and housebuilders to accelerate and unlock sustainable investment in the UK.
