As the festive season starts to get underway and 2017 draws to a close, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Lots has been happening in Temple Quarter over the last 12 months: new developments, new businesses and lots of construction work.
2017 saw the University of Bristol continue to develop their plans for a new campus on the Old Sorting Office site on Cattle Market Road, with an outline planning application being submitted in November. The same month also saw planning permission being granted for Engine Shed 2 and Redcliffe Wharf.
A new building contractor, Buckingham, was appointed to establish a target cost for the Bristol Arena and to work towards a construction agreement. In parallel to this, a value for money review was commissioned to ensure that the project represents good value to the city. These work streams will report to the mayor and the results will be considered by Cabinet early next year.
Boxworks, which provides office space for 20 businesses in repurposed shipping containers, had its planning permission extended and will remain in situ by Engine Shed until 2020. Housing and leisure uses in the area are also starting to take shape, with a 255 unit build to rent scheme near Avon Street getting planning permission and a planning application being submitted for a 200 bed hotel on the Glassfields site, which already has outline consent for offices, homes and retail.
Unit DX, the city’s first start-up laboratory space, has opened its doors and welcomed its first tenants. NatWest have opened a new digital centre at Trinity Quay and Oracle has chosen to base the UK branch of its Startup Cloud Accelerator programme at Engine Shed.
Work has begun on 3 Glass Wharf, which will provide office accommodation for HMRC when complete. Work is also well underway on phase III of Paintworks, and the first tenants (both business and residential) have already moved in. Phase IV, which has already secured planning approval, is due to begin next year. Two other major mixed-use schemes are also in the process of being built: Finzel’s Reach and Redcliffe Quarter.
Several infrastructure projects are now under construction. The Temple Gate project started work in June, and will see the Temple Circus gyratory remodelled. St Philips Footbridge is being built, and Network Rail has completed platform extension work at Temple Meads station in preparation for the introduction of new class 800 Hitachi trains.
Temple Quarter’s development looks to continue building steam in the new year, with the demolition of the Old Sorting Office, construction of the Harbour Walkway and a new Oasis school on the cards. Watch this space for more information about all our key projects and those of our partners.
Between 22 December and 2 January, our communications channels will be a bit quieter than usual. During this time, please bear with us and contact Bristol City Council directly if you have an urgent enquiry.
