News / Cotham
Former care home could be turned into – yes, you guessed it – student accommodation
A former care home and convent that was founded by Catholic nuns looks likely to be transformed into “much-needed” student accommodation.
St Joseph’s care home on Cotham Hill, which closed in 2025, was run by the Little Sisters of the Poor whose work began in Bristol in the 1860s.
The home was built in 1869 and contains a chapel which under newly released plans will be “sensitively reconfigured” to provide amenity space for residents.
St Joseph’s occupies a 1,9-acre site off Cotham Hill but is mostly hidden from view behind high walls – photo: Martin Booth
The 1.9-acre St Joseph’s site was previously for sale at £5.2m.
Taunton-based Harringay Real Estate now hope to convert the existing buildings into student accommodation, which they say “is the most sympathetic and appropriate use given its sustainable location a short walk from the University of Bristol”.
The development would have 131 student studio rooms, communal facilities and a landscaped communal garden for residents.
In the FAQs on the website for the development, it says there is “an acute shortage” of student accommodation in Bristol, “particularly around the University of Bristol’s Clifton campus”.
“A shortfall in purpose-built student accommodation in the city means that many students live in flats and houses that might normally be occupied by families or young professionals starting out in their careers, which in turn places pressure on housing options and affordability in the city.
“With the care functions at St Joseph’s winding down, an opportunity now exists to sensitively repurpose the historic building, providing much-needed student accommodation.”
Little Sisters of the Poor served the elderly of Bristol from 1862 until 2025 – photo: Haringay Real Estate
In a letter to local residents, Green Party councillor for Clifton Down, Serena Ralston, said: “We have a number of initial queries and thoughts about the St Joseph’s proposal at this stage, including access, numbers of bed spaces proposed and the development’s impact on the local area including the primary school, homes and businesses.
“Students don’t pay council tax and nor is purpose built student accommodation development required to provide affordable housing, unlike open market housing.”
“No significant change” is proposed to the current layout of the site which stretches from Cotham Hill to behind St Peter & St Paul’s Primary School – click to enlarge
In an email to Bristol24/7, a Cotham resident said: “There is a misconception amongst the students that this is a ‘student area’ and this will only reinforce this idea.
“This view is highly damaging to our residential community in a multitude of ways.
“Housing, yes; more student accommodation, absolutely not…
“Contrary to the developer’s claims, an increase in purpose-built student accommodation does not free up student houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) for residential use.
“In Cotham, HMO numbers are not going down as they are far too lucrative for landlords.
“Of course this proposed development will only be occupied for seven or eight months of the year and then empty.
“What a waste of what could provide good housing for people wishing to live here rather than a transient population.”
Main photo: Haringay Real Estate
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