News / gloucester road
Plans altered again for long-vacant building
Plans for a long-vacant building have been changed following feedback from the local community.
349 Gloucester Road between the Anchor and the Royal Oak has been empty for almost 20 years, with proposals for it to include up to 16 new flats.
Twelve of these new flats have been designed specifically as shared accommodation for young professionals, with a small retail unit now added on the ground floor.
Despite fierce opposition, Wetherspoons was granted permission to open a pub on the site in 2021 but later dropped their plans.
Amended proposals from Speare Developments after Bristol24/7 previously revealed their original plans in September 2025 include a reduction of the building height, and a mix of self-contained and shared homes.
349 Gloucester Road was most recently part of the reclamation business next door and before that a shop called Nooze n’ Booze – photo: Martin Booth
A Speare Developments spokesperson said: “The project remains a zero-parking scheme, and a further transport and parking survey will be carried out to ensure the proposals align with Bristol’s planning policy.
“The overall appearance of the building has also been revised to introduce more character and better reflect Gloucester Road.”
The spokesperson said that reducing the height of the building by up to three metres “lessens the visual impact of the development, particularly for properties to the east, and ensures it sits more comfortably within the surrounding streetscape”.
Speare Developments say they aim “to deliver a high-quality development that is in keeping with the character of the area while bringing a long-vacant site back into positive use”, with a planning application due to be submitted to Bristol City Council.
The company also own a long-derelict site in the heart of Clifton Village which could host a pop-up restaurant prior to its redevelopment.
Main image: Speare Developments
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