News / Temple Quarter
Raft of updates on Temple Quarter regeneration project
New details have been revealed about the latest progress on “one of Europe’s most ambitious regeneration projects”, the 135-hectare Temple Quarter regeneration scheme.
The project’s board has chosen Muse Places Ltd, a developer, to bring forward development seats west of Temple Meads train station, and expand the proposals to the east of the station. It says the company has a “proven track record of delivery”, including in Bournemouth, Plymouth and London, and closer to home in Wapping Wharf too.
Muse is intending to apply for planning permission for proposals west of Temple Meads early next year. In the meantime, some of the sites planned for development have stalled for years, such as Redcliffe Wharf. This plot of land has been left empty while developers have struggled to build there, partly due to Victorian water pipes running underground.
More details on the latest progress with Redcliffe Wharf are expected in a couple of weeks, ahead of the next meeting of the council’s harbour committee. This will include the current status and next steps for the site.
St Philip’s Marsh is the island east of Temple Meads, home to Avonmeads shopping centre, the Prospect music venue, Wake the Tiger and car showrooms. As part of Temple Quarter, this area will completely change, with the potential for more than 7,000 new homes to be built, as well as space for thousands of jobs.
Masterplanning consultants Prior + Partners have been working on new planning guidance and an infrastructure delivery plan for St Philip’s Marsh. Early ideas for the area were revealed last year, including a new canal-side high street running along the Feeder Canal. The masterplan framework is due to be approved by councillors in September, later this year.
Redcliffe Wharf is one of the areas that will see redevelopment
Construction work on the new Southern Gateway to Temple Meads is due to begin this July. Last December plans were approved to create a new southern entrance to the train station, as well as a large multi-storey car park, and multi-storey bike storage building too.
Kier has been selected as the main contractor to deliver the works. Talks are ongoing between Temple Quarter and the council’s highways department about creating a new bus stop on the Bath Road outside the Fowlers motorbike shop, and closing a lane on the Bath Bridges roundabout to enable a wider and safer bike lane to access the planned bike storage building.
West of the station, consultants working for Temple Quarter are trying to buy various plots of land. They have agreed to buy the former petrol station and the Sidings pub, and are still in talks with other landowners, including the owner of the derelict Grosvenor Hotel. Some landowners could be forced to sell up, and preparations are underway for compulsory purchase orders.
An update on the latest on the scheme will be given to councillors on Bristol City Council’s economy and skills policy committee on June 1.
A committee report said: “Bristol Temple Quarter is one of Europe’s most ambitious regeneration projects. It aims to deliver at least 10,000 new homes, space for thousands of jobs, and new and improved sustainable infrastructure and public spaces.”
All photos: Molly Pipe
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