Councillors have approved a major housing blueprint for Bristol with plans for nearly 35,000 new homes by 2040.
The draft Local Plan will go out to public consultation this month with a range of policies to guide how and where property developers build new housing in the city.
New housing developments will be mostly on brownfield urban sites, rather than countryside areas. Lockleaze is the largest site allocation in the north, with about 1,200 more homes planned. Specific sites across the city have been allocated for smaller developments, which the authority hopes will result in builders submitting planning applications and securing the land. Some are vacant but others are in use by businesses.
Councillors sought to find a balance between finding enough land to build enough homes that Bristol needs, while also protecting the local environment.
A cross-party working group took four years to draft the plan, which was voted on during a full council meeting on October 31. After a six-week public consultation, the plan will be sent to government planning inspectors to check its evidence.
During the council meeting, Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said: “We got 42 square miles, we’re not getting any more land, we’re 472,000 people and one of the fastest growing cities outside London. Our population is predicted to be 550,000 by 2050. There are over 20,000 households on our waiting list and 1,300 households in temporary accommodation.
“This Local Plan offers us a blueprint for the city’s future. It will be used to guide decisions on planning applications. At the heart of the plan is the drive to deliver 34,650 new homes by 2040. It’s been an incredibly challenging piece of work.”
By Adam Postans, LDRS
Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston
Location: land to the west and south-west of Deering Close, Lawrence Weston
site description: the land is currently undeveloped.
Site area: one hectare
Proposed allocation: housing.
Estimated capacity of 20 homes.
Location: land off Ermine Way, Shirehampton
Site description: the land is currently undeveloped.
Site area: 0.2 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing.
Estimated capacity of 10 homes.
Bishopston and Ashley Down
Location: land at Gloucester Road / Merton Road, Horfield
Site description: the site is currently a mix of leisure uses and workspace.
site area: 1.2 hectares
Proposed allocation: comprehensive development for residential-led mixed uses, which incorporates flexible workspace and community uses, if no longer required in its current use.
Estimated capacity of 100 homes. this is likely to be a maximum as it is proposed to provide a mix of uses.
Clifton
Location: 2-16 Clifton Down Road, Clifton
Site description: the site is a cleared, previously vacant retail parade.
Site area: 0.1 hectares
Proposed allocation: mixed use with active ground flood uses including retail, and offices and / or residential uses on upper floors.
Estimated capacity of 10 homes.
Clifton Down
location: land west of Hampton Lane, Site description: the land is currently characterised as an underused backland, with parking/yards, garages and other small outbuildings.
Site area: 0.3 hectares
proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of up to 10 homes.
location: land at Whiteladies Gate, Cotham
Site description: land is currently in use as a builders’ merchant yard.
site area: 0.2 hectares
proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
Location: land adjacent to alma vale road and alma court, clifton
Site description: land is currently in use for car parking.
Site area: 0.1 hectares
proposed allocation: housing, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
location: Barley House, Oakfield Grove, Clifton
Site description: land is currently in use as offices.
Site area: 0.1 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace.
estimated capacity of 20 homes, subject to the suitability of converting the listed building.
Cotham
Location: Land at Gibson Road, Cotham
site description: land is currently in use as garages and former outbuildings.
site area: 0.6 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
Location: land at Sydenham Lane, Cotham
Site description: land is currently in use as garages and former outbuildings.
Site area: 0.3 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
Henbury & Brentry
Location: 14 Wyke Beck Road, Brentry
Site description: the site is currently used for commercial purposes including a garage and car hire.
Site area: 0.3 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 15 homes.
Horfield
Location: 3 Kelston Road, Horfield
Site description: the site is currently in use as a builders merchant.
Site area: 0.5 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 25 homes.
Location: 272-276 and 290-298 Southmead road
Site description: the site is currently in use as a car and van hire company and vehicular sales.
Site area: 0.1 hectares
proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
Location: bt depot, Filton Road, Horfield
site description: the site is currently used as a service depot.
Site area: 1.9 hectares
proposed allocation: housing.
Estimated capacity of 60 homes.
Lockleaze
Location: Bridge farm, land at South Hayes, Eastville
Site description: the site is mainly undeveloped land with a vacant complex of former farm buildings.
Site area: 1.7 hectares
Proposed allocation: self-build, custom house building or community-led housing, with open space.
Estimated capacity of 15 homes (including adaptive re-use of the buildings). the estimated capacity is subject to achieving sensitive design which respects heritage considerations. any proposal is required to be supported by a landscape and visual impact assessment and a heritage statement.
Redland
Location: land south of Zetland Road, Redland
Site description: land is currently in use as a garage and car-parking.
site area: 0.2 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, which may incorporate compatible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
location: land at cossins road, redland
Site description: land is currently in use as garaging and car parking.
Site area: 0.1 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10-12 homes.
Southmead
Location: land at Lanercost Road, Southmead
Site description: the land is currently undeveloped and adjacent to a new development of homes.
Site area: 0.5 hectares
proposed allocation: housing and/or housing for older people.
Estimated capacity of 35 homes.
location: works at felstead road, southmead
Site description: the site is currently in commercial use.
Site area: 0.3 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing-led mixed uses with flexible workspace, if no longer required in its current use.
estimated capacity of 10 homes.
location: 19-21 Pen Park Road, Southmead
Site description: the site is currently in commercial use.
Site area: 0.2 hectares
proposed allocation: housing/business.
estimated capacity of 15 homes.
Stoke Bishop
Location: land at Sanctuary Gardens, sneyd park
Site description: the site is currently vacant and was formerly occupied by pre-cast reinforced concrete housing.
site area: 0.5 hectares
Proposed allocation: housing.
estimated capacity of 20 homes.
Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze
Location: former St Ursula’s high school, Brecon Road
site description: the site is currently vacant.
site area: 0.8 hectares
Proposed allocation: the site would be appropriate for residential uses.
Estimated capacity of 35 homes, subject to the suitability of converting the listed building.
Location: Coombe House elderly persons’ home, Westbury-on-Trym
Site description: the site comprises cleared land last used as an elderly persons’ home.
Site area: 0.3 hectares
proposed allocation: housing.
Estimated capacity of 15 homes.