1 May – Following last week’s approval in Glasgow city centre for a 173-bed student housing scheme, Dominus has received resolution to grant from Bristol City Council to transform a brownfield industrial site into a new mixed-use scheme.
The approved plans, designed by architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, are made up of two buildings both targeting BREEAM Excellent, the east building will feature a telecoms hub and 60,000 sq ft of improved flexible employment space suitable for uses such as creative makerspaces, warehousing and storage.
The second building includes 549 direct let professionally managed student homes, a new community hub and amenity areas including a planted courtyard, gym and social/study spaces. The student homes are made up of 284 cluster rooms (52%), 169 studios (31%) and 96 townhouse rooms (17%).
The site, called New Henry Yard, sits opposite the Dings residential area and is identified in the Old Market Quarter Neighbourhood Plan for mixed-use regeneration. It is close to the new University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus opening in 2026, where an estimated 4,600 students will study.
Full-time student numbers at the University of Bristol for the 22/23 academic year were 29,900 up from 21,850 in the 16/17 academic year, an increase of 36%. Research by Cushman and Wakefield revealed that Bristol has the highest student to bed ratio – 2.85:1 – of any major market outside of London.
Dominus had updated its earlier plans for the site by more than doubling the amount of employment space on site, relocating the community hub and reducing the massing of the scheme closest to neighbouring residents.
Dominus’ plans for the site include a community hub. Dominus will cover the basic running costs and employ a community liaison officer who will run the space alongside the local community.
The proposals will improve the site from being a fenced off industrial block and create enhanced pedestrian and cycle connections, including a landscaped pedestrian route through the site, a new cycle connection into the Bristol & Bath Railway Path and two new pedestrian crossings. The plans will enhance the public realm delivering significant biodiversity net gain and increasing ecology on site.
In construction, it is anticipated that the development will support 500 jobs and create £45 million in GVA (Gross Value Added) each year, with the scheme creating up to 170 FTE jobs once opened, providing up to 549 homes for students and delivering long-term community benefits.
The project team included planning consultants Avison Young, architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, landscape architect Churchman Thornhill Finch and communications consultant Conversation PR.
Ian Fergusson, Planning Director, Dominus, said:
“Our plans will regenerate an underused brownfield site, double the amount of employment space and deliver 549 professionally managed student homes. Student numbers continue to grow in Bristol while the supply of student housing has not kept up with demand, which puts pressure on the private rental market. The site is within walking distance from Temple Meads Station and the new University of Bristol Enterprise Campus where 4,600 students will study.”
Cormac Farrelly, Director, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, said:
“We are delighted that this innovative mixed use scheme has been granted planning permission; it marks a significant milestone for the project and stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved. We look forward to seeing the scheme which provides much needed new homes, a community hub and significant employment space move forward to the next stage.”
David Feeney, Partner, Cushman and Wakefield, said:
“Based on latest available data for the academic year 2022/23, Cushman & Wakefield calculates that 50,135 students require a bed space during their course of study at Bristol’s universities. Measured against the number of beds available in the same academic year of 2022/23 (17,617), the student to bed ratio in Bristol stands at 2.85:1. This means that there are close to three students with a requirement for a bed vs every PBSA bed available in the city. This ratio is the highest of any major UK market outside of London.”
Eliott Kelly, Associate Director, Planning, Development and Regeneration, Avison Young, said:
“Avison Young are delighted to help Dominus secure resolution to grant. Collaborating closely with Bristol City Council, local stakeholders and the design team, we’re pleased to have created a fantastic new scheme in the city that blends high-quality student accommodation close to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, with a new innovative workspace. The proposals meet local needs while demonstrating a best-in-class solution to optimising brownfield sites.”
