• The ‘New Henry Street’ proposals will transform an industrial estate into a mixed-use development with maker-spaces, new street-facing commercial uses and a community space, alongside high quality student accommodation.
• Proposals involve improved walking and cycling connections, new greenery and tree planting and reinstate the former Henry Street.

ACCOMMODATION to support Bristol University’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus is revealed today as part of a regeneration proposal by Dominus Real Estate at New Henry Street, Bristol, BS2 0RA.

The proposals involve professionally-managed purpose-built student accommodation for 627 students, part of a project to transform an industrial estate into a new hub, complete with ‘maker spaces’, space for a neighbourhood supermarket and other street-facing commercial uses and a community space, to be managed by Dominus Real Estate and operated in partnership with the local community.

The proposed scheme sits adjacent to The Dings residential neighbourhood and close to the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone (BTQEZ), a major regeneration area in the heart of Bristol. It will reinstate a former street called Henry Street to provide a new 1,500 sqm public space (New Henry Street), providing improved access to and encouraging use of the Bath-Bristol cycle route.

The car-free development will promote walking and cycling through substantive improvements to pedestrian connections and footpaths along Kingsland Road, Sussex Street and Alfred Street, with new on-site greening supporting biodiversity and including over 60 new trees on what is currently a wholly hard-surfaced site.

The proposals have come forward following comprehensive stakeholder engagement with the local community. This has shaped the approach towards delivering outward-facing light-industrial maker-spaces targeted to the local creative sector and also providing street-level activity onto New Henry Street, Sussex Street and Alfred Street. This engagement also made clear a desire for a new local supermarket to serve the community at the key junction of Kingsland Road with Sussex Street and led to the proposal for a new community space on Kingsland Road, to be managed by Dominus Real Estate and operated in partnership with the local community. This flexible space will be capable of hosting a range of activities, with an emphasis on education and skills.

The building will be a great example of how quality student accommodation can enhance and support living and learning experiences for residents, through collaborative learning spaces, private study areas, and a focus on wellbeing including plenty of green spaces and natural light.

The development will support 500 jobs and create £45 million in GVA (Gross Value Added) each year during construction. After opening, the scheme as a whole will host 77 FTE jobs and it is estimated the students alone will spend £4.5m in the local area every year.

Tristram Taylor, Development Manager at Dominus Real Estate said: “For months we have worked in collaboration with community groups, local businesses and councillors, to understand what valuable new partnerships and projects we can bring to life as part of our meaningful social value commitments.

“Through this engagement, we have understood how we could create a best-in-class student development in a way that improves the wider area and creates significant opportunities for communities and businesses. We’re thrilled at the potential for this site to have positive impacts on Bristol as a whole.”

Paul Bradburn, from Old Market Community Association, said: “The scheme now includes much-needed workshop spaces for local creative businesses, as well as eight townhouses helping bring activity right down to street level, and reflect the traditional housing in The Dings. So, we fully support the current approach to delivering real and tangible community assets and look forward to working with Dominus in the coming months.”