St Pauls, Bristol

Green tower centrepiece of RPS scheme

Bristol's tallest-ever building, an environmentally-friendly 40-storey tower development, could become the spectacular symbol of urban regeneration in the St Paul’s area of the city The soaring 600ft high structure would become a visually striking landmark at the M32 entrance to the city centre. It would be built using state-of-the-art 'green' technology and design principles in support of Bristol’s pledge, launched in March, to be recognised as the leading green city in the UK. The tower, which could contain homes, offices or a mixture of both, is a dramatic feature of one of three options to redevelop some seven acres of land in St Paul’s which could attract up to £300 million worth of investment to the inner city area. The scheme is being co-ordinated by RPS. The developers are PG Enterprises, part of Bristol’s award-winning PG Group, and Places for People, the country’s biggest property management and development group. The consortium’s vision is for a comprehensive mixture of residential, retail and employment uses, together with community facilities, that meets the needs both of the city and St Paul’s and which create a vibrant gateway to Bristol. It hopes to generate around 1,000 jobs and provide about 700 new homes, ranging from one to three-bedroom flats and including affordable and sheltered accommodation, about 30 shops, a doctors’ surgery, day nursery, place of worship, community hall, public open space, outdoor performance area, open-air market, public art and possibly a 100-bedroom hotel. Particular attention will be given to how the local community can benefit from the proposals. The consortium has drawn up three development options which were put before the public at two exhibitions at the St Paul’s Family and Learning Centre in Grosvenor Road. In addition, details of the options are contained in leaflets being distributed to around 6,500 homes and businesses in the area. The options reflect views obtained during a series of public consultations undertaken by Bristol City Council, the local community and the consortium itself over the past 18 months, including two public exhibitions held in St Paul’s last February. All three options contain proposals to build about 753,000 square feet net of homes, offices and businesses, including start-up units, together with the provision of parking and outdoor facilities. However, the amount of new public open space within the project site varies in each option, with the largest amount being in the one which includes the tower.

• Option A would see a development with buildings of between four and 10 storeys on 50 per cent of the site. With roads, parking, access and private space taking up a further 47 per cent, this would leave only three per cent for public open space, which is the equivalent of about an eighth of a football field and which could accommodate a combined play area and a park.
• Option B contains buildings of between four and 14 storeys on 45 per cent of the site and roads, parking, access and private space occupying a similar amount of space. This would leave 10 per cent of the site, about two fifths of a football field, which could be used for a combined play area, park and a small outdoor market.
• Option C contains buildings ranging from four to 40 storeys on only 30 per cent of the site. Roads, parking, access and private space would account for 40 per cent, leaving 30 per cent – about the size of one-and-a-quarter football pitches - for public open space. This would be enough for a generous play area, park, outdoor market and an open-air performance area for drama, music and community events.

There will be further public consultation in the coming months before a planning application is submitted to Bristol City Council. This should be early in 2008. For more information contact: RPS Bristol (Aztec West) – Planning & Development and Transport T: 01454 853000 Project overview from RPS website