Supermarket giant Asda has told Bristol Live that the news that the car park of its store in Bedminster has become a prime residential development site is news to it, and it know nothing of its status on a 'development map of Bristol', currently on the wall of the head of the Mayor's Office in City Hall.
But Bristol Live understands that Asda doesn't own the land its car park is on, and there are long-standing discussions around potential development between the land owners and agents for developers looking to build new homes on what would be a prime riverside site close to the city centre.
Such a scheme could be built on top of the existing car park with spaces retained underneath - a similar, albeit smaller scale scheme is already being proposed for the council-owned Portwall car park opposite St Mary Redcliffe Church in Redcliffe.
Read next: Bedminster Asda car park now a potential development site
Bristol Live broke the news that Asda's Bedminster store car park was the latest spot in South Bristol to be earmarked for new housing, after spotting it on a photograph posted on social media by the head of the Mayor's Office - ironically enough, publicising the launch of a new Bristol version of Monopoly being created to mark the 650th anniversary of the creation of the City and County of Bristol.
The map, drawn up by Bristol-based property and development agencts Avison Young, is the latest incarnation of what is an annual map, and marks all the places where major planning development is either under way, has got planning permission, is proposed or could potentially happen.
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A spokesperson for Asda told Bristol Live that the article was 'the first we have ever seen' of such an idea to build new homes on the Bedminster car park, and they had no knowledge of any plan, proposal or deal to build homes there.
But Bristol Live understands that the land the car park is on is leased to Asda, and the owners of the land are exploring the potential for residential development on the site, although no planning application or firm proposal has yet been drawn up.
The site is large, and could see apartment buildings constructed on pillars to retain the car park underneath, as is proposed at Portwall, and has already been created at nearby Squires Court, on the opposite corner of Bedminster Parade.
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