Plans to knock down a large nursing home in South Bristol and build 106 new homes are being presented to local residents this week. The project would see the Amerind Grove Care Home, close to the Tobacco Factory in Ashton Gate be levelled, and two new streets lined with terraced town houses and flats built in what the developers are calling a ‘low-rise proposal’.
Last October, Bristol Live revealed that the care home was closing, and a day later that it was already being marketed as a development opportunity. Bristol Live shared leaked details of a leaked brochure created by property agents JLL, which showed an artists’ impression of what could be built on the large site between Raleigh Road and Greenway Bush Lane, but the plans being put forward now are for a much lower-scale development.
Two public consultation events are taking place this week to give local people the chance to find out more about what is proposed on the site, which sits next to Aldi’s car park and between the two split sites of Ashton Gate Primary School.
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The first is a webinar taking place online on Wednesday evening (June 7) at 6.30pm, where representatives of land agents Savills, Alex French Architects and the developers Hill will be presenting the plans. Then, there is a public exhibition at the Tobacco Factory on Thursday, June 8, between 3.30pm and 7pm.
What are the plans?
So far, the only details of the plans are on a one-page website set up by The Hill Group, which show a sepia-filtered image of the development. The plan is to create two new streets running across the development. The first will have four-storey terraced townhouses on either side, and the second, nearest the St John’s Ambulance HQ will have townhouses on the southern side and five storey flats on the other side.
In total, the developers say the plans could see 106 new homes, with 54 three- or four-bed townhouses, and 52 one- or two-bed flats and maisonettes. Of the 106 new homes, 30 per cent will be classed as ‘affordable’ under planning definitions - which meets the council’s affordable housing policy.
“Our plans are for two new ‘Southville’ styled, tree-lined residential streets that champion Bristol’s living, climate and ecology priorities, whilst building on the sense of community in the area,” a spokesperson for Hill said.
“New public green and play space is included with sustainable urban drainage systems as well as on-site bicycle and car parking. We are looking to use traditional brick as the main material finish combined with some contemporary detailing,” they added.
The Hill Group are already building many new homes in Bristol, including at McArthur’s Yard near the SS Great Britain. The company is also closely tied with the city council-owned Goram Homes, and has already started building at one of the sites within the Hengrove Park development, and is currently struggling to win planning permission for its plans to build the new flats for Goram Homes at the Baltic Wharf caravan park on the Floating Harbour.
Hill said its initial discussions with planners at City Hall had gone well. “Early engagement with officers, Design West and community representatives has been really positive and we’re now keen to hear from the community, so that these plans can be further reviewed and improved prior to planning submission,” a spokesperson said, adding that the firm hopes to submit a planning application next month and, if it gets approval quickly work could start next year.
Read next:
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