A demolition crew has been gradually levelling a car dealership that sold used cars to generations of people in South Bristol for almost 50 years this week. The Paramount car dealership was a landmark on West Street in Bedminster since 1976, but the owners retired and sold up to a development company.
Planning permission was granted, despite a number of objections from local residents and councillors, to flatten the site and build a PBSA - purpose-built student accommodation - for 50 students.
Read next: Concerns raised over plans to build student flats on busy road
Work began earlier this year to demolish the former car dealership buildings, and have now reached the West Street frontage, with a JCB crew taking down the front wall of one side of the large dealership earlier this week.
When plans were first submitted for the 50 student flats, local residents expressed concerns that the students living there would be a fair distance from any university in an otherwise residential area of Victorian terraced homes. They also expressed concerns about parking issues if the students brought their own cars.
But the man behind the scheme said he hoped the introduction of 50 students would help 'reinvigorate' West Street. Developer David Fitter said: “These plans to provide student accommodation will rejuvenate West Street with a beautiful building and bring footfall to local businesses. Landlords are already converting traditional family homes into student HMOs to meet demand. Developments such as this will give Bristol planning the opportunity to reject HMO conversions, and help safeguard against future loss of traditional housing stock in the area.”
The location is right opposite the former White Horse pub, which was used as the exterior of the Nag's Head in filming Only Fools &d Horses, and is opposite a bus stop on two bus routes into the city centre, but not to any of the university campuses at Clifton, Temple Quarter or Bower Ashton, which councillors pointed out are more than half an hour's walk away.
Councillors making the decision on planning permission initially postponed their judgement, but eventually gave it planning permission just before Christmas last year.
Read more:
- New student flats in Bedminster can benefit local area, says developer
- Student flats approved in Bedminster more than half-hour walk from any universities
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