A project to finally build on what was one of Bristol’s most famous eyesore sites has been delayed again, because local residents are objecting to the plans. Developers from a company called THAT Group had hoped to start work constructing a large new building on the site of what used to be a row of shops on Clifton Down Road, in the heart of Clifton Village, next month.
Council chiefs finally gave planning permission as long ago as 2020 to demolish the row of shops, which was the home for WHSmith for decades, but there are now further delays on the plans to finally see a new development on the site. THAT Group have been trying to develop the site for years.
Back in 2018, they unveiled the latest designs for a building to replace the WHSmith eyesore, and eventually won planning permission in 2020 for offices, shops and a cafe or restaurant to be built there. But last year and again at the start of 2023, That Group has asked the council if it can tweak the plans to include a gym or fitness studio as well, and slightly modify what the entrance to the restaurant would look like.
