Developers have taken the first formal steps to build 225 new flats, including one ‘landmark’ block, on a prominent site in the centre of Bedminster. The plan would see the blocks of flats built on the now-empty former Selco builders merchants next to the railway bridge at the end of Malago Road in Bedminster.
The flats would be ‘build-to-rent’, with around a fifth designated as ‘affordable housing’ and the rest owned, managed and rented out by the developers themselves. Selco closed down in November 2020 and moved up to the Caters industrial estate between Headley Park and Hartcliffe, and Bristol Live first revealed the plans in February 2022 from developer PG Group.
In July, they held a series of public engagement meetings to showcase their plans, and revealed they had two options to propose - one would see lower level blocks of flats closer to the existing flats on West Street and the Lidl store opposite, but with a taller 12-storey building next to the Sheene Way/Malago Road junction. A second plan would see a slightly smaller ‘landmark’ building, but the other buildings slightly higher.
Read next: Bedminster Green by numbers - the 5 plots that will transform South Bristol
Now, the developers have started the formal planning process, by asking Bristol City Council whether they need to include an Environmental Impact Assessment when they do submit a full planning application, which is expected in early 2023.
This ‘scoping’ request outlines the basics of the proposal, and the developers’ agents Knight Frank are advising the council’s planners that they don’t think there needs to be an Environmental Impact Assessment - although it is the council’s final decision.
“The development seeks the removal of all existing buildings, structures and vegetation on site to deliver up to 225 build-to-rent (BtR) dwellings over a number of high-density flatted blocks, associated hard/soft landscaping,” the scoping request statement said. “The proposal is currently subject to ongoing pre-application advice with Bristol City Council and other relevant stakeholders."
In August, Bristol Live revealed that, in total and with the Selco site included, the A38 Malago Road from the top end at Bedminster Parade to this site the bottom at the Sheene Way junction would see a total of 2,310 new homes built in the next couple of years, all on a 600-metre long stretch of road. Of those, 1,251 would be student accommodation, 519 build to rent, and only 167 affordable.
The Selco site is at the other end of Malago Road from the Bedminster Green regeneration scheme, which is already seeing substantial work ongoing into 2023.
Read next:
Two and a half years of road disruption begins for Bedminster Green project
Plot 2 - High rise flats with no affordable homes give permission
Plot 3 - What 837 student flats will look like when seen from all over BS3
Plot 4 - Little Paradise plan for high-rise housing first to win permission
Plot 5 - Businesses being evicted ahead of big Bedminster Green development
South Bristol's GPs and schools won't cope with 12,000 new homes claims MP
Excavation reveals history of Bristol's most secret industrial site
To keep up-to-date with the latest South Bristol news, join our community of subscribers with my South Bristol newsletter here.
