A final decision on plans to transform the former St Christopher’s School site in Westbury Park into an ‘eco retirement village’ and leisure hub have been delayed. Councillors had been due to discuss the £85m proposals from FORE Partnership and care operator Amicala - which acquired the site following the school’s closure in 2020 - on Wednesday (May 31).
In an update sent out on Tuesday afternoon (May 30), Bristol City Council’s Development Management team said consideration of the application had been postponed “at the request of the applicant”. It comes after planning officers said the plans for the five-acre site, which borders Clifton Downs, would be “unacceptable in terms of design”, and recommended the development for refusal.
Basil Demeroutis, managing partner of FORE Partnership, told BristolLive the group behind the scheme, which also includes development manager Socius, had received confirmation that its plans were now expected to go to committee on July 5. Mr Demeroutis said: “We requested for the decision to be delayed, to allow officer’s more time to review their report. We’ll continue to work closely with Bristol City Council during this period, while we await the outcome of our application to be determined.”
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The companies previously said the project, called St Christopher’s Square, could provide around 120 extra care homes for older people.
The project could see refurbishment of the site’s existing buildings, including the villas fronting Westbury Park and the Grade II-listed building Grace House, while others could be demolished and replaced by new blocks of flats ranging between three and five-storeys in height.
Under the plans the site could also be opened to the public for the first time in years. Residents of the retirement community and wider local area could be able to access a new leisure centre, including a café, an 'urban village hall', a wellness centre featuring a hydrotherapy pool and gym, plus activity rooms.
The planning officer’s report highlighted the proposed scale of the project, adding it would be out of context with the surrounding Downs Conservation Area and the heritage buildings on the site. Planning officers also noted the work could result in the loss of “important existing trees”.
Planners added that the application for the development, which is being devised with a view to making it one of the few extra care communities in the country to operate with net-zero carbon emissions, did not demonstrate a resilience to climate change through its site layout, nor through its approach to design and construction.
According to the report the plans have received objections from Historic England, local councillors and residents, who have voiced concerns about the impact the scheme could have on traffic and parking.
FORE Partnership previously told BristolLive the group stood by its plans, which it said could deliver “important benefits” for the city.
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