One of the Bristol’s flagship building projects could finally be finished by the end of next year after new contractors were found to complete it.
The Boat Yard building - a 17-storey tower block that’s been built on the Bath Road next to Totterdown Bridge - has been left empty for months since the company building it went bust. But now, more than two months after the site was cleared, the housing association that is waiting to start marketing the shared ownership flats say they have found a new building firm.
The collapse of the Mid Group in July caused shockwaves around the construction industry nationally, and perhaps the biggest single building project that was left in the hands of the administrators was the Boat Yard, which has been built over the past couple of years next to the River Avon at the bottom of the hill in Totterdown.
Read more: Work stops at landmark Bristol tower block development
The Boatyard is one of the most controversial developments of the decade so far in Bristol, with a large number of objections from local residents in Brislington and Totterdown when it was first proposed. It was branded 'a monstrosity' when the developers applied for planning permission in the first half of 2019 and, along with the decision to give permission to Castle Park View, has kickstarted developers to propose tall tower blocks of apartments at sites in the city centre and South Bristol.
The 152 flats were given planning permission back in June 2019, despite a vociferous campaign by local residents in Totterdown’s famously steep terraced streets, and by people across Bristol worried about the precedent of such a tall building away from the city centre in such a prominent gateway into Bristol.
After it was given permission, the developers took the decision to switch from privately owned flats to sell all in one go to London-based housing association Clarion - something that saved them more than £1 million in money they were due to pay Bristol City Council in community infrastructure levy, because shared ownership is classed as ‘affordable housing’ in planning law, and therefore exempt from CIL payments.
The tower block’s cranes have been a prominent feature of the skyline across east and south Bristol for the past couple of years, and the top of the building site was chosen as a location for Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees to show Labour leader Kier Starmer of the development progress in Bristol when the Leader of the Opposition visited as part of the Mayor’s re-election campaign back in April 2021.
But Clarion’s hopes of beginning to sign people up to the shared ownership deals and finishing the building by the end of the summer of 2022 took a nose dive when the Mid Group collapsed in July. Since then, the building has been left unfinished.
Now, the Clarion Group have confirmed a new construction firm has been found - albeit it’s not signed and sealed yet. “We’re in discussion with The Hill Group about our Boat Yard scheme and are working towards agreeing a contract for them to complete the project through to a finish,” said a spokesperson for the housing association.
Workers have been in the building and on the site this week, and it is expected that work could get back underway in the coming weeks, with a finish date in 2023.
Local councillor Andrew Varney, who represents the Brislington West ward for the Lib Dems, said while he opposed the building in the first place, he was pleased it would now be finished.
“I don’t like the development and was against it at the time, because it was just too tall and too much in that location,” he said. “But it’s there now, and it’s going to be 100 per cent affordable, so we don’t want it to be lying empty, so being pragmatic about it, we’re really pleased a new contractor has been found to complete this project,” he added.
To keep up-to-date with the latest South Bristol news, join our community of subscribers with my South Bristol newsletter here.
Read next:
Council chief admits he has 'very little power' to make developers build affordable homes
How affordable are the 'record levels of affordable housing' being built in Bristol
Mayor defends affordable housing numbers at Castle Park View
Developers 'have to deliver' affordable housing for Bristol says Mayor
New plans for 350 homes in centre of Bristol - but only 20 per cent 'affordable'
