New regeneration project plans to build 1,000 homes in area behind Cabot Circus

A new regeneration project plans to build 1,000 homes in an area of St Judes behind Cabot Circus. The area could be completely transformed over the next 15 years in a project which Bristol City Council is calling the Frome Gateway.

The area includes Houlton Street, Wade Street, Wellington Road, Pennywell Road and Riverside Park, east of Newfoundland Way and the bottom end of the M32. The council has now started consulting the public on its views for how the site could be regenerated.

As well as 1,000 new homes, the project could include 500 student beds, new shops, cafes and workspaces, and opening up access to the River Frome. The council is running a series of in-person consultation events and walking tours around the area over the next few weeks.

The consultation states: “The vision proposes that the area changes over time from mostly industrial and warehousing to a residential-led mixed use neighbourhood. We propose that it should include about 1,000 new homes as well as a diverse mix of employment, community spaces and greener, safer streets.”

The consultation began on Monday, October 23 and will last until December 4. The cabinet is expected to approve the final masterplan next February, and developers will have to follow its guidelines when applying for planning permission for individual schemes.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said: “The Frome Gateway area has seen huge changes over the centuries. My grandmother lived in a terraced house that is now an embankment of the M32. It reminds me of how sweeping changes can be and the importance of preserving heritage wherever possible to tell an area’s story through time.

“The regeneration framework outlines a vision for Frome Gateway to steer the change coming for the benefit of the local community and the city. It aims to support the delivery of around 1,000 new homes, including new affordable housing, alongside new workspaces, community services and upgraded infrastructure.”

The framework aims to keep existing businesses in the area, but consolidate “under-used employment space”. New developments will include new employment space on the ground floor, and the northern end of the area will see an “industrial quarter” with fit-for-purpose buildings with close access to the M32. However, some businesses might need to relocate.

The River Frome, which runs through the site, could be cleaned up and restored. Access to the river could be opened up to allow for “pond dipping and water sports”. Meanwhile cultural and music venues in the area will be protected and existing community groups will be supported.

Plans also include building a new pedestrian bridge over Newfoundland Way to improve the connection between St Judes and St Pauls. A new “nature walk” footpath will also be created along the southern bank of the river. The existing subway at Junction 3 and Easton Way, which is narrow and often floods, will also be improved.

The council is running consultation events in Riverside Park on November 6 from 3pm to 5.30pm; an exhibition at Lost Horizon on Elton Street on November 8 from 12pm to 6pm; and walking tours from 12.30pm to 1.30pm on November 1, 16 and 30.