Plans approved for Bristol church to be converted into 10-bed shared house

Plans have been approved for a giant 10-bed shared house in a converted church hall with no parking. Developers now have planning permission to convert the church hall in Brislington, despite concerns from locals about increased pressure on parking in the area.

Build Logistics Ltd was given permission from Bristol City Council on Wednesday, July 5, to convert the Christadelphian Meeting Room on Church Hill into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) with 10 bedrooms. The building has been empty for about four years.

The development control A committee heard concerns that future residents would struggle to rely on using the bus to get around the city, and would likely need to own a car. But the surrounding area, just off the Bath Road, is already busy with parking.

Labour Councillor Katja Hornchen, representing Brislington East, said: “There’s no off-street parking, and Church Road and School Hill are often full of parked cars. The nearest grocery stores where residents can buy healthy food are Lidl which is 20 minutes up a steep hill, or the Co-op in Broomhill, which is also 20 minutes in the opposite direction and a steep hill.

“While there is a relatively good bus connection to the centre of Bristol, if you worked or needed to go anywhere else in Bristol, you would have to be on the bus for a very long time. If you worked in the night time economy or wanted to go out at night, you would find it very hard to get back home.”

But the developers said they carried out a parking survey, which showed there would be enough spaces for five extra cars belonging to future residents. They added that HMOs “create lasting friendships”, and the church has been left empty and needs investment.

Michael Sheldon, of Build Logistics Ltd, said: “These shared living developments give a quality living experience and create lasting friendships in a well managed environment. I do not see parking as an issue as many do not have cars already and would choose this location based on its excellent public transport links and nearby supermarkets.

“The building is in a poor state, requiring substantial investment that only this type of development can create. Returning this building to use will enhance the look of the area.”