£10m redevelopment vision unveiled for 1930s Bristol community centre

The £10m redevelopment of an 85-year-old community centre in south Bristol has moved a step closer.

Following a two-stage competition, London-based architects Hayhurst and Co have been chosen to refurbish and expand Filwood Community Centre in Knowle West.

The redevelopment of the 1938 centre on Filwood Broadway is the centrepiece of the regeneration plans for the street, which received £14.5m in government Levelling Up funding at the start of the year.

The project is being backed by Bristol City Council and Community In Partnership Knowle West, which runs the community centre.

As well as a new home for Filwood Library, which is currently based further down the street in a 1960s building, the plans include improved spaces for events and community groups, alongside office space for long-term users.         

Xanthe Swift, chair of trustees of Community In Partnership Knowle West, said: “Sitting at the head of the Broadway, our iconic red brick building has seen a whole world of change in its 85 years - and now it’s time for this heart of the community to receive some much-needed love.

“We want to bring our facilities into the 21st century and make sure we’re able to offer everyone the activities and services they want and need for the next 85 years.

“And we’re not just talking about a lick of paint and some new curtains, we’ll be adding more space and making the whole building more welcoming, sustainable and accessible for all.”

Speaking to BristolWorld, Makala Cheung, the centre’s newly-appointed director and  Knowle West musician, said the idea is to offer traditional, community-based activities as well as a cultural hub.

There are hopes the main hall in the building could become a music venue, with a cafe and nursery also being explored as potential additions to the centre.

On the redevelopment moving forward, Makala told BristolWorld: “It kind of feels like a dream come true but I have to pinch myself, I have to stop and realise I’ve got to the thing that I’ve been working for, that I’ve been dreaming about: a destination bringing people to the area as well as showcasing local talent, a place to be proud of.”

As well as the redevelopment of the community centre, the Levelling Up funds for Filwood Broadway will also see a redesign of the public realm and a new multi-use games area nearby. A new playpark is also currently being created outside the front of the centre.

Until it was demolished earlier this year, the Broadway had a former 1930s art deco cinema, where 30 new homes are set to be built by the council, and 29 new homes are also set to be on the former swimming pool site on the street by housing association LiveWest.

Tom Renhard, cabinet member for homes and housing delivery at Bristol City Council, added:“This project, at the heart of the Levelling Up Funded Filwood Broadway Regeneration, builds on the hard work of the local community and aspirations of many years.

“The council are working closely with Community In Partnership Knowle West and wider stakeholders to ensure the project realises the long-term vision for this vital community space.

“I am excited to see how the project progresses and seeing the realisation of the vision for the space, realised.”

Following design development with the community, a planning application for Filwood Community Centre is expected to be submitted in Spring 2024.