People are being asked for their views on a new housing development set to transform a large area of wasteland right in the heart of Brislington, as a housing association has unveiled what it will look like.
SNG – what was Sovereign Housing Association – wants to demolish the old John Peer building on the main A4 Bath Road in Brislington, and build 91 new homes, all of which will be classed as ‘affordable’ in its place.
The John Peer building on the main road has been a decaying eyesore for more than a decade in the heart of Brislington, and behind it, a large area of what was once industrial land has been left empty for years too.
SNG wants to build three buildings, some up to six storeys high, with a new ‘social spine’ – a wide vehicle-free path running through the development site and connecting with Bath Road.
The first, and biggest building, Building A, will face onto Bath Road, with Buildings B and C nearer the road access from Tramway Road.
The development will be a mix of housing – 81 apartments, including eight which are disabled accessible, and ten houses. Six of those houses will sit in the middle of the site between buildings A and C, while the remaining four will be in the south east corner of the area.
Most of the new homes created will be for social rent – the most affordable – while the rest will be available for shared ownership.
The John Peer building itself is scheduled for demolition, with preparatory work expected to start this month, and the demolition due to take seven weeks.
SNG held a public drop in session to unveil their plans on Wednesday, and a consultation website is open for people to say what they think for the first two weeks of October. SNG will then hope to submit a formal planning application to Bristol City Council in the New Year.
As Sovereign Housing Association, they tried before to redevelop the site. Back in 2021 and 2022, council planners refused their plans for 146 new homes on the site, and a Government planning inspector refused their appeal.
SNG said they have gone away and redrawn their plans – the 91 homes is 55 fewer, and the development is much less densely packed in.
As demolition gets underway, Natural England will be checking the empty building for bats and badgers on the site, and work will stop in the spot where any are found.