A six-storey block of flats could be built in Brislington under new plans recently submitted. Each week Bristol City Council receives dozens of planning applications seeking permission for a whole range of developments.
Over the past seven days, those applications also included converting city centre offices to flats and building a gas pipeline at the port. Here’s this week’s round-up of notable planning applications submitted to the council.
Every week dozens are validated by the local authority and we have selected some of the more interesting proposals. All planning applications submitted to the council have to be validated and are available for inspection by the public. Anyone is also allowed to submit comments about the applications — whether in support or objection.
The majority of applications are decided by planning officers at the council under delegated powers. However, some will go before elected councillors who sit on planning committees. No dates have been set for when the planning applications below will be determined. They can be viewed by going to the planning portal on Bristol City Council’s website.
Six-storey block of flats in Brislington
A six-storey block of nine flats could be built in Brislington. The two-bedroom flats would be built on Stockwood Road near the Bath Road park and ride, by developers Horizon Homes. A previous planning application was submitted for the site for a larger development of 58 flats.
The new flats would be built directly adjacent to the existing Orchard House, a 1960s office block that was recently converted into housing. The plans include balconies and a roof terrace.
In planning documents, architects said: “The proposal should be approved for the following reasons: it provides desperately needed two-bedroom unit housing into the local housing stock; all apartments have amenity space; the design is proportionate and respectful of the surroundings; and it is located near facilities and sustainable transport links.”
Replacing health centre with flats
A block of flats could be built on the site of a former health centre. A total of 36 apartments, classed as “affordable”, would be constructed on St John’s Lane, opposite the Victoria Park Primary School. The former St John’s Lane Health Centre left the building in 2018 and moved to a nearby practice, and planning permission for the 36 new homes was approved four years ago.
Developers have now submitted a “lawful development application” to the council, to certify that the demolition has gone ahead. They already have permission for the new homes.
City centre offices to become flats
An office block in the city centre could be converted into flats. St Nicholas House is on the High Street, next to Castle Park. Developers have applied for planning permission to change the use of the six-storey building, to become residential instead with 20 studio flats.
A commercial unit would be kept on the ground floor. The building was initially built in the 1960s as a branch of the Bank of England, on a site that was home to the Angel Tavern pub, which was damaged by a bomb during the Second World War.
Giant gas pipes
A giant twin gas pipeline could be built from the Avonmouth docks to a storage facility in Hallen. The pipes would enable the transfer of liquid gas from the Oil Basin at the Port of Bristol to the gas terminal at Hallen, where it would be stored before being distributed further.
The plans also include constructing two “marine loading arms” and a control kiosk at the Oil Basin. These would enable tanker ships to be unloaded. The gas is currently transported via road instead. Outline planning permission has already been granted, and the details are now up for approval, known as “reserved matters”.