BRANDON YARD

CLIENT
Acorn Property Group

SECTORS
Residential

LOCATION
Bristol

PLANNING AUTHORITY
Bristol City Council

HIGHWAY AUTHORITY
Bristol City Council

PROJECT TEAM
GVA
AWW Architects

PROJECT MANAGER
Andrew Snowden

PROJECT DIRECTOR
James Darrall

PROJECT

We were appointed by Acorn Property Group to support an application for 62 residential units at Brandon Yard, Anchor Road, Bristol. It formed a redevelopment of two listed buildings – the West Purifier House and the Engine House – which were bound by a listed perimeter wall.

APPROACH

We prepared a Transport Statement and Travel Plan to support the planning application. In line with Bristol City Council parking policy, the proposed development could have provided up to 69 car parking spaces. However, given the central location of the site and aspirations to reduce car ownership, only 26 parking spaces were proposed to serve the development. This was welcomed by Bristol City Council.

A key issue of the application was the site access proposals. Due to ownership constraints, it was only possible to provide a 4.8m wide carriageway with margins of 1m and 0.5m. Whilst vehicles were low, BCC was concerned at the level of risk to pedestrians who would be forced to walk within the carriageway that would not have sufficient space for cars to pass along with a pedestrian or cyclist. To mitigate this risk it was agreed that access to the site would be gated with access only granted to car park users, such that pedestrian use would be minimised. Pedestrian and cycle access to the site would be provided onto Harbourside Walk to the south, along with associated signage. BCC accepted that this mitigation was all that could reasonably be achieved, and the development was ultimately recommended for approval.

OUTCOME

The development was granted planning permission in April 2017. It was completed and first occupied in September 2019.