A key challenge for Bristol, as with many other cities, is finding available land to deliver transformative projects. The city centre has already been a key location for regeneration and renewal. It has seen several key schemes delivered, including Cabot Circus, the regeneration of the Waterfront, and most recently the mixed-use development at Finzels Reach.

In the 2018 Local Plan Review, central Bristol remains a focus for future development. It is identified as having scope for 13,500 new homes over the plan period to 2036. But the city centre doesn’t just need more residential development. It is also crucial for Bristol’s success to deliver a steady supply of employment floorspace, alongside maintaining the city’s diverse retail and leisure offer.

Consequently, the city core will need to become more dense, to deliver a strong mix of uses and make more efficient use of land. The plan review specifies that tall buildings will form part of the overall approach to development.

Relatively unfragmented

The map opposite shows where there are concentrations of land in the city centre under single ownership. Bristol is unusual in having relatively unfragmented land ownership in the city centre, making land assembly less of a barrier to transformative development schemes.

The city council stands out as the dominant landowner, with over 400 acres in its control. It will be important to see how the council engages with government initiatives to bring forward publicly owned land via One Public Estate and works with partners such as Homes England.

Moving away from the established core, plans are underway to regenerate the surroundings of Temple Meads station. A key part of this will be the development of Bristol University’s new campus, including new teaching facilities, student accommodation and commercial premises.

The regeneration of this quarter will provide a better gateway for visitors to the city. This is a crucial step to maximise the potential of the electrification of the Great Western Railway, which will reduce the travel time to London and enable a greater frequency of services.