Over the next 5-15 years, the Whitehouse Street area, on the edge of Bristol city centre, will be transformed with c2,000 new homes alongside employment, cultural and public spaces that respond to the climate and ecological emergencies. Currently the land is underused, comprising low-density industrial buildings, with the potential for comprehensive regeneration in a sustainable location.
Bristol City Council worked with major landowners in the area to develop the Whitehouse Street Regeneration Framework. Community engagement was central to the project, and a Community Manifesto developed by local people has helped to shape the framework. The vision of the framework is the creation of a new vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood which incorporates a mix of uses including homes, employment space and community space, new active travel routes along with improved public realm. Bristol City Council Cabinet endorsed the Regeneration Framework in March 2023, and is now a material planning consideration.
A key principle of the framework is to facilitate development of new homes, and the infrastructure and public spaces to support them, alongside new employment spaces. Currently the area is largely light industrial, and, wherever possible, we want to provide space for existing businesses to continue operating should they choose to. At the same time, we want to provide room for the local economy to develop and grow alongside the new community.
This poses challenges, but we are committed to exploring options for industrial development at a higher density to meet the needs of businesses to make more efficient use of land. The space will need to be developed and managed in a way that is compatible with neighbouring residential uses, while supporting inclusive economic growth from which all our citizens can benefit.
Bristol City Council is keen to hear about examples of such developments elsewhere and from developers and funders interested in exploring the potential for delivery of schemes in Bristol that are genuinely mixed-use, residential-led and with a strong focus on employment space provision, and standalone higher density industrial development.
See the project website Whitehouse Street – East Bedminster Regeneration.
