Bristol Live readers have been given a fresh glimpse of how St Philip’s Marsh could be transformed, with new images showcasing plans for a stylish canal side destination alongside thousands of new homes.
The ambitious vision would see the largely industrial area east of Temple Meads evolve into a new neighbourhood over the coming decades. At the heart of the proposals is a revamped Feeder Canal waterfront, lined with shops, bars, restaurants and homes, creating a new district centre designed to attract both residents and visitors.
Under the plans, parts of Feeder Road would be pedestrianised, replacing busy traffic routes with public spaces overlooking the water. Developers are being encouraged to create active waterfront buildings with cafés, restaurants and cultural venues to help establish a thriving daytime and evening economy.
The proposals form part of the wider Temple Quarter regeneration programme. St Philip’s Marsh is expected to deliver around 7,000 new homes across 95 hectares of former industrial land, alongside new employment space, schools, healthcare facilities and parks.
The masterplan also includes major transport improvements, with new walking and cycling routes, better bus links and car-free crossings aimed at making the area easier and safer to navigate.
Change is already underway, with the University of Bristol’s new Enterprise Campus opening later this year and a new secondary school under construction on Silverthorne Lane. However, the full redevelopment of St Philip’s Marsh is expected to take several decades to complete.
Residents have until July 28 to have their say on the masterplan before it is used to guide future development across the area.
Commenter Andy G suggests: “Bristol City Council should take a look at Riverside in San Antonio in the USA to get an idea of what can be done with a Riverside area. It’s fantastic with cafes, bars and restaurants that put on live entertainment that encourages people to visit the area. It still has housing as well.”
Julie L thinks: “Spend the money on building social housing instead. There’s a desperate shortage of affordable homes, and investing in housing would benefit local families far more.”
Sid D replies: “This is private land owned by property developers. It’s their money and they do not build social housing because all they are interested in is maximum profit for minimum investment.”
Russell E adds: “10,000 homes are planned for the area, hopefully the council will get a decent proportion for social/affordable housing.”
Lewis W says: “Yes, it all sounds great on paper, but it feels a bit like pie in the sky at the moment. The priority should be sorting out the transport infrastructure first. The roads are already struggling, public transport isn’t reliable enough, and adding more passengers without addressing those issues will only make things worse.”
Nigel W agrees: “The picture looks idyllic and peaceful, but the reality often tells a different story. Once the development is built, it’s usually increased traffic, pressure on local services, parking problems and infrastructure struggling to keep up. The artist’s impressions always look perfect, but it’s the day to day reality that residents end up living with.”
James G points out: “So yet another industrial brownfield site is being turned into housing, reducing the amount of space available for businesses and pushing up the cost of the industrial units that remain. As someone trying to find premises for a start-up, I’m seeing first hand how difficult and expensive it’s becoming. And with all these new homes being built, where exactly are all these people supposed to work?”
TalbotHill adds: “Nobody seems to have thought about access to St Anne’s and the industrial areas off Feeder Road. There are several warehouses, business units and the Co-op that rely on regular HGV and articulated lorry deliveries. With 7.5 tonne limits on surrounding roads and low bridges at places like Whitby Road, Silverthorne Lane and Avon Street, options for larger vehicles are already limited. The route via Albert Road is one of the few viable access points for tall lorries. Before approving more development, there needs to be a serious look at how businesses, deliveries and commercial traffic will continue to access the area.”
Andy K wonders: “How many more student accommodation blocks does the city need? It feels like every major development is aimed at students, while local people struggle to find affordable homes. City centres are becoming dominated by student housing, yet there seems to be far less focus on building homes that families, key workers and young professionals can actually afford. There needs to be a better balance between supporting universities and creating communities that work for everyone year round.”
Do you support the plans for St Philip’s Marsh? Is this the regeneration Bristol needs, or are you concerned about the impact on traffic, businesses and local infrastructure? Have your say in our comments section.