But Goram is pressing ahead with other housing developments, including a new one in Bedminster
The former gas works site on Dovercourt Road(Image: Google)
A housing developer owned by Bristol City Council has dropped plans to build new homes on old gas works after discovering underground gas pipes. The homes were planned for Dovercourt Road in Lockleaze, but these will likely no longer be built due to the gas pipes.
The gas works site has been left empty for years, but used to be home to large gasometers. Goram Homes, which was set up by the council in 2018, is planning to build thousands of houses and flats elsewhere in Bristol over the next few years, including a new plot in Bedminster Green.
The latest pipeline of developments and the company’s business plan were approved by councillors on the strategy and resources policy committee on Monday, June 16. This included removing the old gas works site from the plans, due to the gas pipes as well as a large sewer.
Louise Davidson, head of housing delivery at the council, said: “During the last year, Goram carried out a lot of due diligence on that site and understood that there were significant site constraints, which would significantly reduce the residential capacity of the land. That no longer works for Goram’s model of delivery.
“The utility surveys have shown there are multiple constraints on the site, including gas easements which require a three-metre buffer zone; significant risk of earth contamination; and there’s a strategic sewer with an additional buffer zone which would need to be retained. As we’ve looked at the site, we’ve seen a shrinking of the land available for development.”
The entrance to the former gas works site on Dovercourt Road(Image: Google)
Initially Goram hoped to build 72 homes on the site, but after discovering the pipes estimated only 40 to 50 homes instead, which wouldn’t be enough to make the development financially viable. Alternative options are now being explored, although it’s unclear what these are.
The land is currently empty, although there are plans to use the area as a meanwhile site for people to live in caravans on. A separate Goram development is already taking place further down Dovercourt Road, on an old council depot, and this is under construction and unaffected.
The site was bought by the council in 2022 from the National Grid and Wales and West Utilities, paid for by a government grant and costing £1.3 million. The council’s cabinet approved plans to add the site to Goram’s pipeline in March last year, hoping that at least half of the homes would become council housing.
A couple of years ago the council evicted 100 people living in vans from the other development down the road on Dovercourt Road, ahead of construction beginning. As the old gas works is now being turned into a meanwhile site, van dwellers could soon be invited back to the road.
While this site is being dropped from the pipeline, another one south of the river is being added. The long-stalled development on Plot 5 in Bedminster Green will be taken on by Goram Homes, although the exact proposals haven’t been decided yet. Previous plans to build 330 flats there were scrapped by housing developers Dandara last year, as the council reneged on a deal.
Plot 5 is located in between Dalby Avenue, Whitehouse Lane and Hereford Street, and currently includes several large trees. Local campaigners have opposed previous development plans there, due to the loss of the trees. The other plots in the huge Bedminster Green regeneration have either recently been finished, are under construction, or are about to start being built.
The Bedminster Green regeneration area(Image: Bristol City Council )
Elsewhere, plans are pressing ahead for the Baltic Wharf Caravan Club and Hengrove Park, both of which were subject to controversy last September. Initially the council was planning to buy some homes in these two developments from Goram to use as council housing. But due to a switch in focus to making sure existing council homes are safe, these plans were dropped.
The homes will still be built and the affordable housing bought by housing associations, like Sovereign at Baltic Wharf. Sovereign is hoping to get a government grant to pay for the 66 affordable homes at the caravan club. But Labour councillors said both these developments needed scrutiny, given the way the council pulled out of its plan without a vote by councillors.
Councillor Tom Renhard, leader of the Labour group, said: “These sites were removed from the council housing pipeline behind closed doors. It sounds like there might be progress with Baltic Wharf but Hengrove has slipped.”
He added that Labour opposed plans to let council directors approve Goram adding or dropping plans from its pipeline in future. Labour believes that any changes to the developer’s pipeline of projects should be approved by the strategy and resources policy committee instead.
The company’s plans also include the car park at the SS Great Britain, a popular tourist attraction on Spike Island, which could soon be developed for housing. Goram has explored how many homes could be built there, although there are “no immediate plans” to redevelop the car park.
Other locations in Goram’s pipeline include two of the bonded warehouses on Spike Island; a site surrounding the planned energy centre in Castle Park; Spring Street in Bedminster, which is currently in use as a temporary school while a new one is built on Silverthorne Lane; and the Grove car park, next to the Thekla music venue.
Stephen Baker, managing director of Goram Homes, said: “Our current pipeline totals just over 3,000 homes to be built in the coming years, half of which we’re targeting to be affordable housing. Families are already living in One Lockleaze, both as homeowners and council tenants.”
One Lockleaze was the first development led by Goram, with hundreds of homes being built and people already moving in. After the meeting, Mr Baker said: “Everyone deserves to live in a safe, good quality home that they can afford; but unfortunately, this is not the case for many people in this city.
“Goram Homes’ partnership approach with the private sector means we can unlock complex developments on council-owned land, and make sure this land is best used to meet the city’s housing needs. With our plans given the green light, we will continue to build for Bristol, and I look forward to welcoming even more people into their new homes this year.”
Green Cllr Barry Parsons, chair of the housing committee, added: “Creating safe and healthy neighbourhoods, with affordable, high-quality homes is one of the council’s key priorities. There is huge pressure being felt on housing supply in the city.
“Having our own housing company means we can turn council land into much needed new homes with high levels of affordable housing to help transform lives. With Goram Homes’ business plan approved, they can get spades in the ground on more development sites this year and make plans for their next phase of housebuilding. The company has made incredible progress so far, and this business plan secures even more new homes for Bristol.”