It will house ‘commercial and community spaces as well as a mix of living accommodation’
The Cabot Circus multi-storey car park, on Newfoundland Circus in Bristol(Image: Google Earth)
The owners of Cabot Circus have announced they want to create a new ‘signature’ building in front of the shopping centre park which will include new homes, shops and community spaces.
The shopping centre is owned by Hammerson, which says the new development will be called ‘Cabot Gate’ and create a landmark new ‘gateway’ to the city at the end of the M32 and Newfoundland Way.
Hammerson has today (Tuesday) submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion request to Bristol City Council – this is the first precursor to a full planning application, which asks City Hall planners if, when they do submit a planning application, they need to include a formal assessment of the environmental impact.
Hammerson said the area in front of its car park, famous for its twin spiral access ramps is ‘underused’.
The car park is set back from the main dual carriageway road into Bristol and the Newfoundland Circus gyratory system, and is currently used as a location for Enterprise car and van hire.
The shopping centre owner said the plan was part of its ‘comprehensive long-term vision’ for the land it owns in Bristol city centre, and fits in with the city council’s regeneration projects for the ‘Frome Gateway’ and the city centre.
Sign up to receive daily news updates and breaking news alerts straight to your inbox for free here.
“The design reflects the potential not only to improve the local public realm and connectivity, but also to create a signature building designed by award winning architects AHMM at this important gateway into the city,” a spokesperson for Hammerson said.
“The new development will bring much needed new uses into the city, including commercial and community spaces as well as a mix of living accommodation.
“Details of the Cabot Gate proposal will be announced in the coming weeks, and community engagement will include a website setting out the details and welcoming feedback.”
The new ‘signature’ building is the next stage in a comprehensive revamp of the entire area owned and run by Hammerson.
Back in May, Bristol Live reported that a plan for a major overhaul of the Quakers Friars part of the Cabot Circus shopping area could see a new health centre created above the row of shops that, at present, includes the Apple Store, although that phone shop would be closing.
The Cabot Circus multi-storey car park, on Newfoundland Circus in Bristol(Image: Google Earth)
And Cabot Circus is preparing to welcome back a major Marks & Spencer department store to the city centre, with work ongoing to turn the shopping centre’s flagship store from House of Fraser to a three-storey M&S, while a new Odeon cinema is set to reopen in the cinema site vacated by Showcase last year.
The area to the south of the M32 and Newfoundland Way on the approach to Cabot Circus is set to be massively transformed over the next few years, with this part of St Jude’s experiencing major regeneration with the ‘Frome Gateway’ project.
This will see hundreds of student flats and build-to-rent apartments built on sites including the former Staples store next to Cabot Circus’ car park, back up as far as Pennywell Road, with developments on either side of the River Frome.