It has risen up above the busy flyover, giving drivers a taste of the future
The purpose built student accommodation taking shape next to the St Philips Causeway flyover in Bristol(Image: Paul Gillis/Bristol Post)
For thousands of drivers who use the St Philips Causeway flyover every day, it has been rising up to loom over the dual carriageway for a few months. And now the structure of the buildings which reach a height of up to 15 storeys is completed, giving everyone on that road the first sign of things to come in a huge transformation east of the city centre.
The buildings have been constructed on what is called ‘Plot 6’ of the first big Temple Quarter regeneration project – on the parcels of land between Silverthorne Lane and the north bank of the Feeder Canal.
The canal was once a main artery into one of Bristol’s most industrialised areas, with a timber yard, two iron works and a soap works along the north side, and a mass of railway lines from three different directions approaching Temple Meads. But all of that is set to be completely transformed with a new era taking shape between the flyover and Temple Meads station.
Now, the area has been pretty much completely levelled, and the giant tower block that has shot up right next to the flyover is the first of many to come on this spot.
What is being built there?
National firm HG Construction began work in 2024 on preparing the ground for a complex of buildings that are Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA).
Plot 6 next to the flyover will house up to 706 students, most of which will probably be studying at the University of Bristol ’s Temple Quarter campus.
That campus is due to open in September 2026, and the student accommodation next to the flyover is expected to be open and ready for the first students to move in that same month.
The purpose built student accommodation taking shape next to the St Philips Causeway flyover in Bristol(Image: Paul Gillis/Bristol Post)
The PBSA is being built in four different blocks of student flats, from five to 15 storeys high, by Studio Hive, in a £75 million project.
They were awarded planning permission back in 2022 by Bristol City Council as part of a ‘masterplan’ for the strip of land between Silverthorne Lane and the Feeder.
As the building neared completion, the final instalment of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) from the developers to Bristol City Council had to be paid. As of April this year, the developers paid a total of just under £3.2 million to the CIL pot, which will go to council spending on infrastructure around the city.
The first students into the building next year will have the flyover to one side, the railway line to the north, the Feeder to the south and a building site to the west. The site next door was already supposed to be a bustling secondary school – Oasis Temple Quarter – with up to 1,600 students.
But progress on building the new school has been painfully slow, and the opening date has been pushed back now to 2027 at the earliest.
READ MORE: Transformation of iconic Bristol canal gets underway with 706 student flatsREAD MORE: First image of the complete transformation of Temple Quarter revealed
The school itself, run by the Oasis chain of academies, is already up and running. It opened on a temporary site in South Bristol in the summer of 2023 with just Year 7 pupils, and soon moved to another temporary site in Bedminster.
Both the student accommodation and 371 new homes planned for the plot on the other side of the school are being developed by Bristol firm Studio Hive, and they hope to have the student flats ready for the start of the academic year in 2026.
“We have been involved in the Silverthorne Lane Masterplan for a number of years and it is now very exciting to have HG Construction on board and delivering a great new piece of regeneration for this part of Bristol,” said Jason Collard, the managing director of Studio Hive said 18 months ago when naming the construction firm.
“Our partners Far East Orchard, Woh Hup and Atlas Land are equally excited about this new PBSA scheme which is acting as a catalyst for private investment in the TQEZ,” he added.
The regeneration of Silverthorne Lane – Studio Hive’s student flats development on the north side of the Feeder(Image: Studio HIVE)
Adam Quinn, the boss of HG Construction, said it was the first big development the firm was building in Bristol. “We are delighted to be involved in the regeneration of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. This is our first scheme for Studio Hive and it’s a pleasure to be working in partnership with them on this landmark PBSA development.
“With a carefully thought-out design which will benefit the local community and enhance the student experience, the scheme will make a very positive addition to Silverthorne Lane. As our first scheme in Bristol, we’re looking forward to getting to know the local area and will maximise opportunities for local employment and community engagement throughout the construction of this project,” he added.