Planners rejected a bigger scheme in 2024
05:00, 02 May 2025Updated 05:20, 02 May 2025
Artist impression of the proposed student development at Sussex Street in St Philips(Image: Dominus)
Scaled-back plans for hundreds of student beds in buildings between three and nine storeys in St Philips have been approved.
The city council’s development management committee voted in favour after refusing a bigger scheme for the site at Premier Business Park, opposite The Dings, in June last year.
A total of 549 University of Bristol students will be housed in the blocks, along with commercial space and a community hub, while there will be improved pedestrian and cycle links and green space.
Previous proposals by the developers, Dominus, were for 705 students and were refused amid a raft of concerns from councillors and planning officers, including students having to live on an industrial estate and loss of employment land.
Local businesses opposed the project, called New Henry Yard, in Sussex Street, and Bristol City Council was inundated with hundreds of objections from around the world because it would have meant world-renowned Invisible Circus having to relocate.
But the original plans were supported by the local community because they included a supermarket, which has now been removed following fears from officers last time about road safety and loss of trade for shopkeepers in Old Market.
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However, in a statement to the committee, Old Market Community Association said: “We fail to understand the reasons why the planning officers have instructed the applicant to omit the supermarket from this application when this is so important to the local community, who for years have endured a lack of anywhere local to buy basic provisions, and in an area of the city that is undergoing dramatic change and increase in population.
“We cannot see any reason why the supermarket should not be reinstated.
“It would meet local needs and would not be harmful to the viability and diversity of any nearby centres.”
A planning officer told the meeting that they did not instruct Dominus to remove the store from the revised scheme but that it would have been in the wrong place and that a Sainsbury’s Local had now opened as part of the Temple Quarter redevelopment and was within walking distance.
There were nine objections and five letters of support, including the University of Bristol, to the updated proposals, compared with 558 objections – including the council’s urban design, transport, sustainability and economic development teams and Active Travel England – with 16 in support last year.
The planning officer said all the issues had now been resolved and none of the consultees now opposed the development, which was the result of extensive discussions with the local authority.
Cllr Richard Eddy (Conservative, Bishopsworth) told the committee: “Sometimes planning in the city works well, sometimes it doesn’t.
“This seems a shining example of the first category.
“After the previous refusal, the applicants have worked positively with planning and transport and we’ve resolved every single matter, improved this scheme and eliminated the height which could have impacted upon the residential amenity of the neighbours.
“We’re providing a community hub, employment spaces and vitally needed student accommodation.
“This seems a win-win.”
Cllr Guy Poultney (Green, Cotham) welcomed the improvements and the fact the developers had worked with the community and ward councillors.
He said Dominus would provide a £157,000 contribution for public art as part of the conditions of consent but that the developers must continue to engage with local people on ensuring it reflected the area’s heritage.
Officers recommended approval but had advised refusing permission last year.
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