When it was put on the market for \u00a310m a year ago it was said to be Bristol\u2019s most expensive property sale<\/a>, and now it\u2019s been sold, local campaigners have told the new owners they are ready to work together to redevelop it in a \u2018low impact\u2019 way.<\/p>\n The site has been bought by London-based property group Square Bay, who have announced they will be working with Acorn Property Group, whose offices are a short distance away on the south side of the Downs.<\/p>\n Acorn Property Group are currently the subject of ongoing weekly protests every Wednesday<\/a> outside their offices, by local residents of Clifton<\/a> campaigning to try to stop their plans to build almost 200 new homes on the site of the former Clifton Zoo.<\/p>\n The St Christopher\u2019s Action Network (SCAN) group said they were \u2018sending a strong message\u2019 to Square Bay and Acorn Property Group, that they want to work with them on the plans for St Christopher\u2019s.<\/p>\n READ MORE: The \u00a310m school site that could be Bristol’s most valuable property sale<\/a>READ MORE: Families say St Christopher’s School site is ‘crying out’ for protection<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe hope Acorn can hear us loud and clear!\u201d said SCAN spokesperson Robin Hambleton. \u201cWe want you to listen to the views from our community.<\/p>\n \u201cFamilies living here want a scheme that is low rise, low density and low impact. Any new plans MUST protect road safety, especially for our local children walking to school, as well as preserve the unique character of our neighbourhood,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are all bruised by the disaster of the previous planning application so we hope the new developers recognise this is a sensitive site that needs a lot of thought,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course we want to see this site brought back to life – and to serve the community as it once did. We look forward to making sure this happens by working together with all the people who care about this special place. We do not want to be left with a scheme that only delivers profit for the developers rather than benefits to the community,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The site of the former St Christopher’s School in Westbury Park, Bristol(Image: Google Earth)<\/p>\n The five-acre site includes five large villas that front onto Westbury Park, as well as the unique, hexagonal and listed Grace House building that was the heart of the old special needs school.<\/p>\n St Christopher\u2019s School was a school for children with special educational needs for more than 70 years, but in 2020 it shut down suddenly at the centre of an abuse scandal<\/a>. It was put on the market last year when a firm that bought it<\/a> to redevelop it went bust without putting any plans into action<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 2024, local residents obtained an Asset of Community Value status for the site – which gave them first refusal when it was put up for sale. But SCAN say even though they didn\u2019t buy it themselves, they should have a say in what happens to it now.<\/p>\n READ MORE: St Christopher\u2019s School in Westbury Park up for sale again<\/a>READ MORE: Special school firm settles out of court with pupil after Bristol abuse scandal<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cCrucially, now the site is protected as an Asset of Community Value, any new development has to honour the legacy of more than 70 years of special education that the school gave our city and ensure the site delivers social value for the local community in the future,\u201d added Robin Hambleton.<\/p>\n \u201cSCAN will be pushing for local families to be at the heart of any new plans and has prepared a planning brief with a broad overview to guide the future owner – calling for any development to be low rise, low density and low impact.<\/p>\n \u201cIt asks the new owner to not overdevelop the site, protect the ecology of the land, safeguard road safety and traffic on our streets, offer development that blends in with the existing two-storey housing in this Conservation Area, and honour the legacy of the St Christopher\u2019s School by enabling the site to deliver social value in the future,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n A general view of St Christopher’s School site in Bristol(Image: SCAN)<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Square Bay said that although it\u2019s early days, they hope their plans will align with SCAN\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cSquare Bay\u2019s completion of the purchase of St Christopher\u2019s in Westbury Park marks the start of a new chapter for this historic site in Bristol,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe appreciate the previous proposals have left local people feeling concerned about what will happen to the site, and what is being proposed. We believe there is a real opportunity to deliver a redevelopment of the site that is sympathetic to what local residents are asking for, and which respects the development brief produced by St Christopher\u2019s Action Network (SCAN).<\/p>\n \u201cThe Square Bay team is working in partnership with Acorn Property Group to deliver the scheme and are already in discussions with SCAN, Westbury Park Community Association (WPCA), and other neighbouring residents.<\/p>\n St Christopher\u2019s School, Wesbury Park, designed in the 1960s for children with disabilities(Image: Bristol Post)<\/p>\n \u201cWe look forward to working with these groups and neighbours as well as the wider community over the coming weeks and months in preparing a planning application which \u2013 as far as possible – reflects the community\u2019s wishes while also meeting the council\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe this site \u2013 which has now been vacant and deteriorating for several years \u2013 can be brought back into life, with a sensitive redevelopment of handsome renovated and new homes set in beautiful grounds.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the meantime, we wanted to let our neighbours know that we are now making the site safe by improving the security measures. Details of the public consultation will be shared in due course. We look forward to meeting as many of our neighbours as possible in the coming months, to discuss our plans and hear the community\u2019s feedback,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_TCBR150425StChristophersBRIJPG.jpg\")
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