Bristol City Council has approved a local developer’s plans to revive a shopping centre and create 180 new homes in Bedminster.
Developer Firmstone's proposals for the mixed-use redevelopment at St Catherine’s Place on East Street in the south of the city include newly refurbished retail units and increased public open space.
The mixed-use scheme, designed by Bristol architects Stride Treglown, will offer a range of one, two, and three-bedroom homes in three new buildings on the site, including a 14-floor building on the corner of Dalby Avenue.
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A pocket park, a children's play area and a new, landscaped walking and cycling route through from Dalby Road to Mill Lane have also been approved.
Existing shops on the East Street side of the development will be replaced with new ones and the shopping centre’s historic façade will be refurbished or rebuilt.
Firmstone is also making nearly £1.25m of community contributions, partly via the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and in relation to wider transport improvements.
A number of high street shops have closed in East Street over the past couple of years, , with some shop fronts still empty. Banks Barclays and Halifax also closed their branches in the retail area last year.
Commenting on the decision, the developer’s director Francis Firmstone said the company was looking forward to creating a "fantastic new neighbourhood that Bedminster deserves."
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Mr Firmstone said: "This is brilliant news for the future of this important part of Bedminster and for East Street. We can now get going on the regeneration of St Catherine's Place and start delivering the homes and investment the area so badly needs, as well as supporting the revival of East Street.
"We believe our proposals will create a step-change for the area, creating a real focal point for the local community, as well as generating jobs and supporting local businesses and providing 180 new homes for the city.”
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Firmstone had appealed to local people for their input on what should happen to St Catherine’s Place, having previously had plans rejected by the council on two occasions.
Its first plan for new residential tower blocks providing 205 new homes and to redevelop the shopping centre to include a cinema , with objections raised over the height of the new buildings.
A spokesperson for Firsmstones told Business Live’s sister website Bristol Live that as the cinema operator was unable to make a commercial commitment beyond this timescale. They added that the loss of the cinema would reduce the project’s retail offering.