Property developer Downing has announced proposals for a major city centre scheme
Property developer Downing has submitted plans for a scheme in Bristol(Image: Handout)
Plans to transform an NCP multi-storey car park in Bristol into student housing have been submitted to the city council. Downing’s proposals for the Nelson Street scheme include redeveloping the ground-floor commercial units and building a 12-storey Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) block.
Under the plans, the property developer and student accommodation specialist is planning to build 331 bedrooms across a mix of studios, cluster flats and accessible rooms. The scheme also includes “active” ground-floor uses and public realm improvements.
Situated between Lewins Mead, St James Barton, and the Old City, the development a five-minute walk from Bristol Bus Station and 20 minutes from Temple Meads station. The scheme will be car-free and designed to encourage walking, cycling, and public transport use, according to Downing.
Martin Fenlon, associate projects director at Downing, said: “Our proposals represent an exciting opportunity to transform an underused site into a high-quality, sustainable development that supports Bristol City Council’s ambitions for the Broadmead area.
A CGI of what the Downing development in Bristol might look like(Image: Handout)
“We’ve worked hard to design a scheme that enhances the local townscape, improves connectivity, and delivers much-needed student accommodation while fostering wellbeing and biodiversity. We look forward to continuing to work with the Council and the community as the plans progress.”
Downing said the design had been “carefully considered” to respect the area’s existing character, topography, and key viewpoints within Bristol’s skyline, “ensuring no harm to the city’s visual heritage”.
Inclusive and accessible external spaces form a key part of the proposals, it added, and the scheme is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating.