Bristol City Council has approved plans to replace a factory with 68 new homes, addressing local housing needs while ensuring flood safety measures are in place.
The council approved the project during a meeting on January 29. Woodstock Homes will demolish Concrete Fabrication Limited on Blackswarth Road, next to the River Avon. However, they still need to finalize flood defense details before construction can start.
The new apartments will have one or two bedrooms, and there will be 44 parking spaces. Initially, the plan was for 85 homes, but the number was reduced for safety reasons. The tallest buildings will now be four stories instead of six.
Currently, none of the homes will be classified as “affordable.” A viability assessment showed that selling any as affordable housing wouldn’t be profitable for the developers.
Green Councillor Rob Bryher noted that while there are no affordable homes now, the design has improved significantly. He mentioned that a safer crossing will be included in the plans, which should benefit the local area.
To protect against floods, an embankment will be built along the southern edge of the site. The Environment Agency has raised concerns about flood risks. Improvements will also be made to Blackswarth Road, including traffic calming measures and wider pavements.
Councillors unanimously approved the plans. Labour Cllr Fabian Breckels emphasized the need for housing and the potential for new flood defenses in the area, which currently lacks good public transport options.
