Part of a major urban regeneration site on former industrial land close to Bristol city centre has been acquired by a specialist residential developer – the latest in a string of deals as investors increasingly look for opportunities in the city.
London-based Platform_, a leading build-to-rent (BTR) developer, plans to build more than 300 homes on the 1.8-acre site on Eugene Street, St Judes. 
The site falls within the huge Frome Gateway redevelopment area, which is regarded as a key scheme to regenerate the mostly rundown area of the city either side of the River Frome and close to the M32.
The proposal, pictured, from Platform_, which it described as a “best-in-class” residential development, comes less than two months after another housing developer, MRP, said it planned to build around 750 homes on a nearby land also within Frome Gateway.
That high-profile site is currently occupied by the former Nisbets and Staples stores. London-based MRP’s scheme includes 500 purpose-built student accommodation units, a block of build-to-rent apartments of 200 homes and 56 affordable homes. 
Platform_ said it intended to create an attractive new neighbourhood with flexible employment space on the ground floor of its scheme, a new riverside walk and a pocket park.
The firm said with only four operational BTR developments currently in the city, the provision of high-quality purpose built BTR was far less in Bristol than other leading regional cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.
The firm, which has a portfolio of developments across the UK, said Bristol had been at the top of its target list for a long time.
The Eugene Street scheme is the firm’s the 12th BTR project and takes its operational and under development pipeline to more than 4,000 units with a completed value of £1.3bn.
Platform_ acquisitions director Stewart Knight said: “We are delighted to have secured a site in Bristol.
“We were attracted by the combination of a strong local economy, excellent demographics and a real shortage of high-quality, well-managed rental accommodation.
“We’re looking forward to working with the city’s planners to bring forward a planning application to deliver much needed new housing.”
Platform_ chief executive Jean-Marc Vandevivere added: “This is a unique opportunity for Platform_ to deliver over 300 quality homes contributing to the provision of much-needed housing required by this dynamic and growing city.”
Platform_ is now working with an expert project team to develop its vision, ahead of a submitting a planning application to Bristol City Council next January.
Ahead of this, a series of stakeholder and community consultation events will take place where local people will be invited to find out more about proposals and share their feedback.
The long-term Frome Gateway scheme will include more than 1,500 homes, hotel, workspace and student accommodation in its initial phases.
The site covers a significant area of largely low-level industrial land either side of the River Frome, and borders Riverside Park and Newfoundland Way, the road linking the M32 with the city centre and inner ring road.
