Construction work is about to start on Bristol’s tallest building – a 26-storey residential development in the city centre.
The deal to develop the landmark 375-home tower block, pictured, on the former ambulance station site next to Castle Park was announced earlier this week. 
It brings together Linkcity, the UK property development arm of French building giant Bouygues, with the government’s housing and regeneration agency Homes England, Bristol City Council, M&G Real Estate and housing association Yarlington Housing Group.
The 180,000 sq ft building on brownfield land jointly owned by Homes England and the city council, will be known as Castle Park View.
The deal follows more than two years of extensive work by Homes England, the council and Linkcity to turn the scheme into reality on the site.
It will be designed by architecture practice Chapman Taylor, which has an office in Bristol, with Bouygues UK as the main contractor. It is expected to be ready for occupation in 2022.
M&G Real Estate will own and manage 300 one and two-bedroom apartments for private rent while Yarlington will take ownership of the remaining 75 one, two and three-bedroom apartments for its tenants.
The building has brought together two controversial topics linked to Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees’ approach to housing in the city – tall buildings and the provision of affordable housing in private sector-led schemes.
Mayor Rees riled some opposition councillors and commentators two years ago by calling for a revision of planning restrictions on tall buildings to give Bristol a “bolder skyline”.
Last year, he launched a consultation on new urban living proposals, by adding: “I want Bristol’s skyline to grow. Years of low-level buildings and a reluctance to build up in an already congested city….. is something I am keen to change”.
His authority has also come under fire for its approach to the proportion of affordable housing in private-led schemes, with some critics saying it was too low.
A previous threshold of 40% was halved to 20% in some areas of the city last year so long as developers built their schemes within 18 months of receiving planning consent.
Mayor Rees said: “We have been working together with Linkcity and Homes England for some time with the shared ambition of seeing this complex site turned into a landmark development that delivers new homes that our city desperately needs.
“By working together, we have been able to increase the amount of affordable housing on the site from 12% to 20%. This is an important milestone and we look forward to construction starting soon to bring this project to life.”
Homes England Senior Specialist Public Sector Land Kelly Hillman said Castle Park View was a great example of what Homes England could do with its partners when it intervened in the housing market.
“It showcases good design by bringing an inspiring new building to Bristol on a challenging public-sector land site,” she said. “It also demonstrates our commitment to diversify the housing market with the delivery of a private rented sector product alongside affordable homes.”
Linkcity managing director Nicolas Guérin said reaching financial close on the project paved the way for the regeneration of a brownfield site into high-quality new homes for Bristol.
“Having completed major schemes across the UK, we are experienced at working with local councils and multiple partners to maximise the potential of disused sites and are really pleased to be collaborating with M&G Real Estate, Yarlington, Bristol City Council and Homes England on this exciting development.”
Property consultants Savills’ Bristol office planning team secured permission for the scheme, while its capital markets team in London, alongside its development team in Bristol, subsequently acted for M&G on the forward funding of the development.
Head of Planning for Savills in Bristol, Craig O’Brien, said: “After a complex planning process, we are delighted to have secured permission for this scheme, which will bring 375 much-needed new homes into to the city centre, where land supply is notoriously low.
“At 26 floors it will be the tallest building in Bristol and provide both PRS (private rented sector) and affordable housing. Situated between Cabot Circus and the more recent Finzels Reach development, it will bring new life to a part of the city that has been out of use for years. Inspired by the old castle wall which once stood on the site, the building will transform Bristol’s skyline.”
Bristol’s tallest building at present is the 80m, 18-floor Castlemead office block on the edge of Broadmead and within a few hundred metres of Castle Park View.
However, the council has given approval for a 22-storey residential block as part of the Redcliff redevelopment scheme.
Last year the University of Bristol reduced the height of one of the planned student accommodation blocks on its planned Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus from 25 storeys to 21.
Ironically, Castle Park View also brings Bouygues UK back into partnership with the city council two years after the authority removed it as main building contractor on the now-abandoned £92m arena near Temple Meads in a dispute over costs.
