Plans for a seven-storey mixed-use building on a high-profile site on Bristol’s Harbourside have been criticised by heritage advisory body Historic England.
It has written to Bristol City Council formally objecting to the scheme, pictured, saying it would harm the setting of Bristol Cathedral while also blocking important views of the city centre.
Developer Bell Hammer and Railpen, asset manager for one of the UK’s largest pension funds, have teamed up with Bristol architects AHMM on the £60m on the vacant site between the Revolucion de Cuba bar and Lloyds Amphitheatre.
Called Waterside, it would be one of the city’s most sustainable new buildings, according to the team, with offices, shops and restaurants as well as a 210-space bike hub and a green roof.
It would also include elements that would help it achieve a 264% biodiversity net gain as well as solar panels generating renewable energy.
The same team last year had considered developing a seven-storey, 151-room hotel with restaurants and bars on the same site before abandoning that plan.
Historic England, which describes its role as looking after the country’s historic environment, said it was not opposed to development on the site but added “this scheme is not good enough to justify the damage it would cause to the city docks conservation area”. 
Ross Simmonds, Historic England acting South West director, said: “We are concerned about how this scheme would impact the character and people’s appreciation of this historic part of the city centre.
“It would have a detrimental effect on views from the Floating Harbour up to the cathedral and cityscape beyond.”
Historic England development advice team leader Simon Hickman added: “We recognise the potential of the Waterfront site. The right scheme in this location could make a positive contribution to Bristol, but any proposal for this site must be equal in quality the outstanding surrounding cityscape.”
The site has remained undeveloped since the Harbourside area was regenerated from its original dockside industrial uses in the 1980s and 1990s.
At that time it was earmarked for Bristol’s ill-fated performing arts centre. An eye-catching building designed by German architectural practice Behnisch and Behnisch, its advocates said it would do for Bristol what the Opera House has done for Sydney.
However, it fell victim to Arts Council funding cuts and was scrapped.
