Zero affordable homes for new developments

The former Elizabeth Shaw chocolate factory in Greenbank and the Brooks Laundry complex in St Werburgh’s are the latest redevelopment plans put forward without any proposals for affordable homes.

Developers and landowners at the two sites are seeking to gain approval from councillors, despite missing the council’s own policy of 30 per cent affordable homes.

The applications, both submitted in December last year, come as Bristol recorded the highest rent rises in the country last year, and the BS5 area – where the chocolate factory lies – recorded some of the highest house price rises in the city.

It also comes following an investigation by Bristol24/7 which revealed that two thirds of all applications for major developments are being approved under the council’s target for affordable homes – with a quarter being approved with no affordable housing at all.

Firms behind the plans at Brooks and the former chocolate factory said they undertook strict financial viability studies which concluded that selling the homes at below the market rate would make the projects not commercially feasible.

The former chocolate factory plans, put forward by developers Generator South West and drawn up by Architecture 519, include 138 new homes made up of 91 flats and 47 new houses. All but three original buildings of the factory, which closed in 2006, have been demolished for the site which runs alongside the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.

Generator South West said the chocolate factory was a “difficult and challenging site”, pointing out that previous plans have failed due to commercial viability.

A spokesperson added: “Following positive feedback, the application proposes a broad mix of apartments and houses, significant retention of key factory buildings, community indoor and outdoor space, employment space, café/restaurant, and new pedestrian and cycle routes.

“In order to achieve these aspirations, a viability assessment was submitted with the application in light of the local community benefits being proposed.”

Early plans for the Brooks Laundry complex have been put forward as an outline planning application – which means the landowner is seeking approval for the project in general terms, with the details to be agreed upon at a later date when a developer submits the final application.

102 one, two and three bedroom homes are planned for the site where the landmark 30-metre chimney is earmarked for demolition to make space to extend Mina Road Park.

The plans have been put forward on behalf of the landowner (Folland Limited) by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). The designs have been drawn up by Ferguson Mann Architects, a firm founded by city mayor George Ferguson which he stepped away from when he became mayor  in 2012.

Kevin Hunt, planning director at JLL, said: “We have undertaken a detailed assessment of the viability of the scheme, taking into account the development costs including local highways works, the need to alleviate flood risk, de-contamination and the cost of retaining and converting some of the existing buildings and are currently in negotiations with Bristol City Council regarding the affordable housing that can be delivered by the development.”

If the outline planning application is successful, it is likely to make the land more valuable and easier to sell to prospective developers and investors. 

Dan Carey, chair of Brooks Planning Group, said many residents are withholding their views until they see more details under a full planning application. But he added he was “very, very disappointed” to see zero per cent affordable homes.

The applications will go before a committee of city councillors who will take the final decisions. The mayor has no role in planning.

Read more: Bristol’s affordable housing failure revealed