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Future of the Carriageworks to be decided
The future of the Carriageworks, one of Bristol’s most notorious eyesores, will finally be decided by planning officials.
An application to develop Westmoreland House and the adjacent Carrigeworks site has been submitted to the city council with planners due to consider it on April 8.
Mayor George Ferguson said the council are “committed to the regeneration of this eyesore site, but up until now have been unable to work with the owners to secure a realistic and deliverable planning consent”.
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“However, we understand they are now working with a third party who are seeking planning permission develop the site.”
Fifth Capital, which has a controlling interest in the site, with an option to buy from owners Comer, has plans for flats, commercial and community space.
Campaigners believe the application process is a delaying tactic to halt the Compulsory Purchase of the site by the city council.
However, Ferguson confirmed that they had received a “planning and listed building applications from a company called Fifth Capital London Ltd.
Bristol24/7 understands that Fifth Capital has secured an interest in the site from the owner.
Fifth Capital have said it is a difficult site to develop, but if the plans were approved it would expect to start building at the earliest in the autumn. The building work would take about two years.
A spokesman said: “Fifth Capital is absolutely committed to designing and building a scheme that does justice to the Carriageworks and Westmoreland House site.
“We know that there is a lot of passion about the site’s future, and that it has a long history of dereliction and failed attempts to bring forward development. We have put together a strong team and feel that Assael Architecture have created a really good set of proposals. We are new to the site, but this is an opportunity for a fresh start and we are committed to seeing this project through.
Local campaigners had hoped that a compulsory purchase order (CPO) by Bristol City Council for the site would finally allow the building to be redeveloped by the preferred developers Knightstone.
The council has confirmed that it will “continue to liaise with Knightstone Housing Association to consider the options for a CPO, should the owner either fail to secure planning consent or to develop the site”.
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