Progress on new ‘gateway to Bristol’

At the point where a tunnel once connected the Royal Mail sorting office to Bristol Temple Meads, a new station entrance is being created.

When it is finished, the eastern entrance to the station will open directly onto the University of Bristol’s Enterprise Campus, which forms part of the wider regeneration of an area that has largely stood derelict for many years.

Converging on what is still currently a building site on Wednesday morning, a group of the city’s top politicians, along with university and transport leaders hailed the £94.7m refurbishment of the station as a landmark moment.

“I’m thrilled to see we are firmly on track to see this brand-new entrance at Brunel’s iconic station – a gateway in and out of this amazing city that’s worthy of the name,” said Dan Norris, metro mayor for the West of England.

A month after work on the new eastern entrance first got underway, the site is still a far cry from the CGI images of the finished building. Piles have been driven 20 metres deep into the ground to stop the trains above from falling through while demolition work gets underway to create a new tunnel that will eventually link up with the existing subway. Many of the original bricks will then be reused in the new build.

The new eastern entrance to Bristol Temple Meads is due to be finished by the end of 2024 – but won’t be open until 2026 – image: Network Rail

The eastern entrance is expected to be finished by the end of next year but it won’t be open to the public until completion of the university campus, which is currently estimated to be in 2026. Within the next few years, it will also be joined by new northern and southern entrances,

The new entrances are being funded by £94.7m from central government for the Temple Quarter development through the West of England Combined Authority.

Network Rail bosses forecast that by 2030, some 2.5m people will be using the eastern entrance alone each year.

Marvin Rees says the new entrance to Bristol Temple Meads will “open the station up to Bristol” – photo: CB Bristol Design 2023

Speaking at the site on Wednesday, mayor Marvin Rees said the station had “had its back to Bristol” and this regeneration will “truly open it up” to the city.

Alongside the university campus and station improvements, there are plans to build 500 new homes, two office blocks, retail space, student accommodation, a hotel and conference centre on the empty plot that was once earmarked as the site of the Bristol arena.

Accessed via a structure dubbed ‘the bridge to nowhere’, Temple Island – as it is now known – appears to remain a soggy brownfield site.

But Rees told Bristol24/7 that a lot of work is being undertaken by Legal & General, the firm that secured a £350m deal with Bristol City Council to develop the plot in 2022. And he says he is confident that the finished development will feed into the inclusive growth and provide homes that the city desperately needs.

“We’ve set up a joint delivery vehicle. Bristol City Council will need to continue to do its job to drive that development forward. We’ve been very clear that the Sustainable Development Goals need to be at the heart of what we do. But I’ll tell you what will not work for Bristol, and that’s not getting stuff done,” said Rees.

“What will not work for Bristol people is not building any homes, not providing the 22,000 jobs that Temple Quarter will deliver over the coming years

“So we have to, as a city council, have the confidence and ability to partner with national and public organisations, with the private sector to deliver for the people of Bristol.”

Temple Island is set to be redeveloped with new homes, offices, a hotel, conference centre and student accommodation  – photo: Ellie Pipe

Barra Mac Ruairi, Bristol University’s chief property officer, reiterated a commitment to creating a new campus that is open to everyone and one that will provide jobs for people in neighbouring communities.

“You’ll come here and feel it’s very much part of this part of the city’s realm. I think the biggest public realm that has been produced in the city for a long time,” he told Bristol24/7.

“We have to recruit and we have a ‘joiners programme’ to fill a variety of roles. The programme of activity will be set out to be as inclusive as we possibly can but also maintain our purpose that it is a massive investment in the future and trajectory of the university in this city and actually in the world.”

Main photo: Ellie Pipe

Read next:

• Work begins on new eastern entrance to Temple Meads 
• Give your views on latest plans for Temple Island 
• Plans to close rail ticket offices in Bristol scrapped 

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