News / Hamilton House
Yet more artists forced to leave Hamilton House
Artists, whose livelihoods have already been affected by a cloud of uncertainty hanging over Hamilton House, now face eviction by the end of June.
This latest blow comes in the wake of a failed bid by owners Connolly and Callaghan (C&C) to secure permission to develop the City Road-facing area of the building (known as block C) into flats, due to what the council deemed to be a failure to comply with existing regulations.
The sticking point is that the use of the Stokes Croft hub as artists’ studios does not, according to planning officers, comply with the allowed use of the space as B1 (a) office use.
is needed now More than ever
C&C bosses – acting on advice of planning consultants – refute the ruling, but in the meantime, say they are “compelled to comply” and are therefore evicting several current tenants from their work space while they go through the appeal process.
Passions ran high as members of the Hamilton House community fought for its future at a meeting in July 2017
This marks yet another chapter in a saga that has been going on for months, as custodians Coexist and the wider collective of artists and business owners who call Hamilton House home fight for its future as a community hub, in the midst of plans for redevelopment and increasing uncertainty.
In March, tenants of block C had to relocate to make way for the proposed new homes, and now, with the dust barely settled, scores more will be forced to leave at short notice.
An artist clearing their space in March 2018 (photo by Colin Moody)
Orange figurines lined the streets outside Hamilton House to portray the artists that have had to leave
The latest news comes just weeks after artists staged a protest at the number of tenants who have already had to find alternative premises by lining the streets of Stokes Croft with miniature orange figurines.
C&C says it has no choice but to issue the notice after an application submitted by a third party threatened to come in the way of development plans, which the company says will pay for necessary upgrades to secure the future of the building, part of which it will keep for community use.
Fran Connolly, chief operating officer of the C&C Group said: “Hamilton House cannot have long-term security as a community hub without a viable financial plan, so we are now faced with having to defend against this action to ensure that the mutually-agreed plan to secure its long-term future can continue.
“Until the city council’s decision has been overturned at appeal, which we have lodged, then we must ensure that Hamilton House is used in accordance with that decision.
“Therefore, we are now forced to formally require Coexist and its licensees to comply with the existing lawful use of Hamilton House, which is B1(a) – office use – as currently defined by Bristol City Council’s planning department.
“If and when our appeal is successful, we hope to welcome back any licensees who may be displaced to comply with the planning permission, and to continue to work with Coexist to change the lawful planning use of block A (the Stokes Croft facing part of the building) to meet the current and future needs of the community.”
The company insists it is committed to securing the long-term stability of the community hub at Hamilton House and is working to conclude a 10-year lease with Coexist.
The permitted development application outlined plans to build 34 homes “for affordable rental to local people, while securing the community hub more than 20,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space for small business startups and artists.”
Connolly added: “We shall work closely with Coexist to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum, until Bristol City Council’s decision can be overturned and we can continue towards our collective desire to secure a long-term, viable future for the community hub.”
It is not known at this stage how many artists will be affected by the latest order. The Canteen remains unaffected because it is privately owned, and has its own planning permission.
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