Background
Construction work continues on the delivery of the much-anticipated c£375m Silverthorne Lane regeneration project in Bristol’s Temple Quarter. The development received unanimous planning approval by Bristol City Council’s Development Control Committee in August in 2020, and was referred to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for final approval. In April 2022 the development was given the green light to proceed by the Housing Minister with regeneration now well under way.
The Silverthorne Lane regeneration project
The regeneration of Silverthorne Lane consists of six plots, all with planning permission in place and work progressing on various elements:
Plot 1
Outline planning permission for new building providing employment, research and learning space to be delivered by the University of Bristol as part of the adjacent Temple Quarter Campus.
Plots 2- 4
Full planning permission for a vibrant new canalside community of homes and commercial employment space to be delivered by Bristol-based developer, StudioHIVE, with revised proposals for residential and commercial development at Plots 2 & 3 submitted in 2024 and awaiting determination. You can find out more about the revised proposals for Plots 2 & 3 here.
Plot 5
Full planning permission for Oasis Academy Temple Quarter - A long-awaited new secondary school and sixth form delivered by the Department for Education which is now under construction.
Plot 6
Full planning permission for a development of purpose-built student accommodation which is under construction and nearing completion, following a revised planning application in 2022.
Revised proposals for Plot 4 – Restoring historic fabric to provide commercial employment space
Since planning permission was originally obtained for the redevelopment of Plot 4, StudioHIVE has been carrying out further work to refine the proposals with a focus on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Grade II listed former erecting sheds situated off Silverthorne Lane.
This work, led by StudioHIVE Architects, has resulted in a new approach which seeks to re-establish the erecting sheds as a single form and volume with a continuous roofline, reflecting the original form. This will include the insetting of a new building within the heritage fabric structure. This will “pop up” over the central stone gable. The new approach will also improve public permeability through the site, pulling the new building away from the historic western façade to create a new Heritage walkway route. This will improve pedestrian movement between Silverthorne Lane and the proposed new canalside community at the Iron Works (Plots 2 & 3).
The design revisions will deliver a much more efficient employment space, both in terms of function and sustainability. The new commercial space will align with the latest British Council for Offices (BCO) guidelines, and deliver a healthy and sustainable working environment with the aim to achieve a Net Zero Carbon building that is designed to BREEAM “Excellent”, Fitwell and ActiveScore standards.
StudioHIVE has established this dedicated consultation website to provide an opportunity for the community to view the revised design approach for Plot 4 Silverthorne Lane prior to submitting a new planning application to Bristol City Council.