Cabot Gate

25/14053/P Outline planning application for a development comprising up to 600 student beds (Sui Generis) and up to 300 sq. m floorspace within classes E and F2 uses, together with associated servicing and access arrangements, landscaping, amenity space and ground works. Approval sought, in part, for Access, Appearance, Layout, and Scale.

Summary of our comments.

1. Poor layout and urban planning.
2. No justification for tower design.
3. Disappointing response to the site parameters
4. Poor and bland design and a missed opportunity.
5. Will create harm to adjoining heritage assets.

We are disappointed that no notice of our preapplication comments, see below, have been taken on board when the design team have developed the design since the first pre application. We believe this development has been detrimental to the design and we cannot support the proposals as shown.

We are surprised that no one, not even Design West or the City Design Group have challenged why a tower is the only solution. We would expect both Design West and the City Design to thoroughly interrogate the proposals, starting with a basic appraisal of the urban design.

All views of the proposals show the design in a poor light. The design does not respect the site’s history, local character or neighbouring heritage assets. The design of the tower is supposedly split into base, upper base, lower middle, upper middle and top supposedly reflecting the design of historic assets within the city. These are tenuous links at best and in no way reflect the quality and architectural heritage of Bristol. We find referencing of vertical emphasis, expressing the crown, the relief, rhythm and articulation of Bristol byzantine architecture to be fictious and wrong. The design should reflect modern materials and be of its time, using materials in a way that is forward thinking to create a Bristol of the future and a gateway to the city.

Ian Jenkins