Alan Morris

The Council has made two planning application for the Arena Island (the Island). The main application is to build the Arena and the second is for an outline permission to develop the remainder of the Island once the Arena is complete.

The PG Group plan to apply for planning permission to build a terrace of ten houses on the former car park of the Empire Sports Club, which will face onto Newfoundland Road.

Harbour Hotels (HH) has planning permission to convert the former Grade II listed HSBC bank, 49-51 Corn Street to hotel use. It is sad to see Bristol’s rich heritage of Corn Street banks abandoned by their former owners.

Moves for massive improvements in MetroWest, Bristol’s suburban railway system, are now under way. Dreams of campaigners for many years are about to become reality.

These six listed Redcliffe Parade houses are a conspicuous landmark above the harbour. Currently, they are empty offices. The insensitive 1970s office conversion of nos. 3– 8 Redcliffe Parade West caused significant harm to the previously six separate Georgian townhouses.

1-4 Portland Square, St. Pauls The scheme would create 40 new apartments from an empty and unlettable office block. The Portland Square elevation is Grade I listed, which is rare in Bristol. The building behind the facade is a concrete frame structure built after bomb damage. The Society supports the proposal, which would return an

St. George’s Music Trust has ambitious plans to repair the church, refurbish the crypt and hall and to build an extension in the garden. The plan includes the creation of new entrances, building a garden facing cafe/bar, foyer, and a box office.

City and Country propose to redevelop Regents House and Consort House. Only the Grade II listed facades of the former Imperial Tobacco headquarters remain. The scheme would convert the offices to flats use and build new blocks of flats on the car park at the back in St. John’s Road.

The Council believes that there is a better way to manage Temple Gate to develop it into a destination worthy of a European Green Capital with new buildings, public realm, including a new public square, of the highest quality.

The Society supports the ‘Temple Greenways’ proposals for pedestrian/cycle routes near the to-be-developed arena site, at the back of Temple Meads station. The proposals are a further element of a series of developments around Temple Meads station.

At their March 2015 meeting, the Planning Committee approved the School’s listed building application for consent to make changes to the interior of the Grade I listed building to expand its intake.

Avon Fire and Rescue headquarters occupy a large site between Temple Street and Temple Back. To the Society’s regret, the Planning Committee granted this building planning permission on the Planning Officer’s recommendation.