Stokes Croft: January 2021 update

2-18 Stokes Croft and 2 Moon Street

A revised application has been submitted for this site comprising the demolition of existing buildings, erection of student accommodation, ancillary student services, flexible commercial floorspace and associated works including cycle parking, landscaping, and refuse storage.

Overall, the Society welcomes the redevelopment of this underused and unattractive site. We support the proposal but still have reservations about some of the design elements. The Society welcomes the increase in employment space and the changes to the ground floor frontage to Stokes Croft. Our preference for conventional residential accommodation rather than student accommodation remains. We have made a number of comments intended to help secure positive changes to the proposal, not to seek refusal.

We welcome the more traditional shopfronts proposed for the Stokes Croft elevation which will be more in keeping with the character of the Conservation Area. Although the mansard roof has been set back further, we still have reservations about the design of the dormer windows which seem far too prominent and do not relate well to windows on the lower storeys.

The increased width of the footpath opposite the Full Moom pub is welcome and we have suggested that this be extended into Moon Street. We have also urged that the opportunity should be taken to liaise with other developers active in the immediate area to secure wider public realm improvements.

The Society would prefer to see conventional residential accommodation than more student housing but acknowledges the policy constraints until new policies have been adopted. We have urged the developers, however, to design the student accommodation so that it could be converted to flats if appropriate at a future date.

John Payne

Full Civic Society response.

Civic Society review of initial proposal.

 

1 thought on “Stokes Croft: January 2021 update”

  1. J. Montagu-Arthur

    It is implied in this update that the ‘development’ will increase the attractiveness of the site. By the looks of the rendering supplied and its architectural sloppiness, I am somewhat surprised that the Stokes Croft area is going to carry on its mission of blatantly ugly and haphazard renovations. If one looks at Georgian terraces on Portland Square, they will agree upon the ‘attractiveness’ of the buildings – however, developments nearby, which look very much like the one above, render the beauty of the Georgian terraces in a awkward conflict between elegance and architectural drab. However, I understand the incentives at play for this development so I take aim merely at the lack of regard the architecture has, not only of its surroundings but, with basic aesthetics. It is with a consolidated sadness that sustained developments such as the above will render the area more akin to Luton than to Clifton.

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