This application involves the demolition of a multi-storey car park and the redevelopment of the site to provide student accommodation with associated amenity space, flexible commercial and/or community floorspace.
Bristol Civic Society reviewed these proposals at pre-app and full application stages and identified significant issues in the comments we made (see our initial assessment). It is regrettable that the applicants have failed to address our comments and there is no explanation why.
This is a wonderful opportunity to replace an over-tall, ugly and incongruous building with something that is worthy of its location in the heart of the historic core of the city. Unfortunately, the building proposed in this application fails to meet up to our expectation; in some respects, it is worse than the existing.
An opportunity has been missed to replace a building that disfigures an important conservation area of the city. The building is too high, over-prominent in important views across the city. The centre block around the twin core should be reduced by 4 storeys and the corner block reduced by 1 storey, which would reduce the number of rooms from 503 to 468.
Bristol Civic Society cannot support the application as it is currently proposed.