£30m Redcliffe Wharf scheme set for green light

The proposed £30m redevelopment of the Redcliffe Wharf site on Bristol’s floating harbour is set to move forward with plans recommended for approval when they go before the council. (8 November 2017).Earlier this year, Complex Development Projects (CDP) submitted a planning application to Bristol City Council for the site, which has been vacant for the past 30 years.The main feature of the scheme is a 40,000 sq ft office building for professional services company Arup, which will relocates its 350-strong Bristol team to Redcliffe Wharf from nearby St Thomas Street.The proposals also include a mix of waterside cafés and restaurants with outside terraces overlooking the harbour, as well as workshops and 36 residential units.It has been estimated that the scheme could support the creation of 200 full and part-time jobs in addition to the 350 Arup staff who will relocate.The planning and listed building applications for the project will be considered by Bristol City Council’s development control committee on 8 November 2017.A report from the planning officer to be considered at the meeting recommends that consent is granted, subject to the signing of a Section 106 agreement that will secure financial contributions including funding for affordable housing and improved access to the nearby Quaker Burial Ground.Redcliffe Wharf is currently vacant with three derelict buildings on the south-eastern corner dating back to the 17th and 1th centuries. It includes a number of listed structures, including the grade II wharf wall and bollards, and is located within the Redcliffe Conservation Area.Plans for the council-owned site were previously brought forward in 2007, but later abandoned due to poor economic conditions. Following a competitive bidding process, CDP was appointed to develop the site in 2012, followed on completion by the grant of a 150-year lease.