Tower block plan branded 'aberration'

PLANS to build a 23-storey tower of flats and student accommodation in South Bristol have been hit with fresh criticism.

- ALEX SEABROOK Local Democracy Reporter

Developers are applying to Bristol City Council for planning permission to build the giant block of student flats in between the Banana Bridge and Victoria Park.

These plans were slammed as a “nightmare aberration” and with “suboptimal liveability”. Tall towers are shooting up elsewhere in Bristol, like the city centre, but south of the river has not yet seen many tall buildings being constructed.

Proponents of building tall purpose-built student accommodation say that this relieves the pressure on the housing market, as fewer students compete for a scarce number of shared houses. But critics of these tall towers say they harm historic and important views of Bristol, as well as needing more carbon-intensive steel and concrete to build, and energy to heat and cool.