Housing Factory site developer to offer six more affordable homes

DEVELOPERS have offered Bristol City Council a choice of providing six more affordable homes or an expensive appeal.

- Alex SEABROOK Local democracy reporter [e-mail]

A site near Temple Meads has been left empty for years after planning permission was granted for 221 flats as they try to cut how many will be affordable.

Donard Homes blamed delays in the planning process for the cut in affordable housing at the former Bart Spices site, on the corner of York Road and St Luke’s Road in Bedminster. Construction costs have risen sharply recently, making building in Bristol the eighth most expensive in the world.

Last month councillors on the development control B committee faced pressure to permit Donard to reduce the number of affordable apartments from 66 down to just 25.

They instead asked council planning officers to get back round the negotiating table with developers.

The result of those negotiations means the same committee now has a choice next week of permitting 31 affordable flats, six more than were on offer before, or denying permission for the development to go ahead. If that happens, the developers are threatening to appeal that denial.