Housing Shopping centre bosses submit plan for 600-room student tower block

THE firm that runs Bristol's biggest shopping centre has formally submitted plans to redevelop the area at the gateway to Bristol city centre, with a 600-room student accommodation block.

- Tristan CORK

Hammerson is asking city council planners for permission to transform the area between Newfoundland Way at the bottom of the M32 and the Cabot Circus multi-storey car park.

The planning application includes a 28-storey tower block which would be a PBSA - purpose-built student accommodation - for 600 students, along with a multipurpose community pavilion, a pocket park and some flexible outdoor amenity space.

At present the space at the approach to the distinctive multi-storey car park, with its twin spiral external ramps, is used by a vehicle rental company, but Hammerson want to redevelop it with what will be one of Bristol's tallest buildings, right at the entrance to the city for people travelling down the M32.