Bristol eyesore may wait 10 years before revamp
One of Bristol's worst eyesore sites is in danger of remaining undeveloped for another 10 years.
Temple Circus Developments want to demolish the derelict Grosvenor Hotel near Temple Meads railway station and replace it with an eight-storey office block.
They also want to restore the George and Railway Hotel next door with a cafe/bar on the ground floor and offices above.
But councillors are today being urged by planning officials to give consent for the George and Railway scheme but turn down the plans for the Grosvenor Hotel site.
Dan Bramwell, spokesman for the developers, said the recommendation for refusal could leave the site derelict for another decade.
He is urging councillors to defer the Grosvenor Hotel plan for further negotiations.
Mr Bramwell said: "Despite our willingness to work with the city council and spending more than £500,000 on design costs, we are effectively back where we were seven years ago.
"We have been urging officers to defer the comprehensive application (Grosvenor Hotel and George and Railway Hotel plans combined) so we can take another look at the issue."
He said they were well aware of the council's aspirations to create a transport hub near the roundabout on Temple Way to accommodate the long-awaited rapid transit (bendybus) system to ease traffic congestion.
But they were prepared to work with the council so it could achieve its new transport layout.
Mr Bramwell said: "I hope the committee sees sense in deferring this.
"If it decides to refuse planning permission, then it will sterilise the site with the prospect of Bristol's greatest eyesore remaining for yet another decade."
Councillors turned down plans to develop what is known as the Temple Circus site earlier this year.
The former Grosvenor Hotel stands on a traffic island while the George and Railway Hotel is next to the remains of a railway viaduct and an old taxi office.
Councillors turned down the Grosvenor Hotel scheme on the grounds that the proposed office block was too big and too high. But they indicated that there were prepared to give permission for the George and Railway scheme on the southern part of the site.
The former hotel, which closed down 16 years ago, is a Grade II listed building.
The developers resubmitted their plans after a planning inspector upheld an appeal for a tall office block in nearby Victoria Street.
Councillors were discussing the plans at a meeting of the Development Control (Central) committee today.
11 Comments
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by Steve Bush, Bristol
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 8:54PM
“Planning in this city has always been a pathetic joke. This is but another example. The developers have probably given the £500,000 to the wrong people!”
by Martin, North Bristol
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 2:28PM
“I see there is also a seperate application for the ground floor and basement of the Grosvenor hotel (thats the building that holds the hostel). They are not looking to develop any other part of the site other than touching up the frontage of the Grosvenor and turning the ground floor area into food/cafe/retail. Should the council approve this application (more likely) you can kiss goodbye to any form of development for the rest of the site for years as any serious developer looking to take on this site would require demolishing all but the George Railway hotel”
by Alex, Redcliffe
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 1:52PM
“Martin ¿ the irony is that I don¿t think the developers could do much to make the sight "blight views of redcliffe church and temple meads" any more than it already does. The council are worried about the height of a building yet don¿t seem to mind that the current one is in an awful state and inhabited by druggies!”
by Martin, North Bristol
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 12:13PM
“Chris, that may be the case but this site has already been derelict for 20+ years so there is every reason to believe that if these plans are thrown out, it will be 10 years plus before anything happens. The trouble is the council does not want anything that will so say "blight" views of redcliff church and temple meads yet the developer has to build something fairly big on the basis they have to make it financially viable on such a small site”
by The Hedgehog, Horfield
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 11:45AM
“The bendybus is NOT a rapid transit scheme. That was torpedoed by a squabble between North and South Dibley parish councils.
It's just a BUS - OK?”
by hannah, bristol
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 10:26AM
“chris said:
Just don't believe everything you read, especially on this site.
oi!! christophe? you avin a go at my beloved BEP?”
by Chris, Bristol
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 10:07AM
“Alex, the '10 years' bit is just something made up by the developer to put pressure on the council to approve their scheme.
Out here in the real world it happens all the time. Interested parties hype up their own case and seek to undermine that of their oponents.
Just don't believe everything you read, especially on this site.”
by steve, Clevedon
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 9:43AM
“What's new ? It can join Clevedon Pier Hotel and Weston's Tropicana. If you witnessed how long it took Bristol City Council to decide on the proposed Ashton Vale stadium it's no surprise it takes them this long to actually DO anything !!”
by Walter Tower, Knowle
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 9:39AM
“The BBC just broadcast a programme about the Hostel in the former Grosvenor Hotel. Then, strangely enough, there's then a statement by the developers that it'll take ten years to get things on the site sorted.
Across the road, on what is now a car park, was the other half of the railway viaduct. That, as I understood, was a listed building/structure? Somehow, it was "mistakenly" demolished. (oops).
So, what will happen here in the end?
As the BBC have been involved, an authority will probably end up closing the hostel.
The building will end up empty, boarded-up and full of druggies and then the "suspicious fire" that seems to spread to all empty buildings, will force demolition!”
by Alex, Redcliffe
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 9:14AM
“I am absolutely disgusted that the council would consider making a decision that could leave this hideous building looking like it is for another 10 years. I am not surprised though ¿ Bristol has the most ineffectual bumbling council I have known. JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN!
This does highlight the problems with the whole listed building thing. I think the whole site should just be knocked down. So what, it¿s only a pile of bricks!
I am very concerned though about any plans to make this area a ¿transport hub¿. The roads around the site are congested enough already so if there was an increase in road using public transport it would be a nightmare ¿ this will need careful consideration.
Finally ¿ I am absolutely delighted that at least one of the two buildings will definitely have work approved. However, please remind me someone which one is which. The description is not the nest in the article. Which building is the one nearest the Victoria St/Temple Way roundabout? This is the one that needs demolishing so that the druggies and drunks who currently live there (at taxpayers¿ expense no doubt) can be moved out ASAP and stop polluting the area with their foul behaviour and special brew fueled antics.”