Elizabeth Shaw site 'will create 660 jobs' in Bristol
Plans to convert the former Elizabeth Shaw chocolate factory in Bristol are about to be determined, with developers saying the project would create 660 short and long-term jobs.
Developer Squarepeg is in the final stage of negotiating the building contract with a local company, just days before city planners meet to decide if the £40-million scheme can go ahead.
-
The scheme for the conversion of the factory in Greenbank includes creating more than 250 homes both within the Victorian premises and on land surrounding the building.
The 183 flats and three houses in the factory will be joined by 66 new-build homes, together with workshops and offices, a 20-bed youth hostel, community areas and shop and cafe space.
More than 20 of the homes will be so-called cycle houses, the first in the country, backing on to the Bristol to Bath cyclepath.
A public square, parking for 246 cars and cycle parking has also been included in the scheme.
Squarepeg said offices and workshops for local businesses would create between 350 and 400 jobs.
The construction programme will employ 260 workers involved in the building trade over the four years it will take to complete the project, from plumbers and plasterers to architects and engineers.
Squarepeg director Steve Storey said: "It is well known that the entire construction industry is struggling to survive at the moment.
"We have in the chocolate factory a damn good development that is ready to go ahead and which has been widely acclaimed and well received both locally and nationally, as well as by our prospective financial partners.
"Despite the general doom and gloom, we believe in the chocolate factory ethos that we are prepared to forge ahead, perhaps even creating a bit of a green shoots feel-good factor."
Squarepeg said it was preparing to start work on the site in the spring if planning consent was given on February 18, having successfully negotiated finance for the development.
Mr Storey said: "Getting the finance is in itself a significant achievement in the current climate and demonstrates a real confidence in our vision for the scheme."
Squarepeg has worked with Bristol architect George Ferguson on its project and spent more than a year consulting with local people as it developed its ideas.
Residents of Greenbank wanted the original factory building kept and Mr Storey said many of the ideas that came from the community had been included in the final application.
He said Squarepeg was already talking to local retailers and businesses about moving into the site and the factory could see a cycle hub, cafe bar and a delicatessen.
6 Comments
by mark, bristol
Wednesday, February 18 2009, 12:57PM
“Exactly what qualifies these houses as 'cycle houses' Mr Ferguson?. Putting in a small storage area for bikes?. I keep my bike in my home, so do I live in a cycle house?. And since you have cars as part of this developement, should we be calling them car and cycle houses?.
In my job as an engineer over the last six years, I've written numerous reports for developments like this and, to be honest, the design leaves a lot to be desired as they just look like a hundred other small 'yuppy' flats to me.
I agree wholesale with some of the other contributors to this site about the attitude of Squarepeg. When these flats go up, residents will treat the cycle path as their communal front garden, which it is not. It's a cycle track, designed for commuting. Would you build right up to the edge of,say, the A4 and put traffic calming on it?.
The governments own guidelines on cycling suggest at least 20mph routes for cyclists, which will be negated by the traffic calming. I'm not against ths development per se, but I do think, George, if you're reading this, that to be truly green you should get rid of car parking spaces and move it back off the track. On continental Europe, the future is being designed and built in the form of car-free housing which is what is needed here. I used to live in Easton and it's wall to wall cars, so a few less would be welcome.
Oh, and by the way, should I have an accident due to the traffic calming measures on my way down the path, I know who to send the damages invoice to.”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Monday, February 16 2009, 2:07PM
“Steve, its cutting off our nose to spite our face to say 'who cares about hedgerows' and 'build all over the countryside'. These things are a crucial part of what makes life worth living so makes no sense to advocate their decimation! We can have this development without the loss of hedgerow through a small design change - seems like a win-win to me.”
by green bristol blog, blogspot.com
Monday, February 16 2009, 1:57PM
“The development of the factory site itself is welcome but the developer is also trying to take land from the Railway Path to squeeze in narrow terraced housing, flats and a hostel facing onto the Path.
This will create conflict between the residents and cyclists on the Path. The council are going to put traffic calming measures on the Path to force cyclists to slow down, but this will undermine the safety and convenience of the Path for cyclists.
This developer has got too greedy. If Squarepeg had contented themselves with the old factory site like previous developers there wouldn't be a problem, but they couldn't resist making a grab for the adjacent Railway Path land.”
by Steven, North Bristol
Monday, February 16 2009, 1:29PM
“Unfortunately, Glenn the post from "Steve" sums up the mentality of those who unquestioningly accept schemes like this from Squarepeg.”
by Steve, Bristol
Monday, February 16 2009, 1:21PM
“Who cares about hedgerows! There is a recession on, let the unemployed build all over the countryside and generate money for our defunct economy”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Monday, February 16 2009, 12:29PM
“The development and the very welcome jobs that go with it are great. However, there is another side to this that has to be got right, though small changes in the design of what is proposed. Part of the current plan encroaches upon the Bristol to Bath Railway Path, destroying over 100 metres of mature hedgerow with ecological value and reducing the green character of the area. Encroaching on the path raises safety issues too. Lets have the development but not at the price of reducing the quality of the path.”