Time to sort out Bristol's eyesore Island
ONE of Bristol's biggest eyesores could finally be redeveloped after a 15-year wrangle over its future.
The Island is a site next to the Temple Circus roundabout that includes the derelict George and Railway Hotel and the Grosvenor Hotel.
Bristol City Council, developers and land owners have been involved in attempts to try and do something with the site for 15 years.
It is one of the first things rail travellers visiting the city see after leaving the Temple Meads station but little progress has been made to improve it, even though it has been an ugly mess for nearly 25 years.
Next week the council's ruling Liberal Democrat cabinet is expected to agree a development deal they hope will move things forward. The council has proposed a development agreement with a company that would pay for any compulsory purchase order that may be necessary, in exchange for support for its redevelopment plan.
Standard Commercial Property Development (SCPD) owns the listed George and Railway Hotel and adjoining land. Earcloud Limited owns the Grosvenor Hotel, which was previously used as temporary residential accommodation by English Churches but is now empty.
The council owns the surrounding land and part of the highway. Part of the deal would involve the council selling its interest in the site, raising £500,000.
In 2010 SCPD was given planning permission for two six-storey buildings, including restaurants, cafes and bars, along with 48 parking spaces. But it cannot start work until the land is under single ownership, including part of the Earcloud site. According to a report going to cabinet next Thursday, negotiations with Earcloud have not been successful due to an inability to agree terms.
A change of use at the Grosvenor Hotel was also granted in 2010. This was for the basement and ground floor to be used as a shop, restaurant and cafe or drinking establishment. But no physical change of use or occupation has taken place and the building remains unused.
The council previously approved compulsory purchase powers in 2008 but no order was made on the site. Now SCPD wants those powers renewed to move forward.
A report by council officer Will Godfrey said: "A purchase by negotiated agreement has been pursued and consistently failed over a period of ten to 15 years. Renewed discussions in 2010/11 also failed to reach a conclusion. This inability to agree terms between Earcloud and SCPD is a theme that has been repeated. Until this deadlock is resolved development of this important gateway site is unlikely to take place."
If agreed next week the council will have up to two years to bring the order forcing Earcloud to sell its share of the site, should negotiations continue to be unsuccessful.
19 Comments
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by Spiggett
Monday, February 20 2012, 4:59PM
“-How about a grass verge to keep the "Village People" happy?”
by Bristol1978
Sunday, February 19 2012, 11:01AM
“@J12345678
About the Holiday Inn, post war renovation is to blame, a lot of Bristols old buildings were swept away in favour of new modern concrete carbuncles. The city council in its infinite wisdom had a vision of what they wanted the city to look like and didn't care what they had to get rid of to achieve it.
Now as for the island site as best as i can tell it came about around 1874 (looking at an old map) when Victoria Street was created to join up with Bath Parade (Temple gate now) and the railway viaduct was built to take the line past St Mary Redcliffe.
Have a look at this site if you have an interest in Bristols historic layout http://tinyurl.com/5rcaphc”
by bobob3
Saturday, February 18 2012, 5:57PM
“The sites position has to do with Portwall Lane (the clue is in the name) I assume The Portwall Tavern was the other side of the river to the pub and hotel originally.”
by snowymalone
Saturday, February 18 2012, 3:08PM
“"Out of interest, how did this 'railway' hotel ever get so separated from BTM? I don't mean to suggest it's (been?) moved, just how did it end up in that nasty traffic island? "
I just had a look at an old map (c 1890), and in those days it was on an island of its own - of course there was no gyratory, so basically it formed the junction of Victoria Street, which then extended all the way to the BTM concourse and stopped level with the George Railway Hotel corner, and Temple Way, much as it does now. The major difference was there was only a small side street between Victoria St and Temple way forming the third side of the triangle, and as TalbotHill said, a thumping great railway viaduct bisecting hotel and pub (and I'm old enough to remember when that went walkabout, too.)
As for the Holiday Inn, if I remember rightly that used to be an office block that got converted (I could well be wrong on that one.)”
by J12345678
Saturday, February 18 2012, 2:38PM
“Out of interest, how did this 'railway' hotel ever get so separated from BTM? I don't mean to suggest it's (been?) moved, just how did it end up in that nasty traffic island? What there some 1960s version of GBBN? Or were BCC actually in favour of road traffic then?
Also how did Holiday Inn Express get permission when the 'railway hotel' was next door? Why couldn't they have extended in a sympathetic style instead of the concrete blob there now?”
by corncups
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:43PM
“The photo contradicts the headline.
It looks a lot more pleasing to the eye in its current form than almost any other building in the central business district of Bristol.”
by snowymalone
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:36PM
“@oddly
"Something very tall, very modern, but with the old facades in the bottom, would be my choice."
Ambulance to the Civic Society, immediately!
I completely agree, keeping the facades with a landmark tower above would be just perfect there.. but Mr Frenkel and his chums will start screaming blue murder within seconds of any such plans being mooted, and being that close to St Mary Redcliffe, the apparent yardstick in all such matters, the planners would run in the other direction too.
Pity, as I don't think for a second it would detract. If it were directly next door to St MR then ok, but it's not. St Pauls Cathedral seems to manage despite being surrounded by taller buildings.”
by Oddly
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:11PM
“The facades at least, have surely earnt their right to be retained? As its a traffic Island, an office block is the only thing that would work there. Something very tall, very modern, but with the old facades in the bottom, would be my choice.”
by bril_lil
Saturday, February 18 2012, 11:51AM
“The first things rail travellers visiting the city see as they approach the lovely Temple Meads station is the long derelict Royal Mail sorting office; and probably a horrible lasting impression on leaving, that they don't even notice the colourful houses, as if teetering, above in Totterdown! Then the eyesore continues in what is the commercial district with its many blue-chip and well-known companies!”
by FromMendip
Saturday, February 18 2012, 11:40AM
“snowymalone rightly points out that the derelict filling station is as much an eyesore in that locality as is the red-bricked block between the station Lower Approach Road and Cattle Market Road.
And will the empty and decrepit former Royal Mail tower block at the back of the station ever be developed? Plans come and go but nothing happens except the favourite hobby of Bristol's councillors - talk! I shall be amazed if the new Enterprise Zone does actually bring this monstrosity back into use.
Nelson Street is the other zone of decay. The best plan would be to knock down all the buildings on the north side of that street between Christmas Street and Bridewell Street.
Finally, sort out the High Street end of Castle Park with the ugly old buildings there either empty or only partly used (Norwich Union and B of E).”