Developers land permission for major student scheme

Developer YTL has secured planning permission for 1,514 beds of student accommodation at its Brabazon scheme.

The company is transforming the 380-acre former Filton Airfield into a sustainable new mixed-use neighbourhood for Bristol.

Over the next twenty years, the new district – known as Brabazon – will grow to include thousands of new homes, creative workspaces and the largest new urban public park in the South West for 50 years.

The new neighbourhood will be connected to Bristol and beyond by every form of sustainable transport. The MetroBus will stop at Brabazon and both the University of the West of England (UWE) and University of Bristol.

The UWE campus is 1.5 mile walk or cycle away along dedicated bike paths and pedestrian routes.

And a new railway station will serve Bristol Temple Meads – next to to the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus – in less than 15 minutes.

The student accommodation at Brabazon includes of 1,514 bedrooms, across four mansion-style buildings on the southern boundary of Brabazon, close to the new railway station.

Designed by local architects Stride Treglown, the attractive mansion blocks will have the space students want, both to socialise and to study. Separate bedrooms are arranged in clusters around communal spaces that will balance studying with a rich social experience.

Inside, there will be dining areas and karaoke rooms, a gaming suite and gym, as well as shared studies and quiet working areas. Outside, the landscaped courtyards and green spaces include exercise areas and even a basketball court as well as south-facing gardens.

Sebastian Loyn, Planning and Development Director, YTL Developments, said: “Brabazon is designed to live up to the pioneering legacy of the former Filton Airfield and inspire the next generation. New purpose-built student accommodation is essential to our vision to create a thriving, diverse new neighbourhood for Bristol.

“When the student accommodation completes, approximately 400 private homes will also be occupied, giving a total of almost 2,000 new residents from all generations by 2026-7. This represents a critical mass.

“The new residents will facilitate the arrival of a new breed of cafes, shops and restaurants.

“They will ensure the new public transport services – both the MetroBus and new train station – become sustainable and reliable options for the whole community.

“Alongside the existing world-leading engineering cluster, the new residents at Brabazon will accelerate the transformation of North Bristol, ensuring it remains a place of opportunity and drives local prosperity for the next 100 years.”