Work finally set to start on landmark regeneration scheme
Work is finally set to start on one of the biggest redevelopment projects ever seen in Bristol.
Bristol University’s £500m Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus has been delayed by planning disputes and the pandemic but construction is now due to start next month.
The project will see derelict next to Temple Mead station redeveloped following decades of false starts and failed projects.
The site of the, which was the home of the former Royal Mail sorting office, has been an eyesore for more than two decades.
But now work on the new £500m campus is to get underway after the university signed contracts with construction company Sir Robert McAlpine.
Opening in 2026, the campus at Cattle Market Road, will be home to 4,600 students and 650 university staff who will come together with business and community partners.
Residential accommodation on Temple Island will provide living space for around 900 students.
At the heart of the campus, on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office, a 38,000 sqm academic building will be home to the University’s Business School, digital engineering research groups, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre and provide dedicated facilities for enterprise and community partners.
Parts of the campus have been shaped in consultation with civic and community partners as dedicated spaces for groups to work together to address local, national and global challenges.
Plans for the site were revised in light of the pandemic, which paused the development due to its impact on the construction trade.
As a result, timelines have been adjusted and some of the spaces in the main building have been redesigned to allow greater flexibility and digital innovation for the future.
The new academic building will accompany the University’s TQ Research Hub, opened in 2022, at nearby Avon Street.
The campus, is being hailed as a catalyst for the wider redevelopment of Bristol Temple Quarter.
It will create 22,000 new jobs, 10,000 new homes and new purpose built student accommodation developed by third party providers.
With a refurbished Bristol Temple Meads station at its heart, the area will become a gateway to Bristol and the West of England. With a new entrance opening directly onto the campus, it will also join the city centre to the east of Bristol with new walking and cycling paths.
The University of Bristol is working closely with Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority, Network Rail and Homes England to achieve these aims.
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, said: “Today really is a landmark day – not just for the University of Bristol but for the city as a whole. The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus has been designed to meet the needs and nurture the aspirations of our students, staff and partners across the city and the wider region.
“It provides outstanding facilities to build on our collective strengths in research, innovation, learning and societal change. We are delighted to be working with Sir Robert McAlpine to bring these new facilities to life.”
Marvin Rees
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said: “Temple Quarter will help deliver even more of the sustainable homes, innovation, jobs, and infrastructure that Bristol needs, including for the communities in and around the regeneration area. Delivering the University of Bristol’s new Enterprise Campus will help our city continue to strengthen its position at the centre of our regional economy.”
Dan Norris, Metro Mayor for the West of England, said: “This is another important step on the way to the regeneration of Temple Quarter – bringing much-needed new homes for Bristol residents and creating new jobs for our skilled workers.
“After so many years of talking about hopes and aspirations for the area, this is another step along the way creating that fitting gateway to Bristol, and the West of England – one which will make our region an even better place to live, work and thrive.”
