Glencoyne Square Community-led Housing Project
The Glencoyne Square Community Led Housing project is one of the biggest community led housing schemes in the UK.
The plans are for up to 187 flats with a ground floor extension of Arnside Road providing space for businesses and community activities and services. The project is being led by us, Southmead Development Trust, and supported by a group of residents and Trustees.
This residents group, the Arnside and Glencoyne Regeneration Project (AGRP), have been involved since Southmead’s Community Plan in 2015. The plan highlighted the need to diversify the housing in the area so there were smaller homes available. We’re keeping sustainability in mind. The homes will be well insulated, heated by Air Source Heat Pumps increasing their energy efficiency, and we are planting more trees and wildlife-friendly plants.
News and Updates
November 2024: Is Glencoyne Still Happening?
Read more >August 2024: Another Step Towards Glencoyne!
Read more >July 2024: Grand Designs for Glencoyne
Read more >May 2024: How Do We Want the Spaces to Look?
Read more >Project Timeline
2024
- SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER: Detailing building and public realm designs with design professionals.
- AUGUST: The search for a housing association partner begins.
- JULY: Planning consent received for the current planning application.
- JUNE: End of community participation workshops for the design of the courtyards and the public realm.
- MAY: Beginning of WECIL’s accessibility assessment of our plans and designs.
- APRIL: Beginning of the detailed design programme for the public realm (extension of Arnside Road) and the development’s courtyards.
- FEBRUARY: Sewer diversion works completed, including remedial works such as the re-seeding of the lawn on Glencoyne Square.
- JANUARY: Sewer diversion works in progress.
2023
- NOVEMBER: Sewer under Glencoyne Square being diverted.
- AUTUMN: Planning decision expected.
- OCTOBER 2023 to 2024: Work to develop the Glencoyne scheme (including securing funding and developing detailed designs) continues, with an expected start date on site within 2024.
- JULY: Summer Update
- JUNE: £7.6m Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding approved for the ground floor community and business space.
- MAY: Final responses to planning are submitted.
- Work to prepare Glencoyne Square continues.
2022
- Public realm work on Arnside Road is completed by Bristol City Council.
- Team starts work to respond to planning comments including energy strategy, biodiversity, and balcony and courtyard design.
- New planning application (for up to 187 flats) submitted and live for public comment on the council website.
- Community drop in event at Greenway with the architects Nash Partnership to look at revised designs.
- Revision of designs made after online community survey.
2021
- Public realm improvements continue on Greystoke Avenue and Arnside Road, with the installation of new inclusive walkways, improved parking areas, pedestrian crossings and better access.
- Following the planning permission, partners along with the community work through the pandemic to develop detail including legal agreements, viability and community space design and usage.
- Final planning approval for the Glencoyne Square Community Housing Scheme received in January.
2020
- Public realm improvements on Greystoke Avenue and Arnside Road begin.
- Bristol City Council carry out consultation for the artwork and benches which will be on Arnside Road.
- Bristol City Council Planning Committee voted unanimously to approve the scheme.
- Work continues with project partners and AGRP to discuss community space within the scheme.
- Southmead Regeneration receives Highly Commended at National Planning Awards for Community Led Place-making.
2019
- Planning application submitted. Residents have opportunity to submit their comments.
- Residents can see 3D design plans using Virtual Reality headset at Southmead Festival and consult on Local Lettings Policy.
- Work on Local Lettings Policy begins.
- Consultation for Bristol City Council’s plans for Arnside happens at the SCART shop.
- 4788 copies of the Southmead Regeneration Special Edition of The Mead delivered.
- Architects draw up designs.
- Design consultations with local community groups, the youth centre plus drop-ins at Greenway Centre and SCART shop.
- Design tours for residents take place so everyone can see ideas from existing projects.
2018
- Detailed design work begins.
- Bid submitted to Homes England for funding.
- Masterplan is finalised and showcased at a Community event.
- Workshops throughout the summer gather ideas and feedback from residents.
- Nash Partnership architects are selected.
- Shortlisted architects share their ideas with the community at Greenway Centre and give feedback.
- Southmead Development Trust team is formed.
2015-2017
- Housing Needs Study conducted and published.
- Glencoyne Square Community-led Housing Project resident-led steering group formed.
- Southmead Community Plan published after almost 900 households surveyed.
Glencoyne Square – your questions answered
What is the Glencoyne Square Community Led Housing Project?
The plans are for up to 187 flats with a mix of 1 and 2 beds. The ground floor of the building will be community and business spaces to support local enterprise, projects and services. Bristol City Council are planning to also move Southmead Library to this space. There will be a pedestrianised street, extending Arnside Road.
The aim of the project is to improve this central part of Southmead for residents now and into the future. It is also hoped that the development will generate income in years to come to help pay for and support the neighbourhood and its priorities.
How are the community involved?
Southmead Development Trust, the community organisation owned and run by the community, are running the project.
Southmead Development Trust are supported by the Arnside and Glencoyne Regeneration Project (AGRP). This is a group of Southmead residents, local councillors and stakeholders who have been meeting regularly since 2015. Over 40 local engagement events and more than 2000 individual conversations have taken place over the course of the process. Local residents have had input into location, the architect, designs and materials. We even had a Virtual Reality tour at Southmead Festival in 2019, and at our drop in consultation event in 2022.
Will it be affordable?
We are aiming for around 117 of the flats to be affordable housing trying to keep rents as low as possible. This will be dependent on grant funding. The affordable homes will be available through HomeChoice.
Who will the homes be for?
We are pushing for a Local Lettings Plan which will give priority to people with a connection to Southmead such as those who already live and work here.
How much public open space will remain?
Over half of Glencoyne Square will remain as public open space. This space will include many different seating areas, planting over 30 new trees, accessible pathways and green space. There will be ongoing opportunities for residents to shape and look after the green space, building on the foundations that Bristol City Council are able to provide and maintain, to make it an even better place for Southmead.
Are any of the flats fully accessible?
There are 4 wheelchair accessible flats. Over half the flats will have lift or ground level access.
What about the trees on the square?
Currently there are 32 trees on Glencoyne Square. 12 will need to be removed but we are planting to replace them. By the end of the process there will be 68 trees. We are also looking at how we could plant more trees around Southmead separate to the housing project.
Will there be car parking?
There will be 73 parking spaces including 2 loading bays, 2 future car club spaces and 4 Blue Badge holder spaces.
When will all this start?
Before building the homes can begin we need to redirect a sewer that runs under Glencoyne. You can read more about that on the next page. Once the sewer diversion is complete and when we get the right price for the work, we hope to be on site next year.
Updated Design Proposals 2022
Due to impacts of the pandemic and escalating building costs and some changes in requirements for community space, it was necessary to revise the designs for the scheme. From 31 March 2022 – 18 April 2022, we ran an online survey to gather views on proposed changes. The architects Nash Partnership have drawn up the revised designs and we held a community drop in on April 28th 2022.
You can download the document with the updated designs below.
Download > Updated Design Proposals
The story so far
How does a group of residents go from door-knocking to shaping one of the biggest community-led regeneration schemes in the UK?
Southmead’s Community Plan was the result of 900 survey responses in 2015. Residents were determined to see investment and positive change in the community they love.
The development of the Southmead Community Plan led to a regeneration ‘Masterplan’ in 2018.
On September 20th 2019 the planning application was submitted for Phase One of the Masterplan – delivering 120 homes, new community facilities, and improved public open space on Southmead’s Glencoyne Square.
Want to know more about the Masterplan? You can dip into and download the report and the appendices below.
Download > Masterplan Report
Download > Masterplan Report Summary
Download > Masterplan Appendices
Community Involvement
“The community is clearly in the driving seat” commented Sue Manns, president of the Royal Town Planning Institute. Community involvement has always been the defining feature of this project. Residents took part in architect selection. Over 100 people attended the showcase of the Masterplan. We have held over 40 events at local places such as the library, youth centre and with community groups. Residents have fed back to the architects on design, from the style of the buildings to the colour of the materials. Consultation with residents will continue on other elements like the open spaces and Local Lettings Plan.
Arnside and Glencoyne Regeneration Project (AGRP)
“We had a dream to make a better future for Southmead. It’s been 5 years of meeting once a month, with a desire, a burning ambition to do something.”
The words of Deana Perry, life-long Southmead resident, sums up the commitment of the AGRP. The AGRP is a group of local residents, councillors and stakeholders, like ourselves, who meet monthly to steer the project, providing a local voice. They’ve been motivated since the Community Plan was published to see improvements to Arnside Road and develop appropriate housing options for local people.