Glencoyne Square Community-led Housing Project

• JULY-AUGUST: A new cost analysis of building the scheme is being completed. Conversations with housing providers are ongoing.
• JUNE: All design work for this stage completed. Cost plan update in progress.
• APRIL: The application to remove fifth level from the development has been successful and, therefore, the new four-storey version of the scheme has been approved. The project will now include 177 flats instead of 187.
• MARCH: Architect’s design work for this stage completed.
• FEBRUARY: The application to remove fifth level of the development is still in progress with the council. Design consultants close to finishing this stage of their work.
• JANUARY: The detailing of the buildings and the public realm designs continues. Submission of application to the council to remove fifth level from the plans for both buildings, as this will make construction more financially viable -and address concerns about height shared by some residents.

• SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER: Detailing building and public realm designs with design professionals and the council. Southmead Library team involved in the design of the new library.
• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

It is one of the UK’s largest community-led housing schemes. The plan is to build 177 new flats, along with ground-floor spaces for – a new library, gym, businesses, community services, and activities. There will be a pedestrianised street which will extend 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 which will help to pay for and support the neighbourhood and its priorities.

This is because the community have developed the plans.  The community have pressed for there to be new community facilities within the development, and for the housing to be as affordable as possible.

The project was started by Arnside and Glencoyne Regeneration Project, a group of Southmead residents, local councillors and stakeholders. More than 40 local engagement events, and more than 2000 individual conversations, have taken place to contribute to the designs and materials.

Southmead Development Trust has taken the project forward. We are a charity made up of staff, volunteers and residents, who work together to keep power in our community. We run Greenway Centre and The Southmead Adventure Playground and Youth Space, for the benefit of the Southmead community.

It was born from Southmead’s 2015 Community Plan, which identified a need for more diverse affordable housing options—especially smaller homes—and better community facilities.

Residents also asked for central Arnside to be regenerated and for the shopping street to be improved.

They will be energy-efficient, well-insulated, one and two bed homes, heated using Air Source Heat Pumps.

The design plan also includes green spaces with trees and wildlife-friendly planting.

Plans include a new library, business spaces, and improved public areas.

Although a health centre was initially proposed, it is no longer part of the current plan due to feasibility issues.

As of April 2025, the revised four-storey design (reduced down from five), has been approved by Bristol City Council Planning.

The project now includes 177 flats, and design work for this stage has been completed.

At present, we are having conversations with different housing providers, with whom we need to form a partnership to start construction.

Construction is expected to start in 2026, following the completion of further detailed design stages.

Some work has already begun to prepare the site for development, including the diversion of a sewer that ran under Glencoyne Square.

Large construction projects usually take a long time, especially when a lot of community consultation is needed. We want to get it right.

Also, we had several obstacles in the way like the COVID19 pandemic, and the need to redesign the development when it was decided that the Southmead Health Centre was not going to be included.

In addition, there have been national changes to the affordable homes funding programme that has caused some delays to large social housing projects like Glencoyne.

We aim for the majority of the homes in the development to be affordable housing, with the remainder offered at market rent. This is dependent on grant funding.

We will let people know about this once the development is underway.

A registered housing provider partner, working with us, will be manage the allocation of affordable homes alongside Bristol City Council. They will us the Home Choice list.

If you are interested in registering and applying for social housing in Bristol, you can find out more here www.homechoicebristol.co.uk.

There will be four wheelchair-accessible flats. More than half of the flats will have lift or ground level access.

There will be 71 parking spaces including two loading bays, four spaces for Blue Badge holders, and a Car Club space.

Almost half of Glencoyne Square will remain as public green space. In this green space the number of trees will be increased, and there will be new wildlife friendly planting, bat and bird boxes, and bug hotels.

Currently there are 32 trees on Glencoyne Square. Although 12 will need to be removed, we will be planting to replace them. By the end of the process there will be around 58 trees in the public areas, plus 12 trees in each private courtyard, to make a new total of around 82 trees on Glencoyne Square.

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.

Many residents have said that Glencoyne Square is not often used for leisure like other squares in the City. At the same time, there is a huge need for affordable housing in the Bristol. Southmead particularly needs smaller properties, like one and two-bed flats, for older people who have lived in Southmead all their lives to downsize to, and for young people and families to access their first homes.

As we are blessed to have plenty of beautiful green space in Southmead – with Badock’s Wood, Doncaster Road and Fonthill Parks, and Trymside – Bristol City Council and the members of the community who have participated in this project over the years, agree that it is reasonable to use the square for the development of needed housing and new services.

Southmead Library will move to the ground floor of the development, into the largest commercial unit.  This faces the pedestrianised extension of Arnside. This will make the library more visible and easier to access.

You can reach the Southmead Development Trust on email: info@southmead.org, or call 0117 950 3335 to speak with the Community-Led Housing team.