Residential proposal to develop 345 Bath Road
This site is on the city side of the Majestic Wine Warehouse on the Bath Road. The Society supports Galliford Try’s proposal to build on this formerly developed land. Apart from token commercial space the scheme would deliver a perimeter block of about 130 new homes around a green central courtyard. The fall of the land enables the courtyard to be built on a deck above a basement car park. This works well.
At this pre-planning stage the Society raised these questions. The next-door signature Paintworks Deco building is a feature in the Bath Road. Is there enough distance to mask the jump in scale from the Deco building to the six-floors of the westernmost block? The design, we are told, is work in progress. In the image, the Bath Road elevations have minimal articulation. We suggest architectural features to define the top/bottom of the elevations and/or to delineate the corners and/or the vertical junctions between the three blocks. The fenestration does not create any hierarchy between the floors.
This is a prominent site that merits a building with innovative architecture. We would welcome a roofscape that adds local interest. Could it incorporate a PV array? We have asked for more employment space. The site lies in the Enterprise Zone territory. Paintworks management say that they have a waiting list of applicants looking for workshop space. Although we question aspects of the scheme there is much to support such as the green edge to the Bath Road, a new pavement in a green corridor to the west, set-back from the road and greening other areas.
John Frenkel
Bristol Civic Society full response.
Development at this site had started but now seems to have stalled. All activity on site has ceased (up to 10/5/24).