The Temple Quarter project covers Temple Meads station and its surrounds, and St Philips Marsh. The Temple Meads improvements should gather pace after government funding of close to £100m was confirmed in 2022. A consultation on a draft Framework was held at the start of 2023, informed by previous stakeholder and public engagement in 2018 and 2019. The Society commented on the draft Framework under three headings:
1) Bristol Temple Meads, City Gateway and Friary North.
The planning work for Temple Meads station has been running for several years, and the major decisions have been made, but the detailed design remains to be decided. A masterplan will be submitted to Cabinet later in 2023. Of particular note is the proposed new south entrance to the station, which approaches from the south side of the Cut and from where you will be able to walk at trackside level over Cattle Market Road to the station. Building a multi-storey car park at this point will enable the project to remove the car parking to the north of the station and start working on the approach to the heavily-used northern entrance.
The Society voiced concern:
- about the distance to bus stops and the lack of a simple interchange facility;
- that the current draft Framework would allow developments near the Listed Buildings that would not do justice to their setting.
2) Temple Gate development framework, which has an ‘indicative timeframe’ of 10-15 years.
The Society voiced concern:
- that the current draft Framework would allow developments near the Listed Buildings that would not do justice to their setting.
3) St Philips Marsh.
The plans for St Philips Marsh are the least well-defined. The timeline for it extends over 10-30 years, and the project team will work on a masterplan over coming months in parallel with developing Temple Meads.
The Society voiced:
- concern that developers are already making ad hoc plans in the absence of an overall masterplan. Until a Framework is produced, it will be difficult to manage planning in the area;
- a number of detailed comments on issues that the Framework should address, under the headings land-use and density, access and movement, community infrastructure, access to green space.
Alan Morris
Bristol Civic Society webinar in December 2022.
Bristol Civic Society 2020 comments on proposals for Temple Meads station