BUILDING work on a former factory site in the heart of Fishponds will begin soon after plans for 252 homes were given final approval.
Developer Dandara has been given detailed planning permission for its development of the former Graphic Packaging International factory between Filwood Road, Goodneston Road, Enfield Road and Lodge Causeway by the city council.
It will be the first of three major housing developments which will create a new neighbourhood, known as Atlas Place.
Dandara says work on the site will begin in September, and the first homes are expected to be ready for people to move into next year.
Previous owner Graphic Packaging International was given outline permission to redevelop the site in late 2024 and started demolition work soon afterwards, after relocating to a new site in Yate.
It struck a deal to sell the site to Dandara last year, but the developer needed to secure approval for the design, layout and scale of its buildings and plans for landscaping, parking, drainage and other details of the project.
That permission has now been granted by the council.
Dandara says the homes will be a mixture of one, two, three and four bedroom houses and apartments.
It says “at least 56” (22%) of the homes will be ‘affordable’ – available for social rent or shared ownership – below the council’s official target of 30%.
‘Tackling the housing shortage’
Dandara says it will create a “vibrant new residential neighbourhood”, with landscaped green public open spaces, play areas and more than 150 new trees planted across the site.
A new “orbital cycle route” will run through the centre of the scheme, connecting to the nearby Bristol & Bath Railway Path.
As part of the planning agreement with the council, Dandara will pay around £430,000 towards road and public transport improvements.
The firm’s head of land, William Bishop, said: “We have worked very closely with Bristol City Council, stakeholders and the wider project team, throughout the planning process, to ensure we are delivering a development which will significantly enhance the Fishponds area, bringing benefits not just to our new residents but the local community.
“This development will appeal to a diverse range of buyers while making a meaningful contribution to tackling the housing shortage in the city.”
Technical director James Snelgar said: “This approval is a major milestone for the project and paves the way for the regeneration of the former Graphic Packaging site.
“This is about more than building homes. It is about creating a place that works for local people, respects the area’s heritage and supports the city’s long-term growth.
“We will also create vital new construction jobs and work with the council to direct employment and apprenticeships towards local people.”
Homes will be “fully electric”, featuring air source heat pumps.
Material from the factory demolition has all been recycled, some set to be reused on site as part of the new development.
Dandara’s plan is the first of three neighbouring Atlas Place developments, which are set to transform the area between the Railway Path, Lodge Causeway and Forest Road, behind Morrisons with more than 2,200 new homes, to advance through the planning process.
It is the least controversial, as it is the only scheme not to include high-rise homes: the Central Fishponds plan for 380 homes, which is still awaiting outline permission, includes six-storey buildings; the Timber Mills scheme for 1,600 homes, which has yet to be formally submitted to the council, includes a 13-storey tower and other blocks between four and eight storeys high.
‘We will finally see progress’
Campaigners from the Fishponds Community Planning Group, which aims to give residents a bigger say in decisions, said: “We’re pleased that we will finally see progress at Atlas Place.
“The developer has worked with local residents, and has maintained a dialogue with the Fishponds Community Planning Group since taking on this site.
“Community involvement in this first site has been key in helping the development team understand local issues, and we hope to replicate the levels of community consultation and communication with the other two sites on Atlas Place as they come forward.”