Bristol council approves 22-storey student tower

Bristol council has approved plans by developer Cubex for a 22-storey student accomodation scheme containing 531 beds.

Councillors voted to back the planning officers’ recommendation to approve the 38 Albert Road scheme at a meeting of the council’s development control committee on Wednesday evening.

Designed by Corstorphine & Wright. it is the tallest building to have received planning permission so far in the Temple Quarter scheme, considered one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects.

Located near the University of Bristol’s new Enterprise Campus, the block will provide ground floor commercial space and pedestrian and cycle access to the riverside promenade and St Philips footbridge connecting to Temple Island.

Landscape architect Macgregor Smith, engineer Hoare Lea, planning consultant Avison Young and quantity surveyor RLB are also working on the project.

A public consultation that took place in May 2024 received eight responses from invitation letters sent to 1,633 addresses as well as local organisations and businesses.

Despite concerns being raised about building heights, the importance of sustainability, and publicly accessible space, the impact on local services and noise, the application received only one objection.

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The complaint was made on the grounds of the building being too tall, with other similar developments in the area only reaching 14 storeys.

Cubex will also finance flood defences as part of the Bristol Avon Flood Strategy (BAFS), incorporate space for a new boulevard on Albert Road and contribute £513,437 towards improving travel infrastructure in St Philips Marsh.

The block will mainly comprise cluster flats, with 174 studios, and is close to heritage sites including Bristol Temple Meads Building, Bristol and Exeter House, Marble Mosaic Company and Silverthorne Lane Conservation Area.