Goram Homes and Vistry agree Abri deal to make The Fosseway 100% affordable housing

The first phase of The Fosseway development in Hengrove, South Bristol, will now be 100% affordable housing. This follows Goram Homes and Vistry agreeing a deal with housing association Abri to acquire all 130 homes in Phase One of the development.

Abri had previously agreed to acquire 65 affordable homes, and the remaining 65 were originally intended for open market sale.

Of the 130 homes, 70% will be available for social rent – the most affordable housing tenure – and 30% through shared ownership.

Phase Two of The Fosseway will deliver a further 70 affordable extra care homes and is being brought forward by Anchor, England’s largest provider of specialist housing for older people.

Together, the two phases will deliver 200 affordable homes to create a 100% affordable, multi-generational neighbourhood for families, first-time buyers and older people, including residents who need care and support to live independently.

The development is also bringing back to life an 8.3-acre brownfield site, transforming the grounds of a former school that stood empty for more than a decade.

Work is already well underway, with Vistry building Phase One and the first homes now completing. The phase will provide a mix of homes to meet local housing need, with 54% comprising one- and two-bedroom apartments and 46% made up of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses.

A multi-generational neighbourhood for a range of housing needs

Phase Two of The Fosseway will provide affordable housing designed specifically for older residents, enabling people to live independently with access to care and support when needed. Anchor submitted detailed planning proposals for this phase in May 2026.

Phase Two will include one- and two-bedroom homes, landscaped gardens and a restaurant that will be open to the wider community.

Councillor Barry Parsons, Chair of Bristol City Council’s Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said:

“Bristol’s housing crisis means we need to do everything we can to increase the supply of genuinely affordable homes. This agreement is excellent news for the city and demonstrates what can be achieved when the council, housing associations and the private sector work together with a shared purpose.

“By securing all 130 homes in Phase One as affordable housing, alongside the 70 affordable extra care homes planned for Phase Two, The Fosseway will provide 200 affordable homes for local people. It will also create a truly multi-generational neighbourhood, giving families, first-time buyers and older residents the opportunity to live in a sustainable community that supports people at every stage of life.”

Sally Ingham, Director of Development at Abri, said:

“We’re delighted to be expanding our investment at The Fosseway by acquiring all 130 homes in Phase One. This agreement will enable us to provide many more high-quality affordable homes for people in Bristol, helping meet significant local demand while creating a thriving new community. Working alongside our development partners we’re proud to be part of a development that will deliver affordable homes for people at different stages of life and make a lasting contribution to Bristol’s housing needs.”

Stephen Baker, Managing Director at Goram Homes, said:

“Our ambition has always been to maximise the contribution this development can make to meeting Bristol’s housing needs. Thanks to this agreement with Abri, every home across The Fosseway will now be affordable, helping to meet the high demand for these homes in South Bristol. Importantly, we’re also transforming a long-vacant brownfield site into a sustainable, multi-generational neighbourhood, creating a place where people can thrive.”

Ronny Popat, Operations Director of Vistry Bristol, said:

“We’re pleased to extend our partnership with Abri Group, while continuing our work with Goram Homes and Bristol City Council to deliver this important affordable housing development for Bristol. The Fosseway demonstrates the value of partnership-led delivery, transforming a long-vacant brownfield site into a vibrant new community. With a mix of affordable homes and specialist extra care accommodation, the development will help meet a broad range of housing needs and create lasting benefits for local residents.”

Alongside new public open space and walking connections, the homes in Phase One are designed to be net zero in operation, featuring solar panels, air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points to help reduce carbon emissions and energy bills.

Earlier this year, in April, Bristol South MP Karin Smyth visited The Fosseway to see progress on Phase One of the development and hear about plans for Phase Two alongside project partners and local representatives.

Image: (Front left) Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, on site at The Fosseway Phase One with representatives from Bristol City Council, Goram Homes, Vistry and Abri, and other local representatives.