Work begins on first major phase of Hengrove Park

Construction has officially begun on the first major phase of Hengrove Park, South Bristol’s new neighbourhood of 1,435 homes, with initial site preparation works now underway.

Located on the site of the former Whitchurch Airport airfield, Hengrove Park is Bristol’s largest residential-led development in a generation. Around half of the homes will be affordable, representing the largest injection of affordable housing on a single site in Bristol for over 50 years. Housing will be delivered alongside significant investment in new recreation space, community facilities and infrastructure.

Hengrove Park Phase One, which is being delivered through a joint venture between Bristol City Council’s housing company Goram Homes and its development partner Vistry, will provide 209 homes at Hengrove Park, including 104 homes for social rent and shared ownership.

The milestone follows the completion of Dundry View in May this year, which was the first residential development within the wider Hengrove Park masterplan. Located at the gateway to the new neighbourhood and owned by the council, Dundry View has already provided 27 social rented and 26 shared homes.

Alongside new homes, Phase One will deliver a significant section of a new 22-hectare public park and the development’s low-carbon energy centre.

Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “Hengrove Park has been years in the making and represents one of the most significant regeneration projects our city has seen for generations.

“We’re creating a new neighbourhood that will provide much-needed homes, including hundreds of affordable homes, alongside high-quality green space, community facilities, including sporting facilities, and infrastructure that people need to thrive. It’s another important step in our long-term commitment to investing in South Bristol.”

Councillor Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee at Bristol City Council, said: “This development will make a real difference to Bristol by delivering a place where people can access a range of housing, including high-quality homes for social rent, which is the most affordable housing tenure.

“Importantly, these homes will be centred around a new 22-hectare public park, designed to serve the new community and the surrounding neighbourhoods. This park will include significant investment in sports infrastructure, including new playing pitches and community facilities, providing the community with high-quality, inclusive spaces for recreation and wellbeing.”

Delivery through partnership

Hengrove Park Phase One is being brought forward through a long-standing partnership between Bristol City Council, Goram Homes and Vistry. The development is supported by almost £20m of investment from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA), alongside Homes England’s support, in enabling infrastructure works for the development.

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Hengrove Park shows what can be achieved when local and regional partners work together with a shared ambition to tackle the housing crisis. By investing nearly £20m in the infrastructure needed to unlock this site, we’re helping to build more affordable homes, better public spaces, and improved connections for local people.”

Stephen Baker, Managing Director of Goram Homes, said: “Hengrove Park is a truly unique development in terms of what it will deliver for Bristol. Around half of its 1,400-plus homes will be affordable which is a level of affordable housing provision that’s rarely achieved on a development, let alone one of this scale. Alongside major investment in parks, community facilities and infrastructure, we’re creating a neighbourhood that will benefit Bristol for generations to come.”

Ronny Popat, Operations Director at Vistry, said: “ We’re delighted to have started work on the first phase of Hengrove Park. Initial activity is focused on preparing the site ahead of the main construction works, which will become increasingly visible over the coming months. This is an important investment in Bristol’s future and we’re proud to be delivering high-quality, energy-efficient homes to create a thriving new neighbourhood. The start of construction is the culmination of years of collaboration and we’re excited to see the vision for Hengrove Park become a reality.”

Hengrove Park Phase One also been enabled by The Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF), as administered through One Public Estate by the Local Government Association, on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), which provided £2.68m to relocate St Bernadette’s Old Boys Rugby Football Club from Hengrove Park to a new base in Hartcliffe.

A new neighbourhood for South Bristol

Dundry View and Phase One represent the first stages of the wider Hengrove Park masterplan, which will transform the former airfield site into a new neighbourhood of 1,435 homes over the next decade.

Around half of the homes across the development will be affordable, alongside a range of community and commercial facilities, including a community building, shops and business space.

At the heart of the masterplan will be a new 22.2-hectare public park (around the size of 30 football pitches), designed to enhance the site’s existing open and recreational spaces. The development will also include playing pitches, a sports pavilion, a scout hut, and new connections (footways and cycleways) to Hengrove Way, Bamfield, Hengrove Promenade and The Boulevard.

Continued investment in South Bristol

Hengrove Park is the latest major investment in the long-term development of South Bristol and builds on more than two decades of partnership working and public investment.

The wider development programme for the area has already delivered major community assets including South Bristol Community Hospital, Hengrove Park Leisure Centre and the South Bristol Skills Academy.