‘Future proofing’ Soapworks plan revised after criticism
PLANNERS are sifting through revised plans for Bristol’s historic Soapworks building, after the initial design attracted a barrage of objections.
Formerly home to Gardiner Haskins, there are fears that the Grade II listed building in Old Market would be “dwarfed” by a 20-storey apartment block.
First Base bought the site last year and submitted plans to transform the landmark, and construct a cluster of new buildings and public spaces.
The original £175m plan was for 166 homes, an apart-hotel, plus retail, leisure, commercial and business space.
It has since amended the proposal to potentially replace the apart-hotel with more flats, making 250 in total – but it has refused to budge on the height of the tallest building.
A revised planning statement said the coronavirus pandemic had “prompted a review of the development proposals”.
It read: “The applicant wants to make sure that the scheme is deliverable and therefore is proposing to introduce some flexibility so that it has two options for development.”
Lucinda Mitchell, project director at First Base, told the Post: “We have revised our plans for Soapworks in response to feedback and to future-proof the development.
“The plans now include additional homes, including additional affordable homes. Our £175million investment will bring the former Gardiner Haskins warehouse back to life, with over 2,000 new jobs, generating up to £200million of social value for the surrounding area over the next 20 years.
“This will directly benefit the local community, economy and environment, supporting Bristol’s inclusive and sustainable recovery.”
The council’s own City Design Group objected to the original plan, and said the proposal was “double” the scale suitable for the site.
It said: “The development proposals are exceptionally poor and have failed to address key issues repeated during the pre-application processes.
“Development scale is grossly excessive, the massing clumsy and overbearing, and the impact on the listed buildings significant and negative.
“The setting of the Grade II listed building would be severely
impaired and obliterated from locations identified to the applicant as important.”
Historic England also had concerns about the impact on the conservation area, and raised an objection on heritage grounds.
It said the proposal “would unduly dominate the architectural and visual primacy of the soap works”.
Old Market Community Association submitted a 17-page objection in May, saying the proposal “is just not good enough”.
“It is overdeveloped, lacks true consideration for the existing heritage buildings and does little, if nothing at all to be antidote to the dreadfully anodyne and impersonal environment that sadly the whole Temple Quay area has become over the last few years.
“If anything, it will just become another block of overbearing buildings, joining ranks with all the others, obscuring the very landmark building that the Soap Pan building is.”
In a document responding to criticism, the developer argued: “The proposals are reflective of the scale and nature of change in the locality and support wider regeneration objectives.
“A low-density development, including retention of the building complex as it stands,would not create a critical mass of mixed uses that would create the conditions for successful place-making and for achieving the wide-ranging benefits identified.
“All the buildings are designed in reference to and complimentary to the distinctly industrial heritage that is unique to this part of the Old Market conservation area.”
It has submitted more than 100 revised documents further detailing its plan in hope of winning the council’s approval.
There has been mixed feedback during consultation from neighbours.
Many residents in nearby Kingsley House objected claiming the new building would block their light and view, and construction would create noise and pollution for years to come.
In a public comment, Betty Lorman said the block would create a “concrete jungle of misery”.
She said: “The buildings surrounding Kingsley House that have been put on three sides have taken nearly all of our natural light.
“We have to put on light bulbs from three o’clock in the afternoon onwards.”
But more than a dozen residents left comments in support of the plan, stressing the need for investment in the area.
William Burton commented: “I support this proposal as it will breathe life into a run-down area that is rich with history.
“Personally, I quite like the design of the 20-storey tower and it also acts as a landmark for the current regeneration happening on the eastern fringe of Bristol city centre.”
Tanya Wharton added: “I believe this is an exciting opportunity for Bristol if this is done with the care and attention required.”
The council was due to decide on the plans by June, but this deadline has now been extended to the end of November.