Filton Journal

Phase two of north Bristol’s Horizon 38 scheme, one of the biggest mixed-use redevelopment projects in the country, is nearing completion.

Situated on the former East Works site, south of Gipsy Patch Lane, the area has been a hive of activity since construction began in earnest in late 2016.

Access to the site is via two new roads off Gipsy Patch Lane, now named Titan Way (closest to the railway bridge) and Taurus Road, both after historic engines produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company.

Notable buildings currently nearing completion include a giant 115,500 sq ft warehouse (equivalent to the size of two football pitches) built on a speculative basis (i.e. without an agreed tenant), and accessed from Titan Way.

Paul Hobbs of joint letting agents GVA comments, “Unit G2 at Horizon 38 is a positive reaction by the developer to a real lack of any quality big shed supply in the Bristol and regional property market. The building is particularly targeted at ‘last mile’ supply chain companies such as Amazon who need to be very close to the customer – an expanding new market known as urban logistics.”

Adjacent to unit G2, and also fronting Gipsy Patch Lane, is a 35,000 sq ft trade centre for Selco, a national chain of trade-only builders’ merchants. This significant anchor occupier is currently advertising for staff and is expected to open in May.

Behind Selco, and accessed from Taurus Road is unit F1, a terrace of seven trade showrooms. The new high specification units, with allocated customer parking, provide businesses with a prominent frontage to promote their trade counters and showrooms.

Elsewhere on the site, Willmott Dixon has begun construction of a new 153-bedroom hotel for Village Urban Resorts. Occupying the prominent plot on the corner of the A38 and Gipsy Patch Lane, opposite Drive Vauxhall, the new Village Hotel Club will deliver a business class hotel with a business and events HUB and a state-of-the-art health and fitness club including swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

More: proposed seven-acre car supermarket will front onto A38 »

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Joint venture partners and commercial property developers and investors, St Francis Group and iSec have announced the signing of two key deals with prospective tenants at Horizon 38, the new mixed used development that is starting to take shape on the former Rolls-Royce East Works site, south of Gipsy Patch Lane.

In the first deal, detailed planning consent has been granted by South Gloucestershire Council for the development of a new 35,000 sq ft trade centre for Selco, a chain of trade-only builders merchants. The deal will see Selco take a 15-year lease at an undisclosed rent. Building work is set to begin in March and be completed by October 2017.

Chris Cunliffe, CEO of Selco, commented:

“Selco are pleased to confirm our deal with St Francis Group and iSec which will us open our second branch in Bristol. This is a great opportunity for Selco as we continue our expansion in the UK and strengthen our position in the Bristol marketplace. This opportunity will see more than 50 jobs created to support the local community and will also offer genuine career opportunities.”

In the second deal, St Francis Group and iSec have confirmed a deal with Village Urban Resorts for the development of a new 153-bedroom hotel occupying the prominent plot on the corner of the A38 and Gipsy Patch Lane. Work on the hotel is due to commence in August 2017, following completion of the internal site infrastructure works and estate road construction. The hotel is expected to be open by summer 2018.

The new Village Hotel Club will deliver a business class hotel with a business and events HUB and a state-of-the-art health and fitness club including swimming pool, bar and restaurant. The new Village Hotel Club – which will create 100 new jobs – will act as a catalyst for the wider Horizon 38 scheme and represents an investment of £21m.

Iain Stackhouse, head of property at Village Hotel Club, said:

“We’re growing the Village Hotel Club network by investing into quality new locations and Horizon 38 will be our 30th site. With plans to double the size of our portfolio within the next 5 years, we’re targeting premier locations like this and building outstanding facilities with a premium business and leisure offer. Here we’ll be ideally placed to serve a significant and expanding catchment and play a key role in the successful build out of the Horizon 38 scheme.”

More: Artist’s impression of proposed Village Hotel Club »