South Gloucestershire Council has granted planning permission for the new North Filton Station, which will connect rail services to the new community, known as ‘Brabazon‘, being developed on the former Filton Airfield site, as well as visitors to the new YTL Arena Bristol.
The new station is part of the MetroWest project and will also benefit existing and future residents and businesses in Filton and Patchway, and bring people to and from Cribbs Causeway shopping mall.
Up to 6,000 new homes are planned to be delivered in the next 20 years in the local area and providing reliable public transport links to Bristol and the region will help to make these new communities sustainable and successful.
The new North Filton station will be served by passenger trains on the Henbury Link, which extends from Henbury to Bristol Temple Meads via Filton Abbey Wood and Ashley Down.
The station has been designed to accommodate 5-carriage trains, which are able to accommodate 582 passengers.
According to a transport statement supplied as part of the application, there will initially be one train per hour in each direction, with potential to increase the service frequency going forward.
The council received revised plans for the new station from Network Rail in December 2022 and says it fast-tracked its final assessment of the proposals to enable a decision to be made promptly, so that work on the station could begin as soon as possible. It is hoped the station will be complete by 2026.
South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for planning and strategic infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade, said:
“This is a significant milestone, and I am pleased the council has been able to prioritise its efforts to accelerate the delivery of the planning permission for the new station.”
“North Filton Station will support not only the growing resident population, but the new and existing infrastructure, businesses and entertainment facilities, which will attract visitors from across the region and beyond to this part of South Gloucestershire. Having regular and reliable public transport links will be vital to make this area an attractive place to live, work and visit.”
“This decision will now enable our delivery partners to take forward the new station without delay to serve the new arena, existing residents and businesses and the new community at Brabazon.”
More information and related links:
- Planning application P21/06296/F (SGC)
- YTL Arena Bristol (The Journal)
