L&G outlines plans for 500 homes on Bristol’s Temple Island

A month-long public consultation is underway on a proposed mixed-use scheme by Legal & General (L&G) in a disused area near Temple Meads railway station in central Bristol.

L&G is committing to build 500 flats on the Temple Island site – derelict since 1995 – in addition to two office blocks and a 345-room hotel and conference centre. The city council reached a deal with L&G in August for the £350m redevelopment of a 2.74-hectare area previously earmarked for an arena.

At the time, the council announced on its website that it had decided to “enter into conditional disposal” of the land on a 250-year lease.

Before the lease is granted, Bristol City Council will spend £32m on site-preparation work, including remediation of any soil-contamination issues.

The Zaha Hadid-designed scheme forms part of the Temple Quarter regeneration programme that also involves the University of Bristol and Network Rail. The university is already developing the northern part of Temple Island.

It appears that L&G has yet to name a preferred contractor; Construction News has contacted the company for further comment.

A previous attempt to regenerate Temple Island with a 12,000-seat arena fell through in September 2018. Buckingham Group held a preconstruction-services contract for the project worth an estimated £122m, but the plan was suspended in November 2017.

Other L&G investments in Bristol include £310m for build-to-rent and modular housing; an office hub for the Civil Service; and the Quayside Bristol office development.

This story was amended on 2 March 2023