Fostering inclusive growth though regeneration: Bristol Temple Quarter

Temple Meads, the city’s main station, has ironically been a barrier within Bristol since its construction by Brunel in 1840. Straddling a river and canal basin, disconnected from the historic centre, it can be a confusing place to arrive and difficult to move through. It faces away from east Bristol and despite being near vibrant communities and significant employment in St Philip’s Marsh, the station is not easily accessible. Now, public sector partners aim to fix this.

Collaboration between Homes England, Bristol City Council, and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has been formalised in the Bristol Temple Quarter (BTQ) Limited Liability Partnership to improve physical connectivity and drive regeneration. Working with Network Rail, the University of Bristol, and a central government grant of £95m, infrastructure improvements for the station are already underway, with plans for a new transport hub and station entrance, dubbed the ‘Southern Gateway’ soon to be submitted. These improvements aim to enable the delivery of 10,000 new homes and employment space for 22,000 jobs across the 135-hectare regeneration area.

Private sector developers are already using the momentum to bring forward regeneration, including new housing and student accommodation. This means that there is already a lot of activity, and social value commitments, underway. This comes withs concerns from local community about how this new development is going to benefit them.

Our goal at BTQ is to ensure infrastructure improvements and regeneration benefit people across Bristol and the wider West of England region. To be successful, the regeneration of Temple Quarter needs to improve people’s quality of life, enhance the accessibility of the area, and deliver an inclusive economy. New residents and businesses must work with established communities to steward the area successfully. Sustainability will be a central part of the approach we take, and Temple Quarter can lead Bristol and the West of England's transition to net zero and environmental resilience, while delivering the homes and opportunities people in the region need.

Inclusive and sustainable growth is key to this. Temple Quarter must respond to the inequalities within Bristol. As we respond to challenges of movement and connectivity, we need to make sure new spaces are genuinely accessible, and approachable, with opportunities for everyone.

This work took a step forward last week as we share the first Bristol Temple Quarter Charter, setting long-term social, economic, and environmental ambitions for regeneration. Developed through community and stakeholder engagement, the Charter will evolve as we learn from each other across civil society, and the public and private sectors.

A multi-partner Steering Group will oversee the Charter, ensuring it responds to changing needs and priorities as the regeneration of the area progresses. It will enable residents and partners to hold the LLP accountable and drive local priorities and opportunities. The Charter aims to coordinate social value work around shared priorities and encourage responsible, impactful investment. It fosters collaboration among public, private, and civil society partners to drive better outcomes for people and the planet. It also supports procurement processes and private sector delivery, which we know is a huge opportunity for our local supply chains and SMEs.

Partners are invited to commit to the Charter’s values of inclusive and sustainable growth. Partners can contribute in different ways depending on their involvement. By participating, they will benefit from enhanced information, support, and the opportunity to influence the Charter’s evolution, as well as by being part of a community of organisations all aiming to deliver social benefit at BTQ.

This is the start of an ambitious journey. By working together, we can align resources and communities to deliver a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring Bristol Temple Meads station and the areas around it into the 21st century with inclusive and sustainable growth at their heart. If you would like to find out more, get involved or contribute to the work in any way, please contact us at hello@bristoltemplequarter.com.