Ashton Rise, Bristol – Private Residential & Affordable Homes Partnership
- Client
- Willmott Dixon
- Location
- Bristol
- Project Leaders
- Richard Fellows Colm Coyle
- Size
- 133 Units
- Value
- 21.2 M
Challenge
Quattro Design Architects was appointed by Willmott Dixon, to design a residential development on a site located off Silbury Road in Bristol. The proposed development provided an additional 133 new homes ranging from 1-bedroom apartments through to 4-bedroom family houses consisting of a mixture of market sale units and Bristol City Council owned housing.
Prior to development, the site had been vacant and unkept for a number of years, resulting in the establishment and flourishing of flora and fauna. Ecological features were consequently a constraint as well as arboricultural features, including a Cat A oak tree.
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Solution
The protection of ecological and arboricultural features and their suitable mitigation, enhancement and integration into the new built environment was one of the main drivers of our scheme. Through close liaison, from the outset, with Bristol City Council Urban Design and Ecology, we were able to design a sensitive scheme that protected the ecological assets of the site. A cluster of trees towards the centre of the site, that included the Cat A oak tree, were retained and protected during construction and are now integrated within an area of public open space serving as a social hub and focal point within the scheme. Wildlife corridors were also established along certain boundaries, ensuring the flora and fauna continued to flourish.
Units have been designed to meet the Nationally Described Space Standards for area and internal space requirements, as well as all Bristol City Council affordable properties meeting Building Regulation Part M4(2).
Through the use of an established energy strategy hierarchy, the design for this project attained reduced carbon emission ratings that went well beyond that required to comply with current Building Regulations, Domestic Building Services Compliance and Bristol City Council targets, and generally achieving SAP ratings in line with Stroud District Council aspirations.
The site utilises a communal heating system for the apartments in the form of Kensa ground source district heat pumps, which along with an air-tightness value of less than 1.0 ac/h/sqm and high levels of insulation across the scheme, all ensure to achieve a highly sustainable product.
Sustainable urban drainage has also been successfully incorporated into the scheme through the extensive use of both underground attenuation storage capacity plus the introduction of an external attenuation basin/ swale, again incorporated into the extensive landscaping and public realm and open space.
Started in 2019, this high-profile sustainable scheme is due for completion in early 2021, having been delayed by Covid-19.
This development provides 22 much-needed affordable properties on disused Stroud District Council-owned land in our town. We know that Wotton residents are keen that these properties are made available for local families and when we visited residents recently, they told us they were delighted with the standard and the spacious layout.
Liberal Democrat, Wotton Ward
Everyone on the team, from architect to site labourer, has worked really hard on this project and the results are plain to see: a high quality finish to 22 new homes. We’re enormously satisfied to have delivered the scheme on time and under budget.
Aqua Construction, Gloucester
Most importantly, 22 families are now able to enjoy the benefits of brand new, energy-efficient and secure homes. Platform Housing Group has been a fantastic client partner throughout the project and we look forward to working with them again in the future.
Aqua Construction, Gloucester