Construction work to develop 142 new homes at McArthur’s Yard in the heart of Bristol got underway on Thursday 18 November, along with a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of the project.
The ceremony was hosted by Cain Peters, Regional Director at Hill Group and Jon Milburn, Group Development at Guinness Homes, who welcomed Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes at Bristol City Council.
Speaking about the commencement of the development work, Councillor Renhard commented: “A great partnership between Guinness and Hill, together with Bristol City Council planning department has resulted in this derelict brownfield site, which sat vacant for 20 years, to at last be put to good use. I am thrilled to be here today to break ground on what will soon become new homes for the people of Bristol.”
This large harbourside site in the historic dockyard area of Bristol is one of the city’s few remaining undeveloped areas. Once complete, McArthur’s yard will provide 142 new homes, with a large proportion of these destined for the open market, while a number of these have also been set aside for shared ownership and social rent. In addition, the development will comprise commercial spaces and a café.
Jon Milburn, Group Development director at The Guinness Partnership said: “We are delighted to have welcomed Councillor Renhard to join us this morning and thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to attend our event. This ceremony marks an important ‘next step’ for Guinness and our delivery partner, Hill as we begin to create a new waterside community. I am delighted that work has now commenced on this significant addition for the city.”
The properties will be a mix one-, two- and three-bedroom homes benefiting from modern designs ensuring high thermal efficiency, with 20% of the energy generated through renewables. The scheme will also include cycle spaces for residents to enjoy easy access to the city centre and electric car charging points will also be installed.
Meanwhile, the local economy is set to be boosted throughout the building of the development, with new jobs created for skilled construction workers – and with the inclusion of the new street-level commercial units, local residents will enjoy a wide array of shops and services on their doorstep.
Chief Executive for Hill Group, Andy Hill commented: “We are delighted to celebrate the start of this exciting regeneration project in Bristol, a city which has a growing demand for housing. McArthur’s Yard will provide an attractive mix of new social and private apartments and houses which we will be creating to suit today’s lifestyle. I am sure many people will really enjoy living in this unique waterside development once completed.”
