A public exhibition of the final proposals will be on display on Thursday 19 March 2009 from 12 noon to 7 pm in the foyer of the University’s Senate House on Tyndall Avenue. There will be an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the proposals at 12 noon – 2 pm and 5 pm – 7 pm when visitors to the exhibition will be able to discuss any queries they may have and talk face-to-face with representatives of the University and the project team.
The proposed development is to be built on part of the old Children’s Hospital site on the corner of St Michael’s Hill and Tyndall Avenue. It will create over £80 million-worth of education and research facilities and laboratories for the Biological Sciences and Mathematics Departments and will also improve the public realm, including a new route into Royal Fort garden from St Michael’s Hill.
Over the past 15 months, the University and its project team have involved the local community and key stakeholders in a series of consultation workshops and public exhibitions to help shape the emerging proposals. This latest exhibition is an opportunity for those interested to view the final scheme and make any additional comments before the planning and listed building applications are considered by Bristol City Council in April.
Patrick Finch, Bursar and Director of Estates at the University of Bristol said: “The Biological Sciences and Mathematics development is an important project for both the University and the local community. Since November 2007 we have regularly consulted with local residents and organisations as the plans have progressed. These latest changes are in response to further feedback received after the scheme went in for forward planning in December. We are keen to share these latest changes with the community and explain how we have responded to the consultation feedback before the applications are considered by the Local Planning Authority next month.”
Conservation Area consent was granted by the Local Planning Authority to allow demolition of two un-listed buildings on the former Children’s Hospital site so that full archaeological investigations could take place. The University appointed local experts BaRAS to carry out a full archaeological investigation to gain a fuller understanding of the extent and location of the remains of the original Royal Fort. The archaeological excavation and investigation work started in early February and on completion BaRAS will provide their report to both Bristol City Council and English Heritage.