The accommodation will be home to 953 post-graduate students and forms part of the University's new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus.  

Located on part of Temple Island, it will be arranged in three buildings wrapped around a central courtyard. Student wellbeing and future flexibility were key themes in driving the design.

The ground floor of the buildings will be metal clad to reflect the industrial heritage of the site and feature a 24-hour student hub along with commercial outlets while the upper floors include a large communal roof terrace, common rooms and a biodiversity roof, in addition to the living spaces. The facilities also include a gym and outdoor fitness spaces.

Professor Guy Orpen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for New Campus Development, said: "This decision represents an important stage in the evolution of our plans to develop a world-leading innovation campus in the heart of the city of Bristol.

"Our goal is to create high-quality spaces for the University community, visitors and for people in the city. The new campus is part of a wider regeneration of the Temple Quarter area that will help contribute to economic and social growth and enhance Bristol's reputation as a global destination for innovation.

"The student accommodation, along with the new academic buildings which will replace the old Sorting Office and greet passengers at Bristol Temple Meads, will regenerate a long-dormant central area of the city by creating a welcoming campus in Temple Quarter to benefit the whole city."

The new campus will be at the forefront of digital, business and social innovation. It will provide teaching, research and innovation space for 3,000 students, plus 800 staff, business and community partners.

Councillor Nicola Beech, Bristol City Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and City Design said “This is a welcome step as we work with the University of Bristol and other partners to create at Temple Quarter, a sustainable and flourishing new urban area that is welcoming to all – to live, work, learn – and build on Bristol’s strengths as a world class city.  

The University's new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus is part of that ambition bringing with it innovation and job creation. The council is facilitating this by providing development and carrying out enabling works, including the demolition of the former Sorting Office at Cattlemarket Road.” 

Outline planning permission for the campus was granted in July 2018. A public consultation on the detailed designs of the public spaces and academic buildings – to be built on the site of the former Sorting Office – was held in September 2019.The reserved matters planning application for this part of the campus is due to be submitted in November.