Symes Avenue Bristol - Latest News

New Community Building

Land Assembly

Off-site Youth Provision

Symespace
Public Art

Programme

Latest news

December 2007

Alterations to the exterior of Symes House completed

November 2007

New Morrisons store and petrol station, and community building/library opened to the public 12th November - see photographs of launch event

Project wins award in Regeneration category of the South West Commercial Property Awards - see press coverage

October 2007

Post Office now open
Access into the site for all vehicles now off Hareclive Road
Handover of the community building/library currently scheduled for week beginning 29th October
Official opening of Morrisons store and the community building/library planned for 12th November. Morrisons to open to the public at 09.00 a.m with the formal opening of the community building/library to follow

August/September 2007

Temporary library closed to allow contractors access to complete works at the Hareclive Road end of the site
Handover of the community building/library to the Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership delayed until 10th October. Completion of fit-out and opening currently scheduled for week beginning 29th October
Post Office planned to open Mid September

July 2007

New scout building completed at 501 Bishport Avenue.

	Photos from the media call to publicise the opening of the new scout building - 81st Scout Group with the Leader of Bristol City Council and local councillor Helen Holland

Commencement of fit-out works for new post-office
New temporary access arrangements (to commmence 23 July)
Morrisons commence marketing of available retail units (through their agent Rapleys)

May 2007

Existing post-office closed (date for opening of new office in retail terrace to be confirmed)
New Ladbrokes and Boots units to open (Iceland unit scheduled to open 5th June)
Permanent car-parking for retail units and Symes House completed
Completion of remaining garage blocks around flats

Sewer diversion works continuing around Symes House
New access works around Symes House in place

Commencement of highway works on Hareclive Road

March 2007

The existing library on Peterson Square closes on 2nd March. New temporary location in portacabins on Hareclive Road to open on March 19th, pending the permanent relocation to the new community building in June/July

December 2006

Demolition of shops started on 5 December. Media launch (see photos below).

See latest photographs and movie of progress on-site

	Partners Photocall 05.12.06 - From left to right - Stephen Hewitt (HWCP), Councillor Barbara Janke (Leader of Bristol City Council), James Brook (Morrisons), Tracy Edwards Brown (HWCP), Avril Marshall (HWCP), Councillor Helen Holland (Whitchurch Park Ward), and Anton Bantock (Local Resident)
	Councillor Barbara Janke, Leader of Bristol City Council with image of new development
	Demolition of the existing shops begins

November 2006

Site compound and temporary car-park for Symes House in place

Symes Avenue and section of Peterson Square in front of Symes House closed to traffic

Existing play area decommissioned (for health and safety reasons)

Construction of new garages underway

Excavation works for Morrisons store underway

Steel frame for retail terrace in place

Commencement of drainage works in former Rose Garden area

Demolition of existing shops (excluding Boots, Iceland, Ladbrokes and the Post Office) scheduled to commence week beginning 4th December
Morrisons produce a plan showing Phase 2 of the construction works

October 2006

Morrisons produce a plan showing Phase 1 of the construction works

September 2006

Morrisons appoint main contractor Carillion
Work starts on-site 19 September 2006
Information on Phasing

Symes Avenue is quite a complicated area for Morrisons to develop, particularly given the need to maintain access to buildings and provide car-parking throughout the construction period. There are also significant changes in level across the site that will involve major excavation works.Morrisons’ architects have therefore drawn up a detailed phasing plan for the project that sets out when certain sections of the site will be developed. It is planned to display these drawings in the council offices at Symes once they have been finalised with the contractor.

The first phase will be the construction of the new retail units and community building on the site of the existing car-parks. Other works proposed at this stage include the partial demolition of some of the shops (to enable part of the new store to be built), a temporary car-park on the former Labour Club site, commencement of landscaping/parking works around the flats, and the formation of a new access off Hareclive Road. Symes Avenue will be retained as a through route for pedestrians. The new scout building at 501 Bishport Avenue will also be built.
Throughout the first phase it is planned that Iceland, Boots, the Post Office, and Ladbrokes, will be able to continue trading. They will then move into the new retail units once they are completed in late Spring next year. Co-op will be able to stay open until late November.

June 2006

Latest Project Update

Work continues apace to get everything in place to enable Morrisons to start on-site. However, before they can get going, the city council have to acquire all the land Morrisons need to build out their scheme. In recent months, much progress has been made in getting agreement with the different landowners involved (a number of shops have now closed-up as a result), but some negotiations have still to be concluded. Last October, the city council served Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) notices on all the people who have land interests at Symes to help this process, but some of the objections made to the CPO as a result remain outstanding. All efforts are now being made to get agreement with those parties, to secure withdrawal of these objections in order to avoid the need for a Public Inquiry, which is scheduled for 8th August.If this can be achieved, Morrisons can start building this Autumn, and they will be doing all they can to get their store open by Christmas 2007. However, if a Public Inquiry is required, bearing in mind the delay in waiting for a decision, it is likely that a start on-site won’t be made until early next year. Morrisons would then be looking to finish the development by Easter 2008.

The first phase of the new development will be the construction of the new retail units and community building on the site of the existing car-parks. Other works proposed at this stage include the partial demolition of some of the shops (to enable part of the new store to be built), a temporary car-park on the former Labour Club site, commencement of landscaping/parking works around the flats, and formation of a new access off Hareclive Road. Symes Avenue would still be retained as a through road. The new scout building at 501 Bishport Avenue would also be built. Once the phasing plans for the development have been finalised by Morrisons it is planned to display them in the Area Housing/Social Services office at Symes Avenue for residents to view.

January 2006

Section 106 Agreement signed by Morrisons and Bristol City Council. Planning permission for Morrisons' scheme therefore formally granted
Application for a Highways Stopping-Up Order submitted to the Government Office for the South West

December 2005

Bristol City Council acquires the long leases controlling the majority of the shops and flats. These leases were sold at auction in July 2005 by Panther Securities Plc
Bristol City Council submits the Statement of Case for the CPO

November 2005

Four objections lodged in response to the CPO notices

October 2005

Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) made and CPO notices served on 06.10.2005

July 2005

Bristol City Council Cabinet reaffirm the need for a Compulsory Purchase Order to assist the regeneration of Symes Avenue (Cabinet Meeting 20.07.2005)
The Government Office for the South West confirm that they do not want to 'call in' Morrisons' planning application

June 2005

Morrisons' planning application approved subject to referral to the Government Office for the South West and a Section 106 Agreement (South & East Area Planning Committee 29.06.2005)

April 2005

Planning permission granted for Scout building at 501 Bisport Avenue and alterations to Symes House

February 2005

Conditional contracts signed by Morrisons, SWRDA and Bristol City Council

Site of former Labour Club acquired and building demolished
Detailed planning applications submitted for main scheme, alterations to Symes House and the construction of the new scout building

	Partners Photocall 16.02.2005 - From left to right - Peter Holloway (Regeneration Manager South West Regional Development Agency), Tracy Edwards Brown (Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership Director), Dawn Primarolo MP, Helen Holland (Local Councillor and Deputy Leader with responsibility for External Affairs and Patnerships, Bristol City Council), and James Brook (Development Surveyor, Morrisons)
	Clearance works begin on-site with the demolition of the Labour Club, 16.02.2005
	Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership Director Tracy Edwards Brown helps out with the demolition of the Labour Club building, 16.02.2005