There have been long held ambitions to develop this part of city dating back to John Wood the Elder.
Formally gardens, meadows and a marsh known as the Ham, through both the 18th and 19 century a number of proposals were put forward but were only partly realised.
Eventually, in the early 1800s, the land was acquired by Brunel as part the Great Western Railway and industry followed. The two churches were built between
1860 and 1875, and a sorting office was built in 1901 (currently Bayntun’s).
Throughout the rest of the 20th century Royal Mail progressively expanded their property portfolio as industry dried up. Gardens were still retained on the site until the 1960s upon which the car park and police station were built.
The result is a unique but disjointed streetscape which fails to celebrate some it’s key assets.
The area is allocated as a key development site (SB3) in both the Local Plan and Enterprise Area Masterplan.
Local Plan (policy SB3) seeks an employment-led redevelopment of Manvers Street to include 9,000sqm office space (GIA), 60 new homes, green infrastructure and public space.
The Public Realm and Movement Strategy also support the creation of a new public space at South Parade and enhancements to Manvers Street.
- Redevelopment of site
- Public realm enhancements
- Transport route improvements
- Existing uses
- Heritage environment
- Building height restrictions due to important views in and out of the site
- Flood zone
- Immediacy to key transport route