Bristol Temple Meads Station redevelopment

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

^6 million windfall signals the end for Bristol's eyesore GPO^‡(resolve) building

BRISTOL'S worst eyesore is finally set to be knocked down, thanks to a ^6 million windfall from the Government to buy the site from an investment firm. The former Royal Mail sorting office has blighted the view of passengers arriving in Bristol at Temple Meads station since it closed down in 1997.

The Bristol Post understands a deal to buy it is "very close", thanks to funding announced yesterday by Communities Minister Stephen Williams.

Read more at http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE-pound-6m-windfall-signals-end-Bristol-s/story-21156873-detail/story.html#T1h7szjOuyIB3oyo.99

Minister unlocks Bristol^s Arena site to major development

Work to unlock a development site which has been earmarked for Bristol^s ambitious Arena project is about to start in earnest.

Communities Minister and Bristol West MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Stephen Williams joined partners at the Diesel Depot site beside Temple Meads station today to mark the start of infrastructure work which will unlock the site for major development.

The ^11.5m project commissioned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will see a new two lane bridge installed over the River Avon to improve links with the station and the rest of the city. Work is also underway to enhance the bridge by creating a green corridor using trees and other climbing plants across its structure and along pedestrian routes.

More details: http://www.bristoltemplequarter.com/news/news/2014/05/29/minister-unlocks-bristol%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98arena-site%E2%80%99-to-major-development/

Can't find anything about the mail conveyor on the Bristol City Council Planning Application Database - I would presume that the usual 'courtesy' application would be required before it could be demolished, though I do note that it is not specifically mentioned in the station's Grade I listing..!

[Aasimuk]

The mail conveyor is definitely about to meet is demise!  Arriving on an inbound into platform three today, the shutters were wide open. All the lifts are still intact, and could see through to another subway, so is that three that run across the platforms?  infact, think there is four, as went in a derelict one on the Bristol Doors Open Day a year or two ago.

[Red Squirrel]

The planning application for the removal of the mail conveyor at Temple Meads is now on the BCC^» (Bristol City Council - about) website - go to http://planningonline.bristol.gov.uk/online-applications/ and use search ref 14/03806/LA for full details. The status of this application at the time of posting was 'Pending Consideration'.

I recommend reading 'SUPPORTING STATEMENT - JULY 2014' - this contains the Design and Access statement and other background info.

[paul7575]

Hmm...   I reckon that should take about ten seconds to decide.

From today's perspective, how did they ever get permission to add that to a listed building anyway?

Paul

[TonyK]

Hmm...   I reckon that should take about ten seconds to decide.

Paul

Not in Bristol...

[Red Squirrel]

The proposal to demolish the Temple Meads mail conveyor was granted Listed Building Consent on 23rd September 2014. Bring on Miley Cyrus, clad in suitable PPE of course.

Edit: English Heritage made this comment:

The canopies along the platforms appear to have been cut back to accommodate the Conveyor bridge. Given the overall benefits of the current proposals, we do not object the cladding of the severed ends of the canopies with traditional dagger-boards; however, in the longer term consideration might be given to reinstating the missing elements of the canopies.

Hear hear! Given the importance of these buildings, is it unreasonable to hope that the pitched roof to the clock tower might one day be reinstated too?

[JayMac]

Excellent news!

Should make London end photography more aesthetically pleasing. Hoping there's a gap between conveyor removal and knitting going up.

[TonyK]

Excellent news!

Should make London end photography more aesthetically pleasing. Hoping there's a gap between conveyor removal and knitting going up.

There should be, but it might not be a long gap.

[Red Squirrel]

Spotted something interesting (well, I think it is!) in this document 'Growing Bristol^s Railway' (undated, unfortunately), by Chris Aldridge, Principal Strategic Planner at Network Rail Western: http://www.travelwest.info/sites/default/files/Network%20Rail%20process.pdf

I had assumed that the plan to reopen the 'Midland' shed for terminating London services involved just the part currently used as a car park (the 1870s Digby-Wyatt extension to Brunel's terminus); however p8 of this report appears to show that accommodating 10-car IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) will require the use of Brunel's 'Passenger Shed' - that's the bit where they hold the Beer Festival - as well. Also interesting to see how the subway could connect the two parts of the station.

The artist's impression on p11 shows the Midland Shed extended to replace what was demolished for the PSB^▸ (Power Signal Box), though it appears to be a modern lightweight construction. Hopefully they won't get away with that! Old photos show that the two Digby-Wyatt roofs complemented each other; that's how they should restore it.

I'd dearly love to see more detail of these emerging plans..!

[stuving]

Spotted something interesting (well, I think it is!) in this document 'Growing Bristol^s Railway' (undated, unfortunately), by Chris Aldridge, Principal Strategic Planner at Network Rail Western: http://www.travelwest.info/sites/default/files/Network%20Rail%20process.pdf

Internally, the PDF is dated 23/10/2013 - though the presentation could be a bit earlier.

[John R]

Speaking to one of the platform staff last weekend, he said the Mail Conveyor is due to be removed in a possession on 25th/26th December. Hooray!

[JayMac]

There's evidence of work starting to bring down the the Royal Mail building. I saw heavy plant on the site yesterday.

Sensible, if somewhat expensive, to remove the conveyor on the only two days a year when there are no passenger services. I hope there will be no overrun. The 27th December is one of the busiest travelling days. I imagine that as much as possible of the conveyor structure will removed before Christmas Day.

[chuffed]

There should be plenty of room on Santa's sleigh  for the conveyor belt after delivering all those presents the night before. However, whether Santa or his yellow coated, white helmeted, booted elves that moonlight for Network Rail will be in a fit enough state to do the work, after all the festive cheer, ( hic !) is another matter entirely !!!

[Red Squirrel]

I saw heavy plant on the site yesterday.

I thought I saw a triffid there last night.

But seriously, there was a lot of crashing and banging going on in the old Royal Mail building, and a JCB bashing something up in the area between the station wall and the sorting office. Presumably this is preparatory to the removal of the mail conveyor.

This poster gives a nice 'before and after' (sorry for the jaunty angle but it was that or have a big flash reflection in the middle of it!).

(Attachment now fixed)

[paul7575]

This poster gives a nice 'before and after' (sorry for the jaunty angle but it was that or have a big flash reflection in the middle of it!).

Er...  you seem to have shrunk that attachment a step too far

Paul