Plans submitted for Bristol's first net zero carbon later living community in Westbury Park
Plans to create Bristol's first net zero integrated retirement community and a new leisure and activity hub for Westbury Park have been submitted to Bristol City Council. Developed after extensive community consultation, the £85 million proposal for St Christopher's Square will create over 100 new homes for older people on a five acre site bordering the Downs. Access to the site, which has been shut off for many years, will be opened up to the local community who will be able to enjoy a range of activities on the grounds, in North Lodge and in the refurbished Grade II listed Grace House. The development will be transformed into a centre for local residents and the wider Westbury Park community, and will include a café, an urban village hall, a wellness centre featuring a hydrotherapy pool and gym, plus activity rooms. St Christopher's Square will offer the highest levels of sustainability, health and wellbeing, and has been designed to fit well within the local area. The proposals will see the sustainable refurbishment of the existing heritage buildings on the site, including the villas fronting Westbury Park. A new collection of two storey cottages and four three- to six-storey buildings will provide 122 much-needed extra care homes.
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The extra care, or integrated retirement model, combines lifestyle amenities, care, and community activities, enabling older people to live independently for as long as possible. These homes will help address the acute shortage of specialist accommodation for older people in Bristol and at the same time, free up homes for families in the city while reducing pressure on the NHS and social services. The designs feature extensive open space and a range of gardens for residents and local people to enjoy. The grounds will include sensory gardens and community food growing spaces to boost sustainable living, biodiversity, and resident wellbeing. The landscaping has been designed by Bristol-based Stride Treglown and will involve planting 50 extra trees on site. St Christopher's Square will be net zero carbon in operation, as well as using low carbon construction techniques and materials. It will also be fossil fuel free, generating up to 25% of its energy needs on-site through solar panels. Extensive consultation was undertaken over several months to inform the designs, and plans have been changed in response to local feedback.
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