Whitehouse Street Regeneration Framework
Shortlisted
Masterplanning for the Future
Michelmores Property Awards 2023
Shortlisted
Placemaking Project of the Year
Insider South West Property Awards 2023
The regeneration of Whitehouse Street will transform a brownfield industrial estate in the heart of Bedminster into a thriving, mixed-use neighbourhood. The plans include around 2,000 new homes and up to 15,000m² of employment space, all within easy reach of shops, services, public transport, and improved community, cultural, and public spaces—contributing to a more vibrant and inclusive Bedminster.
Creating a Shared Vision
Working with Bristol City Council, landowners and the local community, we developed a Regeneration Framework for the Whitehouse Street area. The framework sets out a shared vision and long-term strategy for the area’s future, combining urban planning, transport, and design strategy to guide sustainable and inclusive development. It is a material consideration in the planning process and will shape future planning applications.
Key objectives guiding the framework
Community-led planning
Ensure local priorities are embedding into designs before planning applications begin.
Collaboration
Encourage landowners to work together to transform the area based on an agreed long-term vision.
Coordination
Ensure new proposals and infrastructure are coordinated and work well together.
Policy alignment
Align all proposals with emerging Council planning policies.
Design and sustainability
Lock high-quality design and environmental objectives into future planning applications.
A Community-led Approach
Bedminster has seen rapid change in recent years. While development around Bedminster Green has accelerated, traditional high streets such as East Street and Bedminster Parade have declined—leaving many residents feeling excluded from decisions shaping their community.
Bristol City Council recognised the need for a different approach—one that put the community at the heart of regeneration. Action Greater Bedminster (AGB), a community-led partnership, was invited to attend design meetings and act as a trusted go-between for the project team and the wider community.
We worked collaboratively with AGB to create a ‘Scope of Community Influence’, clarifying which aspects of the project the community would have the greatest and least ability to shape. A Community Manifesto was also created to capture what matters most to residents. This early engagement ensured that community priorities were embedded into the framework from the outset, with clear expectations for all involved.
Shape My City
In June 2021, we led a workshop on the theme of Sustainable Planning with a group of students from Design West’s Shape My City diverse talent accelerator programme. Using our Whitehouse Street Regeneration Framework project as a live canvas, we explored the voices and criteria that shape places.
Progress and Impact
Since the Regeneration Framework was formally endorsed by Bristol City Council in 2023, real progress has been made:
- District heat network infrastructure has been installed, supporting sustainable energy use.
- A temporary secondary school has opened to meet immediate educational demand.
- Developers have started to submit proposals that reflect the shared vision created with the community.
Whitehouse Street is part of the wider East Bedminster regeneration story. Ongoing community involvement is essential as development moves forward. Visit the East Bedminster Regeneration website to learn more and stay up-to-date with future plans.
