Work starts on Bristol's new green business park in Filwood
Posted on: 13 Mar 2014Work has started and the first turf has been cut for the new Filwood Green Business Park, which is part of the construction on the South Bristol regeneration project, judged as Outstanding under BREEAM (the world's foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings). In fact it will be the only BREEAM outstanding office building situated in the whole of the South-West and adds to Bristol's credentials as 2015 European Green Capital.
The Filwood Green Business park has been designed by architect Stride Treglown and will provide 40,000 sq ft of workshop and office space and is expected to support 350 jobs.
Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson said: “It’s testament to the environmental excellence of this project that even before the first turf has been cut it has been judged as outstanding by BREEAM, and highly commended at the BREEAM Awards, the world’s leading design and assessment method for sustainable buildings. Filwood’s Green Business Park is an example of our ambitions for our year as European Green Capital. It combines the highest level of environmental sustainability with strong economic and social benefits for local people. It is a leading project in the regeneration of South Bristol, a demonstration of the real benefit of organisations working together to deliver local jobs and growth.”
The Business Park will be built by Bristol-based Midas Construction on a brownfield site. Once finished, the Business Park will produce 20% of its energy on site from renewable sources and will include a wetland ecology area, electric vehicle charging points, new cycling and walking routes and shower facilities for cyclists. It will also benefit from being on the route of Metrobus, due to start running in 2017.
Part funded by Bristol City Council the project has also received money from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The project has received additional funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership Revolving Infrastructure Fund, which is supported by the Government's Regional Growth Fund.
This development forms part of wider plans to regenerate Filwood Park, which is being led by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and also includes a provision for new public park and up to 150 new and affordable homes.
Upon completion in February 2015, the business park will provide a space for small businesses and hot desk use, as well as workshops and offices for more traditional business use. All tenants will be able to buy into a range of business services, including high speed broadband, reception services, use of a boardroom and other meeting spaces.