Two major transport schemes about to get under way in Bristol could finally open the door for large parts of the city that have missed out on major development projects in the past, according to Philip Morton from property firm CBRE Bristol.
Both the South Bristol Link Road and the first part of the Metrobus system, linking Ashton Vale to the city centre, have been approved in recent weeks and with the financial support already in place, work on both major schemes is expected to start in the New Year.
While the southern side of Bristol has struggled to attract investors, areas to the North and West with close links to the motorway have thrived in stark contrast. Areas such as Avonmouth and South Gloucestershire have also seen large scale investment in recent years.
But Philip Morton believes that could all be about to change. He said: “Despite the recession we have continued to see plenty of activity in Avonmouth, which has become a major distribution centre. Some of the biggest players in the industry such as John Lewis, Tesco and the Cooperative have centred their distribution networks for the South West and South Wales in Avonmouth because of its position and direct access to the M5 and M4.”
Traffic congestion and poor transport links have long been considered one of the biggest problems facing the South West’s largest city. Philip Morton added: “The two most important factors when choosing locations for developers is cost and convenience. The reality is the layout of Bristol has made it more difficult for people to access areas south of the river. The fact that the ring road has never been completed has not helped the situation either.
“There have been schemes suggested in the past but they have never really got off the ground. This time things are different and all the necessary factors are now in place. It is a really encouraging sign that the work is about to progress and there should be some really interesting prospects opening up in South Bristol. There is plenty of space for developments and it would be great to some the development spread more evenly across the city.”
