Leading Bristol-based property consultancy Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP welcomed a host of investor and developer clients to its home city last week (Thursday 18th May), introducing them to development sites and opportunities that have emerged over the last 12 months.
Hartnell Taylor Cook has staged the event, titled the Commercial Property Review of Bristol, annually for more than 20 years. The firm, which recently reported record revenues in a fourth consecutive year of growth, chose Filton Airfield as the central theme of the 2017 event.
Partner Ian Lambert said: “The South West region continues to evolve, and there are some huge, game-changing areas opening up in strategically important parts of the city. There’s no better way to bring key investors up to speed on what’s happening here than to get on the ground and see things up close, with expert insight from our specialists in different sectors.”
Representatives from such institutions as Legal & General, LaSalle Investment Management and Mayfair Capital were included within the party.
Setting out from Bristol Parkway, the 60-strong party was first taken, via Aztec West, to Cribbs Causeway, which features a proposed extension of the Mall, currently with the Secretary of State for a decision; and a proposed new leisure destination featuring an ice rink and ski centre.
The group moved on to Filton Airfield, the historic location that allowed Bristol to become the hub of the British aerospace industry. The 350-acre site was acquired by Malaysian developer YTL Estates in 2015, and plans are advancing for development across its vast acreage.
The airfield site has outline planning permission for 2,675 homes and 62 acres of commercial development and sits at the heart of the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood. Central to the area’s plans is innovative Bristol property company Studio Hive, which is project managing the site on behalf of YTL.
Jason Collard, managing director of Studio Hive, said: “The sheer scale of development at Filton is breathtaking, and it’s hard to appreciate that without getting on-site and having the plans clearly explained, so it’s great that HTC make the effort to be ambassadors for Bristol in this way.”
The group tour continued with a coach journey into the city centre, looking at changing areas such as St Paul’s, where Hartnell Taylor Cook has recently acted on a series of deals to bring new residential projects forward. The tour looked at the city’s central business district and Cabot Circus before ending with a ferry trip taking in key waterside developments such as Finzels Reach and Redcliff Wharf.
Lambert concluded: “It’s only when you take a step back and look at the changes taking place that you appreciate the range and quality of what’s going on. Across residential, offices, industrial, retail and the city’s infrastructure, things are moving quickly. Bristol continues to evolve and we are proud to live and work here.”
