Design Review has supported the evolution of one of the South West’s largest regeneration sites, helping the local authority and project team test an ambitious new masterplan as the scale, context and aspirations for Brabazon changed.
The Scheme
Formerly the largest brownfield site in South West England, Brabazon is a major strategic development opportunity for Bristol and the wider region.
A masterplan was approved in 2017, but the planned 17,000-seat arena, changing expectations around density and growth, and greater emphasis on biodiversity, climate resilience and sustainable development prompted a rethink of the original proposals.
The revised scheme increased the site’s capacity from approximately 2,675 to 6,500 homes and commercial space from around 1 million to 4.3 million sq ft. They also introduced a broader mix of uses, including a higher-education campus, and increased public open space from 30 to 32 hectares.
Design Review
Design West provided an independent forum in which the local authority and project team could test the emerging masterplan and address the implications of increased scale and complexity.
Reviews considered the masterplan as a whole, alongside detailed proposals for Brabazon Park, a retirement village, purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and a supermarket. Continued review has helped maintain a clear line between the strategic ambitions for Brabazon and the design of its individual phases.
The Panel’s Recommendations
The Panel’s advice focused on:
- integrating movement, landscape, public realm, sustainability and Brabazon Park;
- strengthening walking, cycling and connections across the site;
- creating distinctive, comfortable and human-scale environments;
- establishing clearer targets for carbon, biodiversity, energy and tree-canopy cover; and
- resolving the relationship between increased density and open space.
Impact
The revised masterplan secured planning approval in 2024, increasing Brabazon’s capacity to 6,500 homes alongside 4.3 million sq ft of commercial space and 32 hectares of public open space.
Design Review has continued beyond outline approval, with the Panel considering all key reserved matters applications to date. This ongoing scrutiny has secured notable improvements to the purpose-built student accommodation and Central Park schemes and helped ensure that individual proposals contribute to the wider masterplan.
Brabazon has since been identified by central government as part of a prospective new town, reinforcing its strategic importance to the region.
The Value of Design Review
Design Review has given South Gloucestershire Council an independent and consistent forum for testing complex proposals throughout the development process.
Its value has extended beyond the approval of the masterplan. Iterative review has:
- maintained a focus on design quality as the development has increased in scale;
- encouraged buildings, streets, landscape and public spaces to be considered as parts of an integrated place;
- strengthened key detailed proposals as they have progressed; and
- helped carry the masterplan’s ambitions into delivery.
Brabazon demonstrates the value of sustained Design Review for major regeneration projects: providing continuity, independent challenge and practical design scrutiny as a new neighbourhood evolves from strategic vision to delivery.
Photo credit: YTL Developments