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View overlooking Temple Quay offices with bridge over the river

Central Bristol

Shaped by iconic waterfronts, heritage buildings and distinctive neighbourhoods, from the Old City to the Floating Harbour, Central Bristol brings together commerce, culture and civic life in one connected, dynamic place.

From our incubation and start-up spaces, through to our culture of learning, creativity and disruption, Central Bristol is known for its clustering of diverse knowledge-intensive industries, innovation and enterprise development.

The importance of Central Bristol to the region has been recognised in its designation as a growth zone in the West of England Growth Strategy.

The centre is evolving, with development frameworks in place for over 600ha, the city is taking a coordinated, long‑term approach to unlock growth through a programme of regeneration, transport investment, climate resilience and placemaking.

Central Bristol’s growth will be underpinned by major infrastructure investment that de-risks development and strengthens the city’s climate resilience and readiness.

  • Bristol Temple Meads is being reshaped as a modern regional gateway, strengthening connectivity and supporting a more sustainable pattern of city‑centre growth.
  • Avon Riversides 2100 will reduce flood risk and unlock riverside regeneration, public space and long‑term development confidence along the River Avon corridor. 
  • Bristol City Leap is mobilising £1bn+ of investment in low‑carbon energy infrastructure, supporting cleaner, more secure energy and the delivery of heat network investment at scale.

This coordinated approach will create a more sustainable, thriving urban centre – delivering the homes and jobs Bristol needs for the future.

  • City Centre: The region’s commercial and visitor heart, supporting over 120,000 jobs and a year-round retail, culture and hospitality offer. Our Development and Delivery Plan sets out 6,500 new homes, better public squares and green space, stronger walking/cycling routes and a thriving evening economy, providing a canvas for the integration of developments across the area.
  • Frome Gateway: A key arrival point next to the city centre, bringing growth to a highly accessible edge-of-centre location. At least 3,500 new homes across 14.5ha, plus 22,000m² of employment space – including light industrial and flexible workspaces – with upgraded infrastructure and services.
  • Central Bedminster: A southern city-centre hub for Bristol’s creative and independent economy, bringing fragmented sites into a coherent neighbourhood. Regeneration across 53ha will deliver around 4,000 new homes alongside employment and light industrial space, better connections and public realm, and restoration of the River Malago
  • Western Harbour: 36ha waterfront gateway between city and countryside, shaped around the Floating Harbour and River Avon. Investment will unlock around 1,200 new homes alongside renewed harbour and highways infrastructure and a nature-positive, climate-ready public realm
  • Bristol Temple Quarter: One of the UK’s largest city-centre regeneration programmes, transforming 135 hectares around Temple Meads railway station over the next 25 years. It will deliver at least 10,000 new homes and over 22,000 new jobs, alongside major transport, public realm and enabling infrastructure to unlock long-term growth.

Spotlight on Bristol Temple Quarter

Bristol Temple Quarter is one of the UK’s most significant city‑centre regeneration programmes and is now firmly in delivery.

Anchored by Bristol Temple Meads Station, the city’s primary regional and national rail gateway, the area is being transformed into a mixed‑use quarter combining homes, innovation space, high‑value employment and improved connectivity.

Bristol Temple Quarter will deliver over 10,000 homes and 22,000 jobs, generating an annual £1.6bn boost to the regional economy.

We are taking forward the programme through a joint venture partnership bringing together key public sector partners to deliver a shared vision for the area through the Bristol Temple Quarter LLP, working closely with Network Rail and the University of Bristol.

The University of Bristol’s £500m Enterprise Campus, due to open September 2026, sits at the heart of transformation and is acting as a major catalyst for innovation, skills and high‑value employment. This investment will be matched with significant transport and enabling infrastructure investment around Temple Meads, including the creation of 3 new entrances to the station and the creation of new public spaces in and around the complex.

We are now moving into the next phase of delivery, with the appointment of a private‑sector development partner for Temple Meads West and St Philip’s Marsh set to unlock residential, commercial and mixed‑use opportunities across Bristol Temple Quarter.

Image courtesy of Bristol Temple QuarterArtist’s impression of St Philips Marsh showing a landscaped canal-side development with mid-rise apartment buildings, tree-lined walkways, stepped seating areas, and people gathering and walking along the waterfront, viewed from a bridge with a small boat on the water.