Plans approved to build homes on Bristol Zoo's West Car Park
The decision will help safeguard the Bristol Zoological Society's future
Planning permission has been granted to redevelop Bristol Zoological Society’s West Car Park into residential homes.
It applied for planning permission to develop 62 high quality, environmentally-friendly new homes - a mix of one, two and three-bed apartments and three to four-bed mews houses.
20 per cent of the homes will be affordable in line with Bristol City Council planning policy.
This is the first phase of the Society’s new strategy - revealed in November last year - which will see the creation of a new Bristol Zoo at the Society’s 136-acre Wild Place Project site.
As part of the plans, the Society’s West Car Park on College Road will be sold to ensure that Bristol Zoo can continue to exist for generations to come.
Dr Justin Morris, Chief Executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: "This is an important step towards realising our exciting plans for the future of Bristol Zoological Society.
"The sensitive development of the West Car Park site will help achieve our goal of creating a new, world-class Bristol Zoo for everyone in Bristol and beyond."
Dr Justin Morris - Chief Executive of Bristol Zoological Society
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The Society is currently at an early consultation stage with stakeholders to help inform its separate plans for the site of Bristol Zoo Gardens which will also be sold as part of the Society’s ambitious strategy.
A separate planning application relating to the main Bristol Zoo Gardens site will be submitted in early 2022 following extensive consultation by Bristol Zoological Society with its local neighbours and other key stakeholders.
Bristol Zoo Gardens remains open as normal until late 2022 and visitors will not see an immediate change before it closes to the public.
Wild Place Project will remain open throughout, until it becomes the new Bristol Zoo in 2024.