Work starts on new entrance at Bristol Temple Meads
It's just one part of a major project to regenerate the whole area
Construction has started on a new entrance to Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station.
A new Eastern Entrance leading in from a new University of Bristol campus being built next door, is being created as part of a much wider scheme to regenerate the whole area.
The new entrance is funded by the £94.7 million won from central government for the Temple Quarter programme through the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority last year.
It is the first major piece of infrastructure delivery under the regeneration programme, which will see three new entrances delivered to the east, south and north of the station, alongside new homes, jobs, and public spaces.
The Temple Quarter regeneration programme, being delivered through a partnership between Bristol City Council, the Mayoral Combined Authority, Homes England, and Network Rail, aims to transform 130 hectares of land around the station into a bustling new community featuring 10,000 homes, office space and public spaces featuring shops, cafes and restaurants.
Initial works to prepare for the delivery of the new entrance were carried out within the station in 2021, with £22 million of funding by the Mayoral Combined Authority, to keep the programme on track before the government grant was made.
Over the coming months, work will include piling work to support the creation of the new entrance in the existing retaining wall, followed by breaking through the wall and excavation works to create a tunnel through to the subway inside the station.
In early 2024, construction on a new entry building will begin.
Dan Norris, Metro Mayor, said: “I’m thrilled that works to create a brand-new entrance at for Brunel’s iconic station to improve access for locals east of the city are now underway, all part of one of the most exciting regeneration projects in Europe which I'm proud is being administered by my West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
“Combine this with my multi-million-pound programme of region-wide rail improvements, including the opening of Portway Park and Ride in the summer, and soon-to-be new stations at Ashley Down and elsewhere, and it’s clear we’re making getting from A to B in the West easier, safer and more pleasant than ever before.
“It’s another important step on the journey to regenerate this amazing city and have, at long last, the jewel in the crown in the heart of our great West of England region.”
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Breaking ground on the Eastern Entrance is another step on the journey we’ve been on with Temple Quarter since 2017.
"Working in partnership and supported by the government funding we secured in 2022, we are now into delivery on the transformation of Temple Quarter.
“Underpinned by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and shaped by a clear vision for the place we want to create, we can deliver up to 10,000 new homes, many of them affordable homes, thousands of new jobs, and sustainable infrastructure Bristol needs to thrive and be a blueprint for sustainable 21st century city regeneration.”
According to Network Rail it is almost 100 years since the last major development work at Temple Meads, with this set to "revolutionise the experience" for passengers.
Barra Mac Ruairi, Chief Property Officer at the University of Bristol, said: "The new Eastern Entrance will establish the Enterprise Campus in the heart of our city.
"It will open directly into the University Square leading to the extensive, publicly accessible green spaces around the campus.
"It will also provide convenient, sustainable connections for our partners, staff and students to come to engage, work and study on the car-free site."
The construction of the new entrance is expected to take 13 months.
Once complete, the building will be shrouded until September 2026 to allow the development of the new university campus and public space outside the entrance to be completed.