tall buildings spd1 - Bristol City Council

Supplementary Planning Document 1 

TALL BUILDINGS 

Adopted January 2005

Supplementary Planning Document No1 

Clear and consistent guidance on the design and 

location of tall buildings in our city is to be 

welcomed. This has been a very successful project 

in terms of generating public debate about tall 

buildings and I am pleased that officers have 

listened to and heeded the views of residents. In 

particular, I am pleased to see how the use of an 

interactive website has shown how more people 

can become involved in important debates as to the 

future of our city. 

Consultation revealed support for the new tall 

buildings in Bristol so long as they are well 

designed, sustainable, distinctive and located to 'fit' 

into the existing urban landscape. The tall buildings 

policy now maps out clearly those areas in the city 

centre where they may be acceptable. 

This supplementary planning document on tall 

buildings is a welcome response to the city’s urban 

regeneration programme and positive investment in 

commercial property areas such as Broadmead, 

Temple Quay and Harbourside. Tall buildings are 

increasingly featuring in development proposals so 

it is essential that there is clear policy guidance. 

The new planning guidance will shape Bristol's 

future skyline by setting criteria by which future 

proposals for tall buildings are to be considered. 

Bristol's tall building guide is one of the first new 

style planning policy documents in the country and 

has already been recognised by national bodies as 

an example of best practice. 

I hope you take the time to read, what is, a very 

useful document. 

Cllr Richard Pyle, 

Bristol's Executive Member for the Environment, 

Transport and Leisure 

January 2005 


Cllr Richard Pyle 

Bristol's Executive Member for 

the Environment, Transport 

and Leisure 

| Tall Buildings | i |


page no. 

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 

1.1 Purpose/status of guidance 1 

1.2 Need for guidance in Bristol City Centre 2 

1.3 Definition of tall buildings 3 

1.4 Experience of other UK cities 4 

1.5 National policy context 4 

1.6 Local policy context 5 

1.7 ‘Height Matters’ consultation initiative 7 

2.0 CITY CENTRE URBAN DESIGN 9 

APPRAISAL: TALL BUILDINGS 

2.1 Topography 9 

2.2 Open spaces and water courses 10 

2.3 The urban structure 10 

2.4 Movement corridors and gateways 10 

2.5 Historical assets 11 

2.6 Post war tall buildings 13 

2.7 Conclusion 16 

3.0 SITING A TALL BUILDING – 17 

LOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 

3.1 Guiding principles 17 

3.2 View Protection Framework 17 

3.3 Indication of areas that may be 18 

appropriate for tall buildings 

CONTENTS 

page no. 

4.0 DESIGN GUIDANCE 27 

4.1 The design process 27 

4.2 Density and urban form 28 

4.3 Size, shape and silhouette 29 

4.4 Relationship to the street 29 

4.5 Energy efficiency 31 

4.6 Water consumption 31 

4.7 Microclimate 31 

4.8 Materials 31 

4.9 Telecommunications 32 

4.10 Internal design 32 

4.11 Remodelling existing tall buildings 32 

5.0 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 33 

6.0 GLOSSARY 38 

7.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 40 

8.0 ADVICE & FURTHER INFORMATION 41 

APPENDICES 42 

A Experience of other UK cities 

B Details of the ‘Height matters’ consultation 

initiative – The Consultation Statement 

C View Protection Framework 

D Neighbourhood Appraisal 

E Visual Impact Assessment – guidance on 

methodology 

F Sustainability Appraisal 

G Policy B7A 

| Tall Buildings | iii |

‘The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this publication is 

provided by Bristol City Council under licence from the Ordnance 

Survey in order to fulfil its public function to act as the local planning 

authority. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance 

Survey copyright for advice where they wish to licence Ordnance 

Survey mapping for their own use. 

| iv | Tall Buildings | 

If you would like this information in a different 

format, for example Braille, audio tape, large 

print or computer disc, or community languages, 

please contact the Strategic & Citywide Policy 

Team on: 0117 903 6720


1.0 INTRODUCTION 

1.1 Purpose/status of guidance 

This Supplementary Planning Document (SPD1) 

provides a set of assessment criteria that the 

Council will require applicants of all tall building 

proposals to address in their detailed planning 

submissions. It also identifies areas within the city 

centre where tall building schemes may be 

acceptable subject to them making a positive 

contribution to their surroundings. Applicants 

should note that it will not generally be appropriate 

to use outline applications. The Planning Authority 

will strongly recommend the submission of a 

detailed application in accordance with the advice 

of English Heritage and the Commission for 

Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). 

These assessment criteria are as follows: 

(i) RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEXT, INCLUDING 

TOPOGRAPHY, BUILT FORM, AND SKYLINE; 

(ii) EFFECT ON THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT AT A 

CITY-WIDE AND LOCAL LEVEL; 

(iii) RELATIONSHIP TO TRANSPORT 

INFRASTRUCTURE PARTICULARLY PUBLIC 

TRANSPORT PROVISION; 

(iv) ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE OF THE 

BUILDING; 

(v) CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC SPACES AND 

FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE MIX OF USES; 

(vi) EFFECT ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT, 

INCLUDING MICROCLIMATE AND GENERAL 

AMENITY CONSIDERATIONS; 

(vii) CONTRIBUTION TO PERMEABILITY AND 

LEGIBILITY OF THE SITE AND WIDER AREA; 

AND 

(viii) SUFFICIENT ACCOMPANYING MATERIAL TO 

ENABLE A PROPER ASSESSMENT INCLUDING 

URBAN DESIGN STUDY/MASTERPLAN, A 360 

DEGREE VIEW ANALYSIS AND RELATIVE 

HEIGHT STUDIES. 

(IX) ADOPTION OF BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE 

RELATED TO THE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND 

CONSTRUCTION OF TALL BUILDINGS 

(X) EVALUATION OF PROVIDING A SIMILAR LEVEL 

OF DENSITY IN AN ALTERNATIVE URBAN FORM 


At the time of consulting, this document was 

referred to as Policy Advice Note 22 (PAN 22). 

However, under new arrangements associated with 

the recent enactment of the Planning and 

Compulsory Purchase Act (2004), the term Policy 

Advice Note has been replaced with Supplementary 

Planning Document (SPD). SPD1 has been prepared 

in accordance with regulatory requirements and is 

the first component/document of Bristol’s Local 

Development Framework. 

This SPD has been prepared specifically to advise on 

tall building schemes being promoted in the city 

centre, as this is currently the focus for tall building 

applications. Any application that is received from 

outside the central area will be required to go 

through the same assessment procedure with 

supporting contextual analysis. 

Status of SPD1 the relationship to existing planning 

policy and its use in the decision making process 

Proposals for tall buildings should be made in 

accordance with the relevant policies of the adopted 

Bristol Local Plan and SPD1, an important material 

consideration with significant weight in the 

decision making process. 

SPD1 has been prepared as a SDP in accordance 

with PPS12 – Local Development Frameworks (2004) 

and the associated Town and Country Planning 

(Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004. 

Bristol City Council is currently preparing its Local 

Development Framework and consequently the 

adopted Bristol Local Plan (1997) and its policies will 

be ‘saved’ until replaced by suitable Local 

Development Documents. 

As any proposed new tall building will require the 

consideration of a number of planning issues a 

variety of these saved policies in the adopted Bristol 

Local Plan will apply to which SPD1 supplements 

(see 1.6), in particular policy B1 ‘Design Criteria and 

Assessment’, B2 ‘Local Context’ and B5 ‘Layout and 

Form’. It is considered SPD1 is in conformity with 

these saved policies and consistent with national 

and regional policy. 

Policy B7A –‘Tall Buildings’, of the Proposed 

Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan (2003) 

demonstrates the City Council’s commitment to 

providing an explicit tall buildings policy and is 

likely to be included within a future Development 

Plan Document. On adoption this policy would 

replace the adopted Bristol Local Plan policies as 

above as the primary Development Plan reference. 

| Tall Buildings | 1 |

Consequently, whilst objections were received, it is 

considered reasonable and appropriate to include 

reference to Policy B7A within SPD1 for information 

and contextual purposes. See Appendix G. It should 

be noted that policy B7A is broadly consistent with 

policies of the adopted Bristol Local Plan. 

Summary’s of the formal submissions, with an 

Officer response, made in respect of Policy B7A 

–‘Tall Buildings’, of the Proposed Alterations to the 

Bristol Local Plan (2003) may be viewed via 

www.bristol-city.gov.uk/planningpolicy or the City 

Council’s Planning Reception. 

It is suggested that prospective developers consider 

the SPD within the context of the portfolio of 

planning policies and in particular the City Centre 

Strategy and emerging City Centre Area Action Plan 

(see website for details) and SPD4 - Achieving 

Positive Planning through Planning Obligations 

which sets out the City Councils approach to such 

matters. Proposals for tall buildings will need to 

satisfactorily respond to SPD4. 

1.2 Need for guidance in Bristol City Centre 

Proposals for tall buildings are coming forward in 

greater numbers than for some time. High density 

residential schemes are being promoted to meet 

acute housing shortages caused primarily through a 

demographic trend which is seeing household 

formation increase at a rate faster than population 

growth. At the same time, ‘landmark’ office 

schemes are being promoted to meet the needs of 

global businesses, seeking prestigious, high quality 

office floor space in attractive city centre locations. 

These two factors, coupled with the Government’s 

desire to achieve a greater proportion of new 

development on brownfield sites, is placing pressure 

on the system to achieve higher density schemes in 

urban areas than ever before. The pressure to ‘build 

up’ is likely to increase. 

Bristol is currently experiencing an urban 

regeneration programme unparalleled for 40 years, 

bringing positive investment in buildings in the city 

through private and public initiatives. Such is the 

scale of the current activity, the word ‘renaissance’ 

springs readily to use. Tall buildings are increasingly 

featuring in development applications, particularly 

in the city centre’s main regeneration areas: 

| 2 | Tall Buildings | 

Broadmead, Harbourside and Temple. Thus, there is 

a need for clearer policy guidance on this sensitive 

and emotive issue. 

The last significant era of tall buildings built 

predominantly in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, has 

generally left a legacy of poor quality examples in 

Bristol, often unloved by their occupants and overly 

dominant in the urban landscape. However, a new 

generation of innovative tall buildings is attracting 

both admirers and detractors. One thing is very 

clear - schemes for tall buildings prove to be 

controversial, polarising views on their relative 

merits. 

Former Bristol and West Building 

- The City Council’s recent ‘Height Matters’ survey 

suggests that this post war tower is one of Bristol’s 

least popular tall buildings. However, views are 

mixed over whether this is an appropriate site for a 

tall building.


The current HQ of Bristol and West 

- The Height Matters survey suggests that this is one 

of Bristol’s most popular tall buildings 

built in recent decades 

Custom House is viewed as a successful recent 

addition to Redcliffe Backs 

- a good model of how to achieve an attractive, 

high density townscape 


It is therefore important that the impact of tall 

buildings is critically assessed through the planning 

process and that only proposals which pass a 

rigorous examination are put forward for approval. 

There is a particular need to strengthen the 

protection afforded to Bristol’s 33 Conservation 

Areas in terms of siting of tall buildings and their 

detailed design. 

Differing views exist to the adequacy of existing 

policies to inform and guide decisions in relation to 

tall buildings. Whilst locally there is a school of 

thought that tall buildings should be treated like 

any other building types through the development 

control process, Government is increasingly 

encouraging local planning authorities to develop 

specific policies around tall buildings. It 

recommends that local authorities identify areas 

which are and are not appropriate for tall buildings 

in their development plans. This is further endorsed 

in the recent guidance provided by the CABE and 

English Heritage which seeks to advise local 

authorities on a more rigorous assessment 

procedure. 

1.3 Definition of tall buildings 

Policy B7A of the Proposed Alterations to the Bristol 

Local Plan, 2003 defines tall buildings, 

‘…as those that are substantially taller than their 

neighbours and/or which significantly change the 

skyline.’ 

In Bristol City Centre, ‘background buildings’ tend to 

be 4-6 storeys high. This has been an essential 

element in the city’s distinctive identity. A tall 

building would therefore be in the region of 9+ 

storeys. Between 6-9 storey proposals will be 

assessed on a site by site basis as to whether 

SPD1 will apply, taking into account the prominence 

of the site within the townscape. In the suburbs, 

buildings tend to be 2-3 storeys. In this context a 

tall building would be in the region of 6+ storeys or 

above. 

Notwithstanding, any building of 27m or taller 

(approximately 9 storeys) will automatically trigger 

the need for applicants to address the assessment 

criteria as set out in this SPD, regardless of whether 

the proposed building is significantly taller than 

those around or not. This height threshold will 


include extensions to existing buildings including 

significant plant. It should be noted however, that 

defining a tall building in terms of the number of 

storeys could sometimes be misleading because 

floor to ceiling heights differ according to use. For 

example office and retail storey heights are often 

higher than those of residential. Therefore 

prospective developers are required to quote 

building heights, number of storeys and Ordnance 

Datum Level when presenting proposals. Heights 

should also include visible roof-top equipment. 

1.4 Experience of other UK cities 

London has obviously been the focus of the majority 

of tall building schemes. Indeed, a recent article in 

The Guardian suggests that at present there are 32 

high rise buildings under construction in London 

with a further 70 approved and 96 proposed. 

However, interest in building tall is not confined to 

London, with many of the English Core Cities, being 

targeted by developers. Permissions for very tall 

buildings (+25 storeys) have been granted in 

Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool, as 

well as smaller cities such 

as Brighton and 

Portsmouth. 


Most of the core cities are 

responding positively to 

the guidance from 

CABE/English Heritage on 

preparing specific policies 

on tall buildings. 

Beetham Tower, 

Manchester 

- this 47 storey building 

will become Manchester’s 

tallest building 

King Alfred site, Brighton (by Frank Gehry) 

- this unusual concept scheme won a design 

competition for the Hove seafront 

Some cities have opted for a detailed, area specific 

approach to preparing guidance; others have taken 

a more criteria based approached to assessment. 

Cities like Birmingham have proactively encouraged 

the building of tall ‘landmark’ buildings at key 

nodes and gateways in the city through their policy 

guidance. The London Plan identifies a view 

protection framework to guide development there. 

Brighton’s guidance promotes a number of nodes 

and transport corridors as appropriate locations for 

tall buildings. Further details can be found in 

Appendix A. 

1.5 National policy context 

House of Commons Tall Buildings, Sixteenth Report of 

Session 2001-2, Volume 1 (DTLR, 2002) 

The Urban Affairs Sub-committee of the House of 

Commons Select Committee on Transport, Local 

Government and the Regions undertook an inquiry 

into Tall Buildings in 2001-2. Witnesses representing 

a wide spectrum of interests (including amenity 

societies, developers, architects and local 

authorities) submitted memoranda to this 

committee. This SPD supports the 

recommendations of the Government Select 

Committee, which broadly speaking are:


• Tall buildings are not essential to the urban 

renaissance. They are only one of several ways 

of increasing building densities. They can be 

energy efficient and can be part of mixed use 

schemes; however, other high density 

building types have similar advantages. In 

several respects high rise buildings are less 

sustainable than high or low rise buildings: 

the inflexibility of space and difficulties of 

change of use have been a problem. 

• Transport capacity must be a major 

consideration in deciding whether a proposal 

for a tall building, or for any high density 

development, is given planning permission….. 

Developer contributions should be used much 

more than at present to enhance the 

transport system, particularly where large 

buildings have a significant impact on the 

transport system; 

• High quality design is essential if tall 

buildings are to play a role in enhancing the 

beauty of our cities and continued vigilance is 

needed to ensure that buildings do not 

deviate from approved designs during the 

construction process The location of tall 

buildings is of paramount importance and 

special attention should be paid to historic 

context; 

• Tall buildings should be clustered together 

rather than pepper-potted across a city; 

• Tall buildings are not inherently unsafe as 

places to live or work but there are areas in 

which further regulation could further 

promote safety in tall buildings. 

Guidance on Tall Buildings, English Heritage and 

CABE, 2003 

This English Heritage/CABE guidance seeks to: 

• Enable areas appropriate for tall buildings to 

be identified in advance within the local 

development plan or framework; 

• Enable proper consultation at the planmaking 

stage on the fundamental questions 

of principle and design; 


• Reduce the scope for unnecessary, speculative 

applications in the wrong places; 

• Protect the historic environment and the 

qualities which make a city or area special; 

• Highlight opportunities for the removal of 

past mistakes and their replacement by 

development of an appropriate quality; 

• Set out an overall vision for the future of a 

place. 

1.6 Local policy context 

Bristol’s Community Strategy, Bristol Partnership, 2003 

This strategy has been prepared to guide all other 

major public strategies and plans in Bristol and 

influence a longer-term strategic view of the city’s 

future ambitions, needs and priorities. Its has a 

vision of Bristol as ‘a vibrant city, where everyone 

can thrive economically, culturally and socially; a 

safe city that promotes health, learning and 

sustainable development, and a diverse city that 

values all of its people and communities’. It 

identifies a number of important environmental 

goals that promoters of tall buildings should be 

aware. These include the aim of creating and 

developing: 

• A carbon-neutral city; 

• Zero-waste policy and practices; 

• A sustainable transport system; 

• Attractive, well-designed safe streets, 

buildings and neighbourhoods; 

• Newly built environments that provide 

accessible modern space to support Bristol’s 

historic buildings, and that contribute to the 

sustainable development of the city; 

• Better accessibility to local community 

facilities; and 

• Sustainable communities across the city. 


Bristol Local Plan, 1997 

SPD1 has been drafted to meet the following 

objectives of the Built Environment chapter of the 

Local Plan: 

• To reinforce the attractive and varied qualities 

of Bristol’s built environment in order to 

create a positive image and identity for the 

city, and enhance the quality of life for its 

inhabitants, workers, visitors and businesses. 

• To secure a high standard of design for all 

development, ensuring that it is 

sympathetically integrated within the local 

and city context, and respects principal views 

across the city. 

• To promote a quality of new development 

that achieves sustainable development and 

which enhances the environment generally. 

• To preserve or enhance the character and 

appearance of Conservation Areas, and other 

areas of special interest and character. 

SPD1 supplements a number of policies in the 

adopted local plan including: 

B1 Design Criteria and Assessment 

B2 Local Context 

B5 Layout and Form 

Proposed Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan, 2003: 

New Tall Buildings Policy 

In a period where proposals for new tall buildings 

were coming forward in greater numbers, raising 

particular issues for consideration, it was apparent a 

new specific policy and supplementary guidance 

were required. Subsequently alterations to the 

adopted Plan proposed a new tall buildings policy 

(B7A) to clarify Bristol’s position. (See Appendix G) 

Adopted Local Plan built environment policies and 

Proposed Alterations likely to be relevant to the 

assessment of tall building schemes include: 


B1 Design Criteria and Development 

B2 Local Context 

B3 Accessibility 

B4 Safety and Security 

B5 Layout, Form and Identity 

B5A Public art – New policy in Proposed 

Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan, 2003 

B5B Density– New policy in Proposed Alterations 

to the Bristol Local Plan, 2003 

B6 Building Exteriors and Elevations 

B7 Landscape Treatments and Environmental 

Works 

B7A Tall Buildings – New policy in Proposed 

Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan, 2003 

B8 Development: Criteria for New Housing 

B13 Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings: 

General Principles 

B15 Streets and Open Space 

B16 New Buildings 

B22 Sites of Archaeological Significance 

The weight and status of Proposed Alterations is 

clarified at point 1.1 

Bristol Sustainable Development Guide for 

Construction 

This is a guide produced by the City Council to assist 

developers to adopt more sustainable approaches 

to how they plan and build and is consistent with 

many Local Plan Policies. It is associated with the 

completion of a ‘Sustainable Development Profile’ 

to be submitted with major planning applications. 

This would be a desirable to accompany any tall 

buildings application. Reference to the Planning 

Policy website will confirm the formal status of the 

emerging update of this guidance.


1.7 ‘Height Matters’ – a public consultation 

initiative on tall buildings 

The consultation process has been branded under 

the heading of ‘Height Matters?’ and was devised 

with the following aims and objectives: 

• To raise awareness that BCC is in the process 

of producing a Supplementary Planning 

Document on Tall Buildings, and get some 

direct feedback on the content of the SPD as it 

has developed 

• To find out what the general public feel about 

tall buildings, thus ensuring that the tone of 

the SPD is correct 

• To encourage creative thought and debate on 

this emotive and often controversial issue 

Following an initial consultation period (Stage 1), 

SPD1 was substantially redrafted to take on board 

comments received. A further period of consultation 

(Stage 2) was then embarked upon to allow for 

further comment on the amended document. 

‘Height Matters?’ 

- completed by over 650 people 


Stage 1 (April-June 2004 for six weeks) 

The following consultation activities took place: 

• A comprehensive and dedicated website has 

been created to support the consultation 

initiative under the umbrella of the Council’s 

own website (www.bristolcity.gov.uk/heightmatters). 

Members of the 

public have been invited to download copies 

of the SPD1, join in on-line discussion groups, 

complete on-line surveys, and consider the 

arguments for and against tall buildings 

through the E-Decide facility 

• A series of events have been staged at the 

Architecture Centre, particularly targeted at 

local built environment professions (12 May 

and 9 June 2004) 

• Members of Bristol’s Citizen’s Panel were 

recruited for two facilitated discussions (27 

May 2004) 

• 3000 surveys were distributed across the city 

in public buildings, foyers of tall buildings, 

universities and Bristol College. Members and 

amenity societies were also sent copies of the 

survey. Over 650 people completed the survey 

• Statutory consultees were sent copies of the 

SPD1 by post 

• A copy of SPD1 was made available to view in 

the Planning Reception of Bristol City Council 

(Brunel House) 

• The initiative has been widely publicised in 

the local media, on the homepage of the 

Council’s website and through features in the 

Council’s Weekly News 

Stage 1 consultation has revealed support for new 

tall buildings in Bristol with the important proviso – 

that they are well designed, sustainable, distinctive 

and located to ‘fit’ into the existing urban 

landscape. Consultation has also shown the 

unpopularity of existing tall buildings, most notably 

from the 60s and 70s and the desire to rid these 

from Bristol’s skyline. Despite this dislike of many 


post-war tall buildings, people remain receptive to 

new tall buildings in suitable areas of Bristol. The 

consultation provided some useful feedback. 

Consultees generally welcomed the preparation of 

guidance that expands Local Plan policy, and 

expressed support for the assessment criteria 

identified. However, a significant number of 

consultees (including English Heritage and CABE) 

requested that the Council be clearer about those 

areas in the City which are inappropriate for tall 

buildings and those areas of the City where they 

may be acceptable. 

Stage 2 (September-October 2004 for four weeks) 

The following consultation activities took place: 

• A notice was placed in the Bristol Evening Post 

on the 21 September advertising a further 

one month period of consultation on the Tall 

Buildings SPD1. This conforms with the latest 

regulations 

• All respondees to the Stage 1 consultation 

exercise who had provided email contacts 

(over 500) were contacted by email to inform 

them that the revised policy was available to 

view online or at the Council’s planning 

reception 

• All respondees who had provided written 

responses to the Stage 1 consultation were 

informed by letter to them that the revised 

policy was available to view online or at the 

council planning reception 

• Statutory consultees were sent copies of the 

revised SPD1 by post 

• Presentations were made to the Central Area 

Planning Committee, Conservation Area Panel 

and Women in Property Group 

• A copy of SPD1 was made available to view in 

the Planning Reception of Bristol City Council 

(Brunel House) 


A summary of the consultation can be found in 

Appendix B. Furthermore a detailed Statement of 

Community Involvement can be downloaded at 

www.bristol-city.gov.uk/heightmatters. This 

demonstrates the rigorous procedures of public 

participation undertaken beyond the minimum 

requirements of PPS12 – Local Development 

Frameworks and associated regulations.


2.0 CITY CENTRE URBAN DESIGN 

APPRAISAL: TALL BUILDINGS 

This section provides an urban design appraisal of 

the city centre, making particular reference to the 

role that tall buildings play in the urban context. 

Figure A - 

Bristol’s Topography 

Figure A: Bristol's Topography 

1000 meters 

City Centre 

Contours (5 metres) 

Bristol City Council's 

Boundary 

Main Roads 

50m Contour 

160m Contour 

Dundry Hill 


2.1 Topography 

Based in a valley at the lowest crossing point of the 

Rivers Frome & Avon, Bristol grew enormously in 

the eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries; to the 

north up the steep slopes of the escarpments of 

Kingsdown, Clifton and Brandon, in the south across 

‘ Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. 

Bristol City Council. Licence No. 100023406. 2005.’ 


the valley basin to the slopes of Bedminster, Easton 

and Windmill Hill. In the twentieth century, the city 

expanded four times its original size encompassing 

to the north the Clifton Downs, Trym Valley, King 

Weston Slopes, Cotham and Redland Hills, and in 

the south, all the lower escarpment up to the 160m 

contour of the Dundry slopes. 

The steeply sloping escarpment that runs from 

Clifton Wood to Kingsdown is one of the city 

centre’s defining features. This has been picked out 

as the 50m contour on the supporting maps. Whilst 

along much of this escarpment development has 

respected the topography, tall buildings along the 

Kingsdown section of escarpment have 

detrimentally masked the topography. 

Along the top of this escarpment, the Bristol 

University buildings on St. Michael’s Hill command 

the high ground. This cluster of buildings, whilst not 

particularly tall, dominate the skyline when viewed 

from the south, and are important features of the 

Bristol townscape. 

The neighbourhoods of Broadmead, Old Market, 

Temple, Redcliffe , Old City and Harbourside 

effectively sit in the low-lying river basin of the 

Frome and the Avon. Tall buildings tend to be less 

dominant in these low lying areas. 

2.2 Open spaces and water courses 

The city centre’s principal defining watercourses are 

the Floating Harbour and to a lesser extent The New 

Cut. Whilst the former is a well used, recreational 

resource for the city, the latter is predominantly a 

vehicular corridor. The Floating Harbour cuts 

through most of the city centre neighbourhoods, 

and connects a series of important new and historic 

urban spaces. These include The Centre Promenade, 

Millennium Square, Castle Park, and the Lloyd’s 

Amphitheatre. Indeed over 80% of the harbour’s 

edge is now accessible by the public. As a result, its 

importance as a pedestrian route is increasing, as is 

its role as a vantage point from which to enjoy the 

topography of the city. Bridges over the harbour 

provide particularly good vantage-points. 

Brandon Hill is an important green space occupying 

the high ground of the West End. Its south-westerly 

aspect makes it a pleasant and tranquil space to 

take in the views across the south of the city. Other 


green spaces within the city centre (College Green, 

Queen Square and Castle Park), are far busier and 

more contained spaces, providing important lunch 

time spaces for city workers, and increasingly used 

to host events, particularly in the summer. Views 

into and out of these spaces are of particular 

importance, as is the potential of a tall building to 

reduce the openness of their character. 

In addition, there are a number of open spaces on 

the outskirts of the city centre which provide a good 

vantage point from which to view the centre. These 

include Windmill Hill, Perret’s Park, Bedminster 

Downs and Ashton Court. 

2.3 The urban structure 

Bristol is historically a city that comprises a network 

of streets with domestic scale, arranged within 

perimeter blocks that front onto these streets. For 

centuries Bristol’s built character evolved as 

successive generations developed and redeveloped 

on the street patterns and blocks of the past. 

Post-war reconstruction of the city centre has, in 

general, not respected the traditional, tight grain 

block structure to the city centre. In its place, blocks 

have been replaced with stand-alone buildings 

(with much larger footprints than before), sitting in 

large plots of poorly defined open space. Punter 

(1990), documents a period between1940-1990 

during which 250 large office buildings were built, 

transforming the scale of post-war Bristol. Many of 

these buildings were tall point or slab blocks and 

tended to be clustered around the city centre loop 

road to the North and East of the city, in the lower 

lying neighbourhoods of Stokes Croft, Broadmead, 

Old Market, Temple, Redcliffe and Old City. 15 of 

these buildings have gross floor areas of over 

10,000sqm, a substantial increase over anything 

that had existed before. 

2.4 Movement corridors and gateways 

During the post-war period in some parts of the city, 

the underlying ‘fine-grain’ structure of streets and 

blocks has been significantly eroded. The permeable 

network of streets being replaced with large 

‘engineered’ highways.


The city centre’s main vehicular corridor is now the 

city centre ‘loop’, a dual carriageway extending from 

Bath Bridge, past Temple Meads Station, the 

Broadmead shopping area, and then diverted via 

Perry Road, Park Row, and Jacob’s Wells Road 

through to Hotwell Road. The dual carriageway 

section of this route was built in the post-war era in 

conjunction with a number of tall buildings. 

Arterial roads into the city centre (M32, Cheltenham 

Road, Old Market Street, Temple Gate) all form 

important ‘gateways’ where they meet the city 

centre ‘loop’. 

The city centre is focus of the city’s bus network, 

and as such, all of the city centre could be 

considered well-served by public transport. The 

principal public transport interchanges are at the 

Centre, Temple Meads Train Station and the 

Marlborough Street Bus and Coach Station. 

The City Centre Strategy identifies a main 

pedestrian route through the city centre which links 

Temple, Harbourside and Broadmead. 90% of 

Bristol’s major destinations and points of arrival are 

within 100 metres of this route. 

2.5 Historical assets 

To date, the City Council has designated 33 

Conservation Areas, where the architectural quality, 

history of the townscape, distinctive character and 

appearance merit preservation and enhancement. A 

description of these areas can be found in the 

Conservation Area Enhancement Statements Policy 

Advice Note 2 (Bristol City Council, 1993). The 

following Conservation Areas lie within the City 

Centre Strategy area: 

• City and Queen Square 

• Portland Square 

• St. Michael’s Hill and Christmas Steps 

• Park Street and Brandon Hill 

• College Green 

• Redcliffe 

• Old Market 

• City Docks 

• Stokes Croft 


These conservation areas cover approximately 2/3 

of the city centre (see. Fig F). 

Bristol has a fine heritage of prominent landmark 

buildings, each bearing public, state or religious 

significance. Figure B categorises them as 

monuments. These buildings have tended to be 

built by the nation’s leading architects, and define 

the city’s status, quality and aspirations, projecting 

it nationally and even internationally. Often these 

buildings are physically detached from surrounding 

buildings, occupy prominent positions and are 

designed to a high quality, utilising quality 

materials and a richness of design. Many landmarks 

(although not all) tend to use height to express 

their significance, utilising spires, towers and 

cupolas to achieve this. This is certainly the case for 

some of Bristol’s most significant landmarks 

including St. Mary Redcliffe Church, The Cathedral, 

Cabot Tower, The Wills Memorial 

Building/University Tower, The ss Great Britain and 

to a less extent Temple Meads Station. The ‘Height 

Matters’ consultation initiative suggests there is a 

general acceptance that it is entirely appropriate 

and desirable for these types of building to 

dominate the skyline of the city, an acceptance 

which is not often conveyed to tall residential or 

commercial buildings. 


Some of Bristol’s primary landmark buildings 

The Wills Memorial Building/University Tower 


Cabot Tower 

Temple Meads Station 

St. Mary Redcliffe


Bristol also has a wealth of industrial heritage 

buildings that assert themselves on the skyline. Key 

surviving landmarks include the Bonded 

Warehouses and the cranes outside the Industrial 

Museum (both in Harbourside), and Gardiners and 

the Lead Shot Tower in Temple. 

2.6 Post war tall buildings 

Figure B shows the locations of Bristol city centre’s 

prominent tall buildings, clearly illustrating the 

post-war tall buildings relationship to the historical 

monuments and industrial landmarks. Figure C 

provides a height comparison of a selection of these 

buildings. Plotting the location and height of the 

taller post-war buildings in Bristol has shown that: 

• The extent of the footprint of buildings in the 

9+ storey range is often substantial, in some 

cases encompassing most of a city block; 

• The building footprints of post-war tower 

blocks often do not respect the underlying 

street pattern; 


The Cathedral 

• Post-war tower blocks have not been 

clustered within a single confined section of 

the city centre. Rather they are dispersed 

throughout the city centre, often in small 

clusters adjacent to the city centre loop (St. 

James Barton, Old Market and Lewins Mead); 

• Post-war tower blocks tend to be uniform in 

design and appearance – block form, square 

profile, and grid fenestration; 

• On the whole, post-war tower blocks tend to 

be bulky and squat rather than tall and 

slender. 

Residential tower blocks are widely scattered across 

Bristol and particularly throughout south Bristol. 

The most prominent blocks in the city centre are in 

South Redcliffe, where there are several multi-storey 

flats dating from the 1950s designed by the then 

City Architect. Distinction needs to be made 

between these buildings and a later inferior 

generation of design/build tower blocks (e.g. in 

Barton Hill) that resulted from the pressure by 


Figure B: Bristol’s Prominent Tall Buildings 

Bonded Warehouses 

9 Storeys 

Clifton Heights, West Triangle 

16 Storeys 


Cabot Tower, Brandon Hill (32.5m) 

Wills Memorial / 

University Tower, Park St, (58.5m) 

Bristol Royal Infirmary Chimney 

Trenchard Street Car Park 

12 Storeys 

Figure B 

Bristol's Prominent Tall Buildings 

Monuments 

Industrial Landmarks 

Post-war Residential Tower Blocks 

Post-war Commercial Tower Blocks 

Hotels 

Others 

Recent Tall Buildings 

Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. 

Bristol City Council. Licence No. 100023406. 2005. 

Bristol City Centre Model Produced by Visual Technolgy. 

St Micheal's Church, (30.5m) 

Bristol Cathedral, (44m) 

Bristol Royal Infirmary 

7 Storeys 

Bristol Marriot Royal Hotel 

7 Storeys 

St Steven's Church, (29m) 

Colston Tower, Colston Ave 

18 Storeys 

Grey Friars, Lewins Mead 

14 Storeys 

Broad Quay House, Broad Quay 

9 Storeys 

Fromesgate House, Rupert St. 

17 Storeys 

Former Bristol & West Building, 

Broad Quay, 18 Storeys 

Nelson House, Nelson St. 

12 Storeys 

St. Clements House, Marsh St 

8 Storeys 

White Friars, Lewins Mead 

13 Storeys 

St. Lawrence House, Broad St 

12 Storeys 

Police HQ & Magistrates Court 

8 Storeys 

Waverly House, Welsh Back 

14 Storeys 

St James Church, (36m) 

All Saints Church, Corn St (59.5m) 

Sun Plazza (formally Sun Life 

building), North St., 8 Storeys 

St. Nicholas Church, Balwin St (59.5m) 

Pithay House,The Pithay 

9 Storeys 

Vintry House, Wine St 

6 Storeys 

Under Down House/Waring House 

Redcliffe Hill 5 Storeys 

Travel Inn (Formerly Avon House) 

18 Storeys 


One Victoria St (formerly 

DRG building) Redcliffe St. 

Tower House, Fairfax St 

15 Storeys 

15 Storeys 

Custom House, Redcliffe Bridge 

8 Storeys 

House of Fraser 

5 Storeys 

Canynge House, Prewett St. 

6 Storeys 

51˚ 02 St. James Barton 

8 Storeys 

St Mary Redcliffe Church, (86.5m) 

Redcliffe Way 

Barton House, Bond St. 

8 Storeys 

Spencer House, Prewett St 

9 Storeys 

St. Peters Church, Castle Park (23.6m) 

St Thomas the Martyr Church, 

Temple St, (30.5m) 

Patterson House, Prewett St 

9 Storeys 

Spectrum, Bond St. 

6 Storeys 

Temple Church,Temple St, (40m) 

Ramada Plaza Hotel, Redcliffe Way 

7 Storeys 

Proctor House, Prewett St 

9 Storeys 

Shot Tower (43.5 m) 

St Pauls Church, Portland Sq (58m) 

Broughton House, Somerset St 

14 Storeys 

Yeaman's House, Somerset St 

14 Storeys 


Castle Mead House, Penn St. 

20 Storeys 

The Marriott Hotel, Penn St. 

13 Storeys 

Das Templeway House 

6 Storeys 

St Phillips & Jacob Church, (30.5m) 

Holiday Inn (formally known as Temple 

Gate House),Temple Gate, 7 Storeys 

Market Gate (formerly Mercury 

House) Bond St. 15 Storeys 

Tollgate Car Park, Market Gate 

7 Storeys 

Tollgate House, Houlton St. 

18 Storeys 

St. Judes Church, (25.5m) 

Bristol & West HQ,Temple Quay 

7 Storeys 

Temple Meads Station (27m) 

The Post Office Sorting Office, 

Cattle Market Rd, 7 Storeys 


1. St. Mary Redciffe 

Height 87 m 

Base Height 12 m 

2. Bristol Cathedral 

Height 44 m 


Government to increase Local Authority housing 

across Britain during the 1960s. These blocks tend 

to be 9-14 storeys high, designed as point blocks or 

slab blocks and utilise ‘systems building’ techniques. 

They tend to sit in large plots of land that integrate 

poorly into the wider neighbourhood structure of 

streets and spaces. Furthermore, these spaces as 

designed, tended to lack any sense of ownership, 

progressive neglect leading to a spiral of decline. In 

the last decade significant regeneration work has 

been undertaken in many of these areas, 

demolishing some tower blocks and upgrading 

others. Refurbishment generally involves 

overcladding to improve visual appearance and 

improve energy efficiency and comfort. In recent 

years, there has been a growing realisation that tall 

buildings are more appropriate living space for 

certain groups of the population than others i.e. 

single people and couples without children. 

Many of the City’s commercial tower blocks are 

located in parts of the city centre that were 

comprehensively redeveloped in the post-war 

period. Typically tower blocks are 8-15 storeys high, 

although there are a couple that exceed this 

(Fromesgate House – 17 storeys, Tollgate House and 

Colston Tower– 18 storeys and Castle Mead House – 

20 storeys). More often than not they were designed 

in conjunction with new city centre roads, 

pedestrians being segregated from cars via 


3. Wills Tower 

Park Street 

Height 58 m 


4. One Redcliffe St 

(former Robinson 

building) 

Height 60 m 


5.Travel Inn 

(former Avon 

House) 

Height 60 m 


6. Former 

Bristol & West 

Tower 

Height 56 m 


Prominent Landmarks/Monuments Post-war Commercial Towers Recent Commercial 

Building 

Figure C: Height comparison of some of Bristol’s tall buildings 

walkways strung between blocks over the roads. 

Their response to context was negligible or nonexistent. 

Many of the buildings from this period are 

unloved, of low commercial value, and are mediocre 

in quality. In recent years, a number of prominent 

city centre towers have been converted from 

commercial uses to residential or hotel uses, e.g. 

Avon House, Avon House North, Market Gate and 

Nelson Street. 

There are also a number of health, education, car 

parking and leisure buildings which could be viewed 

as tall buildings. Some of these assert themselves 

on the skyline by virtue of their elevated positions 

e.g. the Bristol Royal Infirmary Chimney, The 

University of Bristol’s Physics Building. Others are 

less prominent, tending to be built into the 

underlying topography e.g. Trenchard Street Car 

Park and the Ice Rink. Others occupy prominent 

gateway locations e.g. Tollgate Car Park. 

2.7 Conclusion 

7. Colston 8. Castlemeads 

Centre 

Height 60 m 

Height 50 m 



9. Bristol & 

West HQ 

Height 35 m 


The relationship of the city with the surrounding 

topography, harbourside and green spaces has 

greatly influenced the development of the city’s 

urban pattern and built form. However, post-war 

reconstruction and particularly post-war tall 

buildings, largely failed to respect and understand 

this relationship. Hence the need for clear policy 

guidance to steer future development. 

10. BRI Hospital 

Chimney 

Kingsdown 

Height 60 m 


Other 

Prominent 

Building


3.0 SITING A TALL BUILDING – 

LOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 

The following guidance has been put together 

following feedback from the ‘Height Matters’ 

consultation initiative, to give an indication to the 

promoters of tall building schemes where a tall 

building may be appropriate (section 3.3). 

3.1 Guiding Principles 

Informed by the tall buildings urban design 

appraisal (Section 2) and the ‘Height Matters’ 

public consultation, the following guiding 

principles have been established: 

Tall buildings should not be positioned where they: 

• Hide or mask the topography of the city e.g. 

they should not be positioned either on the 

side or the base of the Clifton-Kingsdown 

escarpment 

• Obstruct views from key vantage-points (see 

the View Protection Framework) 

• Have a detrimental impact on the city’s 

historic environment* 

• Have a significant adverse impact on the 

amenity of nearby occupiers 

Tall buildings may be appropriate: 

• Close to good public transport infrastructure 

• At major highway gateways into the city 

centre from the East 

• Close to other tall residential or commercial 

clusters of tall buildings where it can be 

demonstrated that a new tall building serves 

to raise the quality and coherence of the 

cluster 

• At locations where the provision of a 

landmark building would clearly improve the 

legibility of the city 


*The Planning Authority supports the view of 

bodies such as English Heritage that the location 

selected for a tall building should be suitable in 

terms of its effect on the historic environment at a 

city-wide as well as a local level. If the location is 

not suitable, then no tall building will be 

acceptable, however good the design. Only if it can 

be demonstrated that the location and context are 

appropriate will other factors including design 

quality be addressed. This guidance specifically 

relates to locations where the special historic 

character makes it sensitive to change of any kind, 

particularly any change to the existing balance of 

dominance between structures and open spaces. In 

line with good conservation practice such an 

assessment should be based on a comprehensive 

assessment of historic character and not simply 

assumptions about how well a place could or could 

not accommodate a tall building. 

3.2 Bristol View Protection Framework 

Bristol’s steeply sloping escarpments, open spaces 

and watercourses provide numerous vantage 

points from which to view the city and beyond. 

The SPD identifies a sample of indicative longrange 

panoramic views and short-range contained 

views. It recognises that it is not possible to protect 

every aspect of every long-range view point, and 

instead seeks to protect and enhance the quality of 

the most important views. 

To do this, the SPD identifies a number of different 

types of view which will need to be considered as 

part of any visual impact study undertaken in 

connection to a tall building scheme: 

A Panoramic views into the city centre (Figure D) 

A number of important long-range panoramic 

views have been identified that provide good views 

to the city centre’s primary landmarks (Cabot 

Tower, the Wills Memorial Building, Bristol 

University buildings along Tankards Close, St. Mary 

Redcliffe Church and Temple Meads station) as they 

break the skyline. Primary landmarks have been 

selected which are prominent on the skyline, 

symbolic of Bristol and are of a 

national/international importance. Vantage-points 

are publicly accessible and well used for either 


ecreational or movement purposes. The majority of 

vantage-points fulfiling these criteria tend to be on 

elevated positions within public parks to the south 

of the city centre. In most cases, the viewing cones 

available from these vantage-points are fairly wide. 

However, Figure D just illustrates the most critical 

portion of the viewing cone centred on the 

landmark and extended to take in lateral and 

background areas which will also need to be 

considered as part of any future visual impact 

assessment. 

B Panoramic views out of the city centre (Figure E) 

A number of important long-range panoramic views 

have been identified that provide good views from 

the city centre out to the surrounding escarpments. 

Vantage points have been selected that provide 

long-range views westwards (to Ashton Court) and 

southwards (to Dundry Hill). Vantage points have 

also been selected that provide closer range 

panoramic views to escarpments on the edge of the 

centre (Totterdown, Clifton Wood). Vantage points 

tend to be bridges across the Floating Harbour, as 

these provide well used focal points along open 

vistas. The width of viewing cones is dictated by the 

extent of the view 

For each panoramic viewpoint identified in Figures 

D and E, a description is provided of both the 

vantage point and the key features of the view in 

Appendix C. A description is provided of the 

foreground, middle-ground and back-ground to the 

visible landmark as well as its lateral areas. Key 

management issues are identified for each view. 

C Views within the city centre (Figure F) 

These are a mixture of panoramic views and 

contained views. Viewpoints have been selected to 

both the city centre’s primary and secondary 

landmarks. Secondary landmarks have been 

selected that are historic monuments which assert 

themselves on the skyline and are of a 

local/national importance. These views are also 

identified in the City Centre Strategy. 

The Planning Authority will scope out further 

localised viewpoints for assessment on an 

individual application basis. These viewpoints will 

need to show how a tall building proposal fits into 

its immediate surroundings. 


3.3 Indication of areas that may be 

appropriate for tall buildings 

Figure G provides locational guidance on where it 

may be appropriate to locate a tall building drawing 

on the Guiding Principles (3.1), and the Bristol View 

Protection Framework (3.2). It has not been within 

the scope of this study to identify exact boundaries 

of sites that are appropriate for tall buildings, nor 

establish appropriate heights. The onus is therefore 

placed on the applicant to provide a justification for 

the siting and design of their tall building scheme, 

drawing on guidance within SPD1 and other guides 

such as ‘By Design’ (DETR/CABE, 2000) and ‘The 

Urban Design Compendium (English 

Partnerships/Housing Corporation). 

There are clearly some neighbourhoods within the 

city centre which are considered to be more 

appropriate for tall buildings than others. Appendix 

D provides an appraisal of each of the city centre’s 

nine neighbourhoods and should be read in 

conjunction with Figure G. 

Green indicates those parts of the city centre which 

may be most appropriate for tall buildings. These 

tend to be the low-lying neighbourhoods 

(Broadmead, Old Market and Temple) to the eastern 

edge of the city centre, in areas that neither ‘mask’ 

the topography of the city centre, nor obstruct 

views from key vantage points. These parts of the 

city centre also tend to be well served by good 

public transport infrastructure (Temple Meads 

Station, and bus routes along the city centre loop). 

Broadmead and Temple are two of the city centre’s 

main regeneration areas. Both areas offer scope for 

a comprehensive plan-led redevelopment guided 

through an Urban Design Framework. In particular, 

the Planning Authority will be keen to see that the 

applicant has reviewed alternative development 

options through the Urban Design Framework, as it 

is often possible to achieve similar levels of density 

through alternative urban forms to a tall building 

(see Figure H). In respect to Temple neighbourhood, 

it will be particularly important that the Urban 

Design Framework demonstrates that any proposed 

tall building neither impacts negatively on Temple 

Meads Station nor St. Mary Redcliffe Church. Sites 

immediately adjacent to the railway station 

(including the island site) are not considered 

appropriate for tall buildings for this reason. The


former diesel depot site may be appropriate for tall 

buildings. However, tall buildings on this site will 

need to be positioned in such a way that they frame 

key views to the Totterdown escarpment rather 

than obscure these views. 

Old Market has also been identified as an area that 

may be appropriate for tall buildings. However, an 

area along Old Market Street (which corresponds to 

the Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme) has 

been omitted as the objective here is to strengthen 

and restore the historic grain of this street. The Old 

Market neighbourhood features a number of listed 

buildings that are the focal buildings in the local 

townscape. Proposals for new tall buildings would 

need to demonstrate an acceptable relationship. 

Existing tall buildings tend to be clustered close to 

the city centre loop road, at the vehicular gateways 

into the city centre. Whilst consultation suggests 

that these existing buildings are viewed as having 

little architectural merit, there is still support for 

these gateways to be marked by tall landmark 

buildings. However, future schemes will need to be 

of a higher design quality than existing tall 

buildings. In gateway locations, this may be 

achieved through replacement towers or 

refurbishing existing towers. It may also be 

achieved by adding a new tall building to the cluster 

where it was felt that this adds to the liveliness and 

visual interest of the cluster. For example, the 

quality of an existing cluster of fairly squat, poor 

quality and uniform tall buildings, may be raised 

through the introduction of a single, taller, more 

slender high quality building, with a more dynamic 

silhouette. 

Purple indicates an area where it may be 

appropriate to locate a single ‘iconic’ building. 

This area occupies the top of the Clifton-Kingsdown 

escarpment in the St. Michael’s Hill neighbourhood. 

This is a sensitive location, where design 

considerations will be paramount. A number of 

‘iconic’ monuments already occupy elevated 

positions along this escarpment (The Wills 

Memorial Building, Cabot Tower, Bristol University 

buildings along Tankards Close). Unfortunately, 

there are also a number of buildings along the 

escarpment which are not considered ‘iconic’ (BRI 


Chimney, Clifton Heights) and these compete with 

the monuments on the skyline. Any new addition to 

the skyline will need to work sensitively within this 

context, whilst at the same time being a 

contemporary and memorable landmark building in 

its own right. It will be particularly important for 

the building to respond positively to the guidance 

set out in Section 4. A cluster of tall buildings is not 

considered appropriate in this location, as it could 

undermine existing landmarks, reducing their 

climactic impact. 

In other parts of the City Centre it is not considered 

appropriate to encourage tall buildings. Any tall 

building proposals coming forward in these areas 

would have to demonstrate exceptional qualities 

and would be very rigorously assessed against the 

criteria identified in Section 5. 



(Figure D) Panoramic views into the city centre 

Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. 

Bristol City Council 

Licence No. 100023406. 2005 

Ashton 

Court 

Bedminster Downs 

Blackboy Hill 


Windmill 

Hill 

Figure D 


Important Panoramic Views 

into the City Centre. 

N 

Totterdown 

Panoramic View 

Prominent City Centre 

Landmarks 


50 m Contour 



(Figure E) Panoramic views out of the city centre 

Crown ‘ Crown copyright. Copyright. All rights rights reserved. reserved. 


Bristol City Council. Licence No. 100023406. 2005.’ 

Licence No. 100023406. 2005 

Brandon Hill 


Christmas Steps 

Perry Road 

Pero's 

Bridge 

Prince 

Street 

Bridge 

Industrial 

Museum 

Temple 

Meads 

Figure E 


Important Panoramic Views 

out of the City Centre. 

Panoramic View 

360 Degree View 

Prominent City Centre 

Landmarks 


50 m Contour 

1000 m N 


(Figure F) Views within the city centre 

Figure F 

Important Views within the City Centre 

University of Bristol Victoria Rooms 

St Georges 

Cabot Tower, Brandon Hill 

Bristol Council House, College Green 

Church of Holy Trinity, 

Hotwell Rd 

'A Bond' Building 

(Storage) 


Important Views to Primary City Centre Landmarks 

Important Views to Secondary City Centre Landmarks 

Conservation Area 

Public Open Space 

University of Bristol Mathematics Building 

University of Bristol Engineering Building 

Wills Memorial Building, University Tower 

University of Bristol Medical Building 

St James Church, Haymarket 

Christ Church, Broad St 

St Michael's Church 

'B Bond' Building 

CREATE Centre 

SS Great Britain 

Bristol Cathedral, College Sq 

Bristol Marriot Royal Hotel, Deanery Rd 

Explore @ Bristol 

Wildscreen @ Bristol 

Lloyds HQ 

Arnolfini Gallery 

Industrial Museum and Cranes 

St Steven's Church 

Westmorland House 

City Road Baptist Church 

Leadshot Tower, Temple St 


Bristol and Exeter 

Temple Church, Church Lane 

Courage Brewery, 

Counterslip Passage 

St Thomas Martyr 

St Mary's Redcliffe Church, 

Redcliffe Way 

Bristol General Hospital, 

Commercial Rd 

St Pauls Church, Porland Sq 

All Saints Church, Corn St 

St. Mary le Port 

St Peter's Church, Broad St 

St Judes Church, Braggs Lane 

Trinity Church,Trinity Rd 

St Nicholas Church, Baldwin St 

St Philips and Jacobs, Jacob St 

Gardiner Haskins 

N 

500 Metres 

Brandon Hill 


Cathedral 

Green 

Millennium 

Square 

Centre 

Promenade 

Queen's 

Square 

Castle Park 




Figure G: Indication of areas that may be appropriate for tall buildings 

Figure G 

Indication of areas that may be appropriate 

for tall buildings 

Areas that may be appropriate for tall buildings 

subject to meeting assessment criteria 

Top of Clifton - Kingdown escarpment - area 

that may be appropriate for an iconic 

tall building 

Neighbourhood boundaries 

(as defined in the City Centre Srategy) 

City Centre Loop 

Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 


Licence No. 100023406. 2005 

5 Metre Topographical Contours 

50 Metres contour above sea level 

Prominent City Centre landmarks 

Secondary City Centre landmarks 

Scale 

500 Metres N 

HARBOURSIDE 

ST. MICHAEL'S HILL 

WEST END 

OLD CITY 

STOKES CROFT 

BROADMEAD 

REDCLIFFE 

OLD MARKET 

TEMPLE 

MEADS


4.0 DESIGN GUIDANCE 

The Planning Authority shares the aspiration of 

CABE that any new tall building should be of first 

class design quality in its own right and should 

enhance the quality of its immediate location and 

wider setting; it should produce more benefits than 

costs to the lives who are affected by it. 

The following design guidance has been identified 

to supplement existing guidance contained within 

the Local Plan, and best practice guides such as ‘By 

Design’ (CABE/DETR, 2000) and The Urban Design 

Compendium (English Partnerships/The Housing 

Corporation). The guidance has been prepared to 

inform the development of a high quality and 

sustainable design scheme. 

4.1 The design process 

It is expected that the majority of proposals for tall 

buildings will come forward in areas undergoing or 

requiring major change. In such areas, an approved 

Urban Design Framework will first need to be in 

place which shows how policies in the development 

plan may be applied to that specific area, 

identifying the design principles, and providing the 

basis for development control. In instances where 

schemes are being promoted in areas without an 

approved Urban Design Framework in place, the 

onus will be on the scheme promoter to prepare an 

Urban Design Framework and then agree this with 

the relevant stakeholders. This may then either 

need to be adopted as a Supplementary Planning 

Document (SPD) or if developed to sufficient detail 

approved as an outline planning application. By 

Design (DETR, 2000) sets out guidance on preparing 

an Urban Design Framework. Diagrams, drawings 

and models are to be used to express the 

framework. Content might include: 

• Assessment of the existing area 

• Public transport and possible improvements 

• Potential to co-ordinate new patterns of land 

use and transport 

• Routes and spaces linking into the existing 

transport system 


• Location of major buildings (including tall 

buildings) 

• Frontage development 

• Patterns of streets and block, building heights 

etc. 

The submission of the planning application for a tall 

building will need to be accompanied by a Design 

Statement as commended in PPG1. This is 

essentially a written statement setting out design 

principles and context, appropriately illustrated 

with plans and photographs. The Statement should: 

• Explain design concepts and principles 

• Explain the purpose of the proposed 

development and its relationship to the wider 

area 

• Explain how it meets the local authority’s 

urban design objectives/agreed objectives 

within the Urban Design Framework 

• Provide a popular summary 

Due to the significant environmental impact of tall 

buildings, many schemes will need to be 

accompanied by an Environmental Impact 

Assessment (EIA). The Council will determine the 

need for an EIA through the ‘necessary’ process and 

encourage developers to discuss this request with 

the Council during the pre-application phase. 

The Height Matters consultation process has 

demonstrated a degree of support for future tall 

buildings subject to achieving excellent sustainable 

design. The Planning Authority will therefore seek 

proposals to achieve a Very good or Excellent 

BREEAM rating (or equivalent) through the EIA 

process, and may seek to use s106 agreements to 

ensure a high rating. 

Proposals for tall buildings will not be supported 

unless it is demonstrated through the submission 

that proposals are of the highest architectural 

quality. For this reason, the Planning Authority 

supports the CABE and English Heritage 

recommendation that outline planning applications 


would not be appropriate. The process of 

commissioning a ‘trophy architect’ merely to take 

the building to outline planning stage will be 

discouraged, with applicants being encouraged to 

retain the same architect throughout. 

Furthermore, the Planning Authority supports the 

CABE and English Heritage recommendation that 

where planning permission is to be granted, the 

detailed design, materials and finishes, and 

treatment of the public realm should be secured 

through the appropriate use of planning conditions 

and obligations, including Section 106 Agreements, 

where appropriate. Adequate guarantees are 

essential to maintain the original architectural 

quality and ensure that inferior details and 

materials are not substituted at a later date. 

When producing high quality visualisations, the 

applicant will be expected to be guided by the 

Planning Authority in accordance with the 

methodology set out in Appendix E. 

Applicants will be expected to contact the Planning 

Authority at the earliest opportunity to discuss the 

scheme, and then to maintain regular contact with 

the Planning Authority as the scheme develops. 

National organisations such as CABE and English 

Heritage should also be actively consulted, as 

should local stakeholders. It should be noted that 

CABE in conjunction with Bristol’s Architecture 

Centre intends to establish a South West Regional 

Design Panel in the near future. Applicants will be 

strongly advised to consult this panel from the early 

stages of project development. 

Public Art should be incorporated as an integral part 

of tall building developments and should be 

considered from the outset as part of the design 

process. In October 2000, the City Council approved 

a Public Art Policy, which builds upon the current 

Local Plan Policy L10 (Policy B5A in 'Proposed 

Alterations'). The strengthened policy statement 

stress that major new development proposals 

should consider the following: 

• The inclusion of public art elements in the 

external treatment of buildings. 

• The provision of public art commissions which 

enhance existing and new open spaces. 


• The commissioning of artworks which aid 

legibility and movement. 

In accordance with its Public Art Policy and Strategy, 

the City Council requests that developers appoint 

independent public art consultants and artists to 

work with other design professionals to prepare 

Public Art Plans for Tall Building developments. 

These are to ensure that artistic interventions are 

integrated within the architecture of tall buildings 

and engage the public during the development's 

construction. Public Art Plans are to be agreed with 

the City Council's Art Project Manager prior to being 

submitted as part of planning applications. They are 

to include the conceptual and material details of 

permanent and temporary artworks, a description 

of the commissioning process, budget allocations, 

maintenance plans, timescales and related 

community engagement and education initiatives. 

4.2 Density and urban form: 

Alternative development approaches 

One of the main justifications given for developing 

tall buildings is that they deliver a higher density of 

development, However, as the Government Subcommittee 

states (DTLR, 2002); 

“…while there is little doubt that tall buildings can 

be a method of achieving high densities, it is equally 

clear that tall buildings are not necessary to provide 

high density accommodation. In fact, there is a 

broad degree of consensus amongst witnesses that 

high rise is not the only or most efficient way to 

provide high densities.” 

As Figure H demonstrates (adapted from the Urban 

Task Force Report, Towards an Urban Renaissance), 

there are significant advantages in adopting a low 

or medium rise approach to achieving the same 

level of density, where the developable area is large 

enough to allow the development of a perimeter 

block (e.g. the larger regeneration areas such as 

Harbourside, Temple and Broadmead). A medium 

rise perimeter block has several distinct advantages 

over a point block standing in the middle of an open 

space: 

• It helps make a clear distinction between 

public fronts and private backs. 

• A continuous building line provides good


enclosure to streets and public spaces. 

• Frequent doors and windows onto the street 

provide animation and security to the public 

realm. 

• Diversity within the block may be provided 

through differing plot widths. 

• It allows for the provision of private open 

space within the block. 

A tall building standing in the middle of an open 

space is unlikely to either represent good design or 

fulfil design policies. A tall building on a more 

constrained site, perhaps incorporated into an 

existing perimeter block might more readily be an 

acceptable design solution. However, it would first 

need to demonstrate that it relates well to the 

street and adjacent buildings. 

4.3 Size, shape and silhouette 

London Bridge Tower, 

London (by Renzo 

Piano)- 

set to be Europe’s 

tallest building, this 

‘shard of glass’ will 

provide a unique shape 

and silhouette 

30 St. Mary Axe, London 

(by Norman Foster) 

-this unique ‘gherkin’ 

shape has proved to be 

a popular addition to 

the London skyline 


A key justification given for providing a tall building 

is to create a landmark. If the landmark is to register 

in the public’s mental map of the city, it needs to be 

memorable. This can be achieved by utilising a 

unique shape or silhouette (as typified by Foster’s 

30 St. Mary Axe aka ‘the gherkin’ in the City of 

London which has proved to be a popular and 

distinctive addition to the London skyline). It can 

also be achieved by locating the most visible 

compositional elements at the top of the building. It 

should be recognised that this is a highly emotive 

and subjective issue, and that considerable public 

debate should be both expected and encouraged. 

In particular, there is a need to consider the visual 

impact of telecommunications apparatus and plant 

rooms at a high level. These can be extremely 

damaging to the appearance of a building but also, 

if integral to the original design, something of a 

feature. In general tops of buildings work best if 

they are lightweight and transparent in appearance. 

The introduction of alternative accommodation on 

upper floors, such as a duplex apartment or rooftop 

restaurant, can provide a successful design solution. 

4.4 Relationship to the street 

A key failing of tall buildings in the past has been 

the way they meet the ground and therefore how 

they are perceived/experienced at the shortdistance. 

Ultimately the aim should be to create a public 

realm with a human scale. Human scale need not 

necessarily be prejudiced by high buildings, 

provided that these are carefully located, designed 

with a top and a bottom and have regard to the 

effects on the microclimate. This often involves the 

following: 

• stepping down a large mass to its neighbours; 

• ensuring that the ground level most relevant 

to the pedestrian experience is as active and 

interesting as possible; 

• ensuring that the public realm is naturally 

surveilled; 

• providing legible and accessible entrances; 


Figure H - Relationship between density and urban form 

Source: Illustrations by Andrew Wright Associates for the Urban Task Force, 1999 


High rise – low coverage 

75 units/ha 

Single Point Block 

✘ No private gardens or amenities directly 

available to the inhabitants 

✘ No direct relationship between the building 

and the surrounding streets 

✘ Large open space demands significant levels 

of investment to manage and maintain it at 

acceptable standards 

Low rise –high coverage 

75 units/ha 

2-3 storey traditional back to back terraces 

✓ Public space is well defined by continuous 

street frontages 

✓ Clear definition of public and private realms, 

with all dwellings having access to private 

back gardens 

✘ High site coverage minimises the potential for 

communal spaces and a more varied urban 

landscape 

Medium rise – medium coverage 

75 units/ha 

Urban block enclosing open space 

✓ Commercial and public activities located at 

ground floor level, provide an active street 

frontage 

✓ More space is available for rear private 

gardens, communal areas or a park 

✓ Buildings of differing heights and plot widths 

allow for the creation of a mixed community 

✘ Possible problems with security when placing 

public spaces to the rear of buildings


• providing a richness to the detailing and high 

quality materials; 

• mitigating against the adverse impacts a tall 

building can often make on the microclimate; 

• providing a continuity of frontage, thus 

providing definition and enclosure to the 

public realm. 

4.5 Energy Efficiency 

Applicants should seek to maximise energy 

efficiency through: 

• Adoption of appropriate building form & 

fabric e.g. through passive means such as 

increasing the availability of thermal mass 

(which acts as a heat sink or source of 

‘coolth’); 

• Specification of an energy efficient services 

solution e.g. through double facades which 

allow natural ventilation of spaces and access 

to openable windows; 

• Sub-metering of major plant and equipment; 

• Use of clever vertical transportation solutions 

e.g. energy recovery from lifts; 

• Use of renewable energy e.g. daylightintegrated 

lighting systems, BIPV (building 

integrated photovoltaics), wind power and 

CHP. 

In terms of solar gain, it is beneficial to utilise a 

shallow plan, atria or shafts to allow the 

introduction of natural daylight and fresh air. 

Contrary to some attitudes and guidelines, it is 

possible to achieve high levels of natural light 

penetration with a tight urban form. 

4.6 Water Consumption 

Applicants should seek to minimise water 

consumption through: 

• Specification of low-flow appliances; 

• On-site rainwater harvesting; 


• Use of borehole water; 

• Sub-metering of end-uses; 

• Reduction of run-off through e.g. living roofs; 

• Sustainable drainage. 

4.7 Microclimate 

Applicants should seek to create a pleasant 

microclimate at the base of the building. 

In terms of wind turbulence, this depends on the 

local grouping of buildings and their orientation to 

the prevailing wind. Isolated buildings (of whatever 

height) and the creation of inappropriate open 

spaces between buildings generally promote 

windiness. It can also be exacerbated by raising the 

building on stilts or pilotis. Conversely, a highly 

integrated street pattern encourages wind to move 

over the tops of densely built up areas, hence 

resulting in a more pleasant microclimate. As a 

general rule of thumb, a tall building might have an 

impact on wind patterns in an area with a radius of 

five times the height of the building. The Planning 

Authority will be particularly keen that wind speeds 

are assessed around the entrances into proposed 

and adjacent buildings, along key pedestrian routes 

and in spaces designed for passive recreation, and 

will scope out key locations in the early stages of 

project development. Where the assessment 

indicates high wind speeds are likely at any given 

location for prolonged periods such as to restrict the 

space, the applicant will be expected to 

demonstrate how modifications to the siting of the 

building or modifications to the design (e.g. 

canopies and windbreaks) would reduce the impact. 

Tall buildings should not adversely overshadow key 

public spaces, routes or other buildings. The 

applicant will be required to demonstrate the 

impact of the building in terms of shadow patterns 

at different times of the year. 

4.8 Materials 

Applicants should seek to reduce the environmental 

impact of building materials through the use of an 

environmental preference or profiling system e.g. 

the BRE’s Green Guide to Construction. The 


selection of materials will need to take into account 

the unique structural engineering requirements of 

tall buildings. For example, it may be possible to use 

cement-alternatives in concrete such as Pulverised 

Fuel Ash. 

Furthermore, the future proofing of the design will 

need to be considered in order to maximise the 

reuse and recycling of materials during 

refurbishment or eventual decommissioning of the 

building. If more building components are to be reused, 

the process of demolition needs to be 

replaced by the more sensitive process of 

deconstruction. Likewise, more recycling can be 

achieved if materials are more easily separated after 

deconstruction. The Construction Industry Research 

and Information Association has recently provided 

guidance on this (CIRIA, 2004). 

The reflectivity and transparency of the building is 

an important consideration. A highly reflective and 

transparent building material such as glass can 

sometimes cause obtrusive daytime glare (as has 

been the case with Foster’s scheme for 30 St. Mary 

Axe). However, transparent materials have often 

been used to great effect to create significant 

landmark features at night. In future, applicants for 

tall buildings should consider how to exploit 

exciting advances in lighting projection technology, 

using it to bring attention to some elements of the 

built form, whilst disguising others. 

4.9 Telecommunications 

Applicants should consider orientation and profile 

of the building taking into account the potential 

negative impact on television and radio reception 

within the surrounding area. OFCOM can provide 

guidance on this. Furthermore guidance is 

contained in PPG8 Telecommunications. 

Antennae and aerial arrays are commonly placed on 

top of tall buildings. If this is proposed, 

consideration should be given to integrating the 

antennae into the design of the building (rather 

than left as an afterthought). For example, it might 

be possible to create a formal sculptural element to 

hold the antennae. 


4.10 Internal Design 

Applicants should seek to create internal spaces, 

which are easy to adapt to ensure spaces do not 

become redundant over time, and can more easily 

adapt to changing social, technological and 

economic conditions. Structural efficiency can be 

maximised through careful consideration of floor 

plate solutions, and the positioning of service cores. 

This will be a matter that the EIA process will be 

asked to examine. 

4.11 Remodelling existing tall buildings 

In general, if a building or buildings in an area have 

planning approval or have been constructed, 

subsequent proposals of the same scale will be 

relevant factor in assessing other planning 

applications. 

In the case of tall buildings, this is not considered an 

acceptable premise and both CABE and English 

Heritage have emphasised that each case must be 

judged on its merits. 

The fact that a building exists already is material 

but CABE/English Heritage guidance is suggesting 

that the weight given to this may be lesser due to 

past failings as to consideration of issues such as 

context. The assessment therefore needs to be done 

using the same assessment criteria as for new 

schemes. 

This is confirmed at para 4.4.22c of the Proposed 

Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan (2003). 

Should it be determined that it is acceptable to 

retain a tall building on a particular site, it is 

possible to provide a new lease of life through 

relatively simple measures including: 

• Recladding with more contemporary 

materials; 

• Addition of upper floors to change the profile 

of the building; 

• Removal of obscuring or unsightly services; 

• Introducing active ground floor uses.


5.0 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

Proposals for tall buildings will only be considered where a satisfactory 

response has been made to each of the following criteria:- 

ASSESSMENT 

CRITERIA 

(i) RELATIONSHIP 

TO CONTEXT, 

INCLUDING 

TOPOGRAPHY, 

BUILT FORM, AND 

SKYLINE; 

(ii) EFFECT ON 

THE HISTORIC 

ENVIRONMENT AT 

A CITY-WIDE AND 

LOCAL LEVEL; 

CONSIDERATIONS 

How well the development responds to 

and reinforces locally distinctive patterns 

of development, landscape and culture 

typical of its neighbourhood 

The impact the building has on those 

views identified in the View Protection 

Framework, and other short range views 

identified by the Planning Authority in 

connection with a specific application. 

This will involve assessing the direct 

impact of the building upon views 

through intrusion or obstruction and may 

involve consulting viewers who may be 

affected. 

The impact the building has on its 

immediate environment, at street level. 

Of particular importance will be how well 

the building promotes the continuity of 

street frontages and the enclosure of 

space by built form that clearly defines 

private and public areas 

The historical development of the area; 

the underlying morphology of the area 

(block patterns, plot sizes, historic 

routes); and the local vernacular 

architecture. It will need to be 

demonstrated how an understanding of 

the historical context has informed the 

design of the building 

The impact the building makes towards 

the distinctive neighbourhood in which it 

is located 

The impact the building has on the 

following: 

• World Heritage sites and their settings, 

including buffer zones (being mindful 

to the likely future designation of the 

Temple Meads Station) 


BEST PRACTICE/ 

POLICY GUIDANCE 

Urban Design 

Compendium 

(English 

Partnerships/The 

Housing 

Corporation) 

By Design – Urban 

design in the 

planning system 

(CABE/DETR, 2000) 

City Centre Strategy 

(Bristol City Council, 

2004) 

Guidelines for 

Landscape and 

Visual Impact 

Assessment 

(Landscape 

Institute/Institute of 

Environmental 

Assessment, 2002) 

Creating Successful 

Masterplans – A 

guide for clients 

(CABE 2004) 

Building in context 

– New development 

in historic areas 

(CABE/English 

Heritage, 2002) 

Conservation Area 

Enhancement 

Statements, PAN2 


1993) 

Bristol’s 

Archaeology PAN 


2005) 

Using Historic 

Landscape 

Characterisation 

(English Heritage, 

2004) 

City Centre Strategy 


2004) 

ASSESSMENT 

METHOD 

Urban Design 

Appraisal 

Urban Design 

Framework 

Views 

Assessment (see 

Appendix D on 

the preparation 

of Accurate 

Visual 

Representations) 

Physical Model 

(1:500 and 

extending one 

block in each 

direction 

minimum) 

Characterisation 

Study of Historic 

Environment 

Archaeological 

Appraisal 


(iii) RELATIONSHIP 

TO TRANSPORT 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

PARTICULARLY 

PUBLIC TRANSPORT 

PROVISION; 

(iv) 

ARCHITECTURAL 

EXCELLENCE OF 

THE BUILDING; 


• Any of Bristol’s Scheduled Ancient 

Monuments and their settings 

• Any of Bristol’s 4500 Listed Buildings 

and their settings, including the 

foregrounds and backdrops to 

landmark buildings 

• Any of Bristol’s 33 designated 

Conservation Areas and their settings 

• Archaeology (see Bristol’s Draft 

Archaeological Statement) 

• Historic parks and gardens, landscape 

and their settings 

The contribution the building makes to 

peak travel flows; 

Additional demands placed on the local 

parking in the area; 

Proximity and accessibility to public 

transport, and the capacity of public 

transport to cope with this additional 

demand; 

Funded measures to encourage more 

sustainable travel behaviour in the form 

of a ‘Travel Plan’ (e.g. car club) 

Access arrangements by all the non-car 

travel modes and the access needs of 

disabled people. 

The Emergency Plan for the building, 

detailing access arrangements in the 

event of an emergency or major incident. 

This will require involving Building 

Control and the Fire Service at the earliest 

stage 

The scale, form, massing, proportion and 

silhouette of the building. 

The design of the top of a tall building. 

This will be of particular importance 

when considering the effect on the 

skyline. 

The relationship of the building to other 

structures. 

The materials used to face the building. 

Material samples will need to be 

submitted. 

The assessment will be looking for 

buildings that are far better designed 

than previously and be icons of 

architectural quality in themselves. 

Local Transport Plan 

2001-6 (Bristol City 

Council, 2000) 

Creating Excellent 

Buildings – A guide 

for clients (CABE, 

2003) 

Design Review – 

Guidance on how 

CABE evaluates 

quality in 

architecture and 

urban design (CABE, 

2002) 

Transport 

Assessment 

Views Assessment 

(see Appendix E 

on the 

preparation of 

Accurate Visual 

Representations) 

Design Statement 


Material samples 

Design Review 

Panel


(v) CONTRIBUTION 

TO PUBLIC SPACES 

AND FACILITIES, 

INCLUDING THE 

MIX OF USES 

(vi) EFFECT ON 

THE LOCAL 

ENVIRONMENT, 

INCLUDING 

MICROCLIMATE 

AND GENERAL 

AMENITY 

CONSIDERATIONS; 

How well the development promotes 

diversity and choice through a mix of 

compatible uses that work together to 

create viable places that respond to local 

need 

The types of uses being proposed at the 

ground level, and whether they contribute 

to the vitality and vibrancy of the 

surrounding streets and spaces; 

The types of uses being proposed for the 

top floors of the building, and whether or 

not it is the intention to provide the 

public with access to these spaces in order 

that they may enjoy the benefit of 

panoramic views across the city, or skygardens. 

The mix of uses proposed within the 

building, with a particular focus on how 

the building helps meet the need for 

affordable housing (see PAN 12 Affordable 

Housing); 

How the proposal meets or exceeds the 

Local Plan requirement for the provision 

of public and private open space; 


attractive and safe public spaces and 

routes, which meet the needs of all 

sections of society across the wider 

neighbourhood/City. The management 

arrangements for these spaces need to be 

made explicit. 

The ways in which the building can deliver 

public benefits beyond its own site 

boundary by means of a Section 106 

agreement. 

The impact of the building on the wind 

regime at the base of the building. 

The impact of the shading paths created 

by the building. 

The night-time appearance of the 

building. 

The reflectivity of the building, identifying 

the possibility of any obtrusive day-time 

glare 

The impact on the amenity of nearby 

occupiers. 


Urban Design 

Compendium 

(English 


Housing 

Corporation) 


design in the 



Green Spaces 

Strategy (CABE, 

2004) 

Parks and Green 

Spaces Strategy 

(Bristol City Council 

–work in progress – 

expected adoption 

2005) 

Safer Places: The 

Planning System 

and Crime 

Prevention 

(ODPM/Home 

Office, 2004) 

Urban Design 

Compendium 

(English 


Housing 

Corporation) 


design in the 



BRE Guidance 

Design 

Statement 

Design Review 

Panel 

Market Appraisal 

Urban Design 

Framework 

Wind Tunnel 

Tests/Computer 

Modelling 

Shadow 

Modelling 

Design 

Statement 


(vii) 

CONTRIBUTION TO 

PERMEABILITY AND 

LEGIBILITY OF THE 

SITE AND WIDER 

AREA; AND 

(viii) SUFFICIENT 

ACCOMPANYING 

MATERIAL TO 

ENABLE A PROPER 

ASSESSMENT 

INCLUDING URBAN 

DESIGN 

STUDY/MASTERPLAN, 

A 360 DEGREE 

VIEW ANALYSIS 

AND RELATIVE 

HEIGHT STUDIES 

(IX) ADOPTION OF 

BEST PRACTICE 

GUIDANCE 

RELATED TO THE 

SUSTAINABLE 

DESIGN AND 

CONSTRUCTION OF 




accessibility and local permeability by 

making places that connect with each 

other and are easy to move through, 

putting people before traffic and 

integrating land uses and transport 

How well the development provides 

recognisable routes, intersections and 

landmarks to help people find their way 

around, with a particular emphasis on 

assisting people find their way around 

using key routes identified in Bristol’s 

Legible City Strategy 

Energy usage – operational energy and 

CO2 

Health and Well Being – Indoor and 

external issues affecting health and well 

being 

Pollution – Air and water pollution 

Transport – transport related CO2 and 

location related factors 

Land use-Greenfield and brownfield sites 

Ecology- Ecological value of the site 

Urban Design 

Compendium 

(English 


Housing 

Corporation) 


design in the 



Urban Design 

Compendium 

(English 

Partnerships / 

The Housing 

Corporation) 


design in the 



GLA guidance 

(see Appendix E) 

Guidelines for 

Landscape and 

Visual Impact 

Assessment 

(Landscape 

Institute/Institute 

of Environmental 

Assessment, 2002) 

Creating Successful 

Masterplans – A 

guide for clients 

(CABE) 

Bristol Sustainable 

Development 

Guide for 

Construction 

(Bristol City 

Council, 2002) 

A sustainability 

checklist for 

developments: a 

common 

framework for 

developers and 

local authorities 

(BRE, 2002) 

Urban Design 

Appraisal 

Urban Design 

Framework 

Urban Design 

Framework 

Accurate Visual 

Representations/ 

View Analysis 


BREEAM or 

equivalent 

environmental 

profiling system 

(with a view to 

achieving a ‘Very 

Good’ rating) 

Sustainable 

Development 

Profile (as set out 

in ‘Bristol 

Sustainable 

Construction 

Guide’)


(X) EVALUATION OF 

PROVIDING A 

SIMILAR LEVEL OF 

DENSITY IN AN 

ALTERNATIVE 

URBAN FORM 

Materials-Environmental implication of 

building materials 

Water-Consumption and water 

efficiciency 

The preparation of the indicative low, 

medium and high rise schemes for the 

site, producing comparative information 

on density, amount of private open space, 

number of car parking spaces, 

vehicular/public access to site 

The production of cost-benefit analysis of 

the low, medium and high rise approach 

to development, covering such issues as: 

• management of public realm; 

• community safety 

• creation of balanced communities with 

a variety of housing 

choice/neighbourhood services 

• connectivity with the surrounding 

street network (i.e. pedestrian and 

vehicular routes) 


Assessing 

environmental 

impacts of 

construction – 

Industry consensus, 

BREEAM and UK 

Ecopoints (BRE, 

2000) 

Tall buildings & 

Sustainability - by 

Faber Maunsell 

(City of London, 

2002) 

Design for 

deconstruction. 

Principles of design 

to facilitate reuse 

and recycling(CIRIA, 

2004) 

Towards an Urban 

Renaissance (Urban 

Task Force, 1999) 

Urban Design 

Compendium 

(English 


Housing 

Corporation) 


design in the 



Urban Design 

Framework 


6. 0 GLOSSARY 

Area Appraisal An assessment of an area’s land 

uses, built and natural environment, social and 

physical characteristics 

Background Buildings A building that forms part of 

the general townscape and which lacks the 

attributes of a landmark building 

BCC Bristol City Council 

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment 

Environmental Assessment Method). A system for 

assessing the environmental performance of 

buildings 

Building Line The line formed by the frontages of 

buildings along a street 

CABE Commission for Architecture and the Built 

Environment Funded by central government 

departments (Department of Culture Media and 

Sports and Department of the Office of the Deputy 

Prime Minister, Local Government and the Regions) 

to promote quality in the built environment in 

England. 

Conservation Areas Conservation Areas are "areas of 

special architectural or historic interest." Bristol has 

designated 33 Conservation Areas with the aim of 

preserving or enhancing their character or 

appearance. Descriptions and policies for the first 

29 Conservation Areas are available in the 

Conservation Area Enhancement Statements 

published in 1993. 

Context The setting of a site or area, including 

factors such as traffic, activities and land uses as 

well as landscape and built form 

Core Cities The eight major English cities outside 

London - Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, 

Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bristol 

Design Statement Produced by a scheme promoter 

to accompany a planning application. Explains how 

they have considered the context in preparing a 

scheme, demonstrating how the particular design 

approach has been arrived at and why it is the most 

appropriate. Advocated in PPG1 


Environmental Impact Assessment The process of 

identifying, measuring and evaluating the impacts 

(beneficial and detrimental) that a proposed 

development could have on the surrounding 

environment. The findings of the EIA may be 

presented in an Environmental Statement that may 

accompany the outline planning application 

Focal Building A land mark building of local rather 

than strategic importance 

Floor Plate The gross floor area of a single storey of 

a building, normally a commercial office building 

Historic Parks and Gardens Historic parks and 

gardens are designed landscapes, which, because of 

their layout, features and architectural ornament, 

are of special historic interest. They are protected 

under Policy NEB9 of the Bristol Local Plan. 

Landmark A building or structure that stands out 

from its background by virtue of height, size or 

some other aspect of design. Landmark buildings, in 

townscape terms effectively act as pointers to guide 

people around a city and make a significant 

contribution to local distinctiveness. 

Listed Buildings There are nearly 4500 listed 

buildings in Bristol, of which 100 are listed Grade I, 

500 Grade II*. The remainder are Grade II. Listed 

Building Consent is required for alterations and 

extensions to listed buildings. This applies to both 

the exterior and the interior of the building. 

Legibility The degree to which a place can be easily 

understood 

Massing The combined effect of the height, size and 

outline of a building or group of buildings. 

Mixed Use A mix of different uses within a building, 

on a site or area. This can be horizontal- where the 

uses are side-by-side or vertical- where the uses are 

on different floors within the same building. 

Morphology The study of the built form (of 

buildings) that make up an areas’ context and 

identity. 

PAN Policy Advice Note


Perimeter Block Development blocks defined by a 

grid of streets, with a clear distinction between 

public fronts and private backs. Blocks can vary in 

size. They can accommodate a range of building 

types and densities. In city centre locations or 

Victorian suburbs, buildings tend to form a 

continuous edge to the block and are generally of a 

higher density than blocks found in the outer 

suburbs where blocks often comprise of detached or 

semi-detached. Buildings 

Pilotis The cylindrical concrete stilts or pillars used 

to carry a building, raising it to first floor level and 

leaving the ground floor free and open 

Scoring The process of determining the content and 

extent of matters, which should be covered in the 

environmental information to be submitted to a 

competent authority for projects which are subject 

to EIA 

Sites and Monuments Record (SR) or Historic 

Environment Record, contains information about 

historic Bristol. At present there are over 7000 

entries and it is constantly being added to, and 

interpretations refined. Information can be found 

on Historic Buildings and Monuments, 

Archaeological Excavations and Finds and Historic 

Landscapes 

Section 106 Agreements An agreement made under 

Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 

1990, between a local planning authority and 

developers specifying, for instance, that a 

proportion of a development site be reserved for 

affordable housing 

SPD Supplementary Planning Document 

SPG Supplementary Planning Guidance 

Strategic View The line of sight from a particular 

point to an important landmark or skyline 

Sustainability The principle that the environment 

should be protected in such a condition and to such 

a degree that ensures new development meets the 

needs of the present without compromising the 

ability of future generations to meet their own 

needs 

Tall Building Those that are substantially taller than 

their neighbours and/or which significantly change 


the skyline (see Section 1 for more information). 

Travel Plan This is a plan developed within an 

organisation to reduce dependence on private cars 

for travelling at, to or from work 

Typography A description or representation of 

artificial or natural features of an area or site on or 

of the ground 

Urban Design Framework Used to show policies in 

the development plan may be applied to a specific 

area, identifying the design principles, and 

providing a basis for development control 

Urban Grain The pattern of the arrangement and 

site of buildings and their plots in a settlement; and 

the degree to which an area’s pattern of street 

blocks and street junctions is re respectively small 

and frequent, or large and infrequent 

Vantage Point A deliberate point of standing or 

movement from where a view is perceived 

Vernacular The way in which ordinary buildings 

were built in a particular place, making use of local 

styles, techniques and materials and responding to 

local economic and social conditions 

Visual Amenity The value of a particular area or 

view in terms of what is seen 

Visualisation Computer simulation, photomontage 

or other technique to illustrate the appearance of a 

development 

Zone of Visual Influence Area within which a 

proposed development may have an influence or 

effect on visual amenity 

Source: CCPUD have prepared these definitions from 

a number of technical and professional sources for 

assistance in this document 


7. 0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Bristol City Council (expected 2005) 

Archaeology SPD 

Bristol City Council, 1997 

Bristol Local Plan 


Local Transport Plan 2001-6 


Proposed Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan 

(First Deposit) 


Bristol Sustainable Development Guide for 

Construction 


City Centre Strategy 2003-2008 


Conservation Area Enhancement Statements, 

Policy Advice Note 2 

Bristol City Council (expected 2005) 

Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 

Bristol Partnership, 2003 

Bristol’s Community Strategy 

Building Research Establishment, 2000 

Assessing environmental impacts of construction – 

Industry consensus, BREEAM and UK Ecopoints 

Building Research Establishment, 2002 

A sustainability checklist for developments: a 

common framework for developers and local 

authorities 

CABE/DETR, 2000 

By Design - Urban Design in the Planning System: 

Towards Better Practice 

CABE/English Heritage, 2002 

Building in context – New development in historic 

areas 

CABE, 2003 

Creating Excellent Buildings – A guide for clients 

CABE, 2004 

Creating Successful Masterplans – A guide for clients 


CABE, 2002 

Design Review – Guidance on how CABE evaluates 

quality in architecture and urban design 

CABE, 2004 

Green Spaces Strategy 

CIRIA, 2004 

Design for deconstruction. Principles of design to 

facilitate reuse and recycling 

City of London, 2002 

Tall buildings & Sustainability - by Faber Maunsell 

DETR, 1999 

Circular 2/99 Environmental Impact Assessment 

DETR, 1998 

Places, Streets and Movement: a companion guide to 

Design Bulletin 32 

DETR, 1999 

Towards an Urban Renaissance 

DETR, 1998 

Places, Streets and Movement – A companion guide 

to Design Bulletin 32, Residential Roads and 

Footpaths 

DTLR, 2002 

House of Commons Tall Buildings, Memoranda 

submitted to the Urban Affairs Sub-committee 

DTLR, 2002 

House of Commons Tall Buildings, Sixteenth Report of 

Session 2001-2, Volume 1 

English Heritage and CABE, 2001 

Guidance on Tall Buildings – Consultation Paper 

English Heritage and CABE, 2003 

Guidance on Tall Buildings 

English Heritage, 2004 

Using Historic Landscape Characterisation 

English Partnerships/The Housing Corporation 

Urban Design Compendium 

Future Foundations 

Building a better South-West – A sustainable 

construction charter for the region


Landscape Institute/Institute of Environmental 

Assessment, 2002 

Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact 

Assessment 

ODPM/Home Office, 2004 

Safer Places: The Planning System and Crime 

Prevention 

Punter, J, 1990 

Design Control in Bristol 1940-1990 

The Town and Country Planning, 1999 

Environmental Impact Assessment (England and 

Wales) Regulations 

Urban Task Force, 1999 

Towards an Urban Renaissance 


8. 0 ADVICE AND FURTHER INFORMATION 

Should you require any further assistance or 

clarification please contact the City Centre Projects 

and Urban Design Team as detailed below. If your 

query relates to a specific proposal or planning 

application you should contact the relevant 

development control case officer in the first 

instance. 

City Centre Projects and Urban Design 


Brunel House 

St. Georges Road 

Bristol 

BS1 5UY 

Alastair Brook 

Tel: 0117 92 22962 

alastair_brook@bristol-city.gov.uk 

Julie Witham 

Tel: 0117 92 24289 

julie_witham@bristol-city.gov.uk 

Rohan Torkildsen 

Strategic and Citywide Policy 

Tel: 0117 903 6725 

rohan_torkildsen@bristol-city.gov.uk 


APPENDIX A 

Experience of other UK cities 

London 

London’s tall building policies are contained within 

the London Plan. The intention is that the Mayor 

will work with boroughs to identify suitable 

locations for tall buildings within their individual 

UDPs. Boroughs will be expected to base the 

designation and management of local views in their 

UDPs on the London Plan’s View Protection 

Framework. 

For the past several years London has seen an 

enormous amount of tall building proposals, some 

of which are being promoted outside of the 

established clusters of Canary Wharf and The City. 

The tallest schemes tend to be designed by a 

handful of the world’s leading architects and 

include: 

• 30 St. Mary Axe aka ‘the Gherkin’(40 

floors/180m) – this iconic building by Norman 

Foster has proved to be a popular addition to 

the City of London’s skyline 

• Paddington Basin - A run down area of 

Paddington currently being regenerated with 

two skyscrapers including a design by Richard 

Rogers as the centrepiece. 

• London Bridge Tower aka ‘shard of glass’ 

(305m) – another iconic building expected to 

start construction in 2005. The scheme, 

designed by Renzo Piano, is tied to the 

upgrade of London Bridge Station in 

Southwalk 

• Canary Wharf - arguably the first real 

skyscraper district in the UK, the area contains 

all three of London's tallest buildings. Indeed 

there are 19 buildings either built, being 

constructed or approved, that are over 95m. 


Birmingham 

Birmingham is actively promoting sites for tall 

buildings in its city centre through a document 

called ‘High Places – A planning policy framework 

for tall buildings’ published in March 2003. Schemes 

for tall buildings currently under construction 

include the Beetham Tower (38 floors/130m) and 

the Orion Tower (25 floors/78 m). Simultaneously, 

the future of its 315 residential tower blocks is 

under review by the Council. 

Leeds 

Leed’s tall buildings policies are contained within 

the UDP. Landmark sites appropriate for tall 

buildings are defined in the city centre’s urban 

design strategy. The Bridgewater Place scheme (30 

floors/115m) is expected to be completed by 2006. 

Liverpool 

Liverpool is currently preparing SPY on tall buildings 

as a more detailed supplement to its recently 

published ‘Liverpool Urban Design Guide, 2003’. The 

Beetham Tower (30 floors) has recently been 

completed, and three further tall buildings (all over 

70m) are expected to be completed by 2006. Will 

Alsop’s iconic ‘Cloud’ proposal for Liverpool 

Waterfront’s Fourth Grace (at 20 floors), has 

generated a considerable amount of media interest 

Nottingham 

Nottingham uses an area specific policy which 

defines sites appropriate for tall buildings. Formal 

SPG has not yet been produced. 

Manchester 

Manchester has no policy at present. However, a 

policy based on a criteria assessment is likely to be 

prepared as part of the UDP review. The Beetham 

Tower (48 floors/171m) will become the tallest 

building in the UK outside of London when 

completed (2006). Other schemes for tall buildings 

in the pipeline include the Civil Justice Centre (15 

storeys, 80m) and the Great Northern Tower (23 

floors, 72m)


Sheffield 

Sheffield’s tall building policies are enshrined within 

its draft “Sheffield City Centre - Urban Design 

Compendium”. This puts forward a gateway node 

approach to locating tall buildings. 

Portsmouth 

East Side Plaza (26 floors/95m) is expected to be 

completed by 2006. Part of the Gun Wharf Key 

development, this will be Portsmouth's tallest 

tower, after the Spinaker Observation Tower 

(currently under construction) 

Brighton 

Brighton has produced SPY that identifies areas 

within the city where opportunities for tall 

buildings exist, including a section of its seafront. A 

design competition for this area won by Frank 

Gehry, will see the area redeveloped with four tower 

blocks (17-38 floors) 

Cardiff 

The Altolusso scheme (23 floors/72m) is expected 

to be completed by 2005. 


APPENDIX B 

Details of the ‘Height matters’ consultation 

initiative 

A detailed and comprehensive summary of the 

consultation initiative and its findings can be found 

in the Statement of Community Involvement that 

has been published in conjunction with this 

document. This can be viewed at www.bristolcity.gov.uk/heightmatters. 

Survey Findings 

The survey received a response of 643 responses. 

85% of the response came via the online survey on 

the council’s web site. The key findings were as 

follows: 

• People dislike many of Bristol’s existing tall 

buildings but are receptive to proposals for 

new tall buildings, subject to conditions. 

• Bristol’s tall buildings from 60s/70s are deeply 

unpopular; there’s strong support for 

demolition 

• Majority of people believe new tall buildings 

could be developed without spoiling the city’s 

character 

• Males are more positive and enthusiastic 

about tall buildings than females 

• Support for quality, well designed, distinctive 

tall buildings – recognition of potential of a 

landmark tall buildings to promote the city 

• Support for maximising land use through tall 

buildings, but not for tall buildings as a 

means of providing more affordable housing 

• Fear of terrorism as a barrier to new tall 

buildings development has been rejected 

• Mixed feelings about the role of tall buildings 

in the economy 


• Majority recognise tall buildings could have a 

role in bringing new jobs and organisations to 

city 

• Majority in favour of a cluster with stronger 

support for one in Temple Meads 

redevelopment area 

• Strong rejection for tall buildings in the 

Harbourside 

• Divided opinion over tall buildings in 

Broadmead redevelopment 

E-Decide Findings 

367 consultees worked through the arguments for 

and against tall buildings before deciding whether 

tall buildings should be built in the centre of Bristol. 

The result was as follows: 

Edecide result - should tall buildings be 

built in the centre of Bristol 

41% 

Further to this the same question was asked in a 

quick poll carried out on the Height Matters 

website. Echoing the result of E-decide, 57% of 

respondents voted Yes – subject to conditions. The 

No vote (36%) was split between ‘Bristol is a low 

rise city’ and ‘No – they are towers of Ego’ 


YES NO 

59% 

Exhibition 

An interactive exhibition at the Architecture Centre 

invited participants to consider the role of tall 

buildings in the city centre. They were asked to 

place coloured stickers on a large scale, threedimensional 

birds eye view of the city centre model. 

General themes that emerged included: 

Sites selected as appropriate for a single iconic 

building include (red): 

• The Island Site, Temple Circus 

• Tollgate House, Houlton Street 

• The former Bristol and West Building, Broad 

Quay 

• Colston Tower, Colston Avenue 

• Area opposite the Spectrum Building (at the 

end of the M32) 

Areas chosen as appropriate as a location for a 

cluster of tall buildings (yellow): 

• Adjacent to the existing cluster along the 

Inner Circuit Route (Market Gate House, 

Castle Mead House) 

• The Temple Quay area 

• The Industrial Museum area 

Buildings that were selected for demolition include 

(blue): 

• The former Bristol and West Building, Broad 

Quay 

• Bristol Royal Infirmary Chimney 

• Travel Inn (Formerly Avon House) 

• Colston Tower, Colston Avenue 

• One Redcliffe Street, (Formerly DRG Building) 

• Tollgate House, Houlton Street


• Castle Mead House, Penn Street 

• Trenchard Street Car Park 

Key areas where it was recommended that tall 

buildings should not be permitted (black): 

• Behind Temple Meads 

• Near all city centre Churches and Monuments 

• New Bristol and West Building, Temple Quay 

• Cannons Marsh 

• Green spaces: Queens Square, Cabot Tower, 

Castle Green 

Views to be protected (red arrows): 

• Views along the floating harbour from bridges 

• Views towards landmarks such as the Bonded 

Warehouses, Wills Memorial Tower, all city 

centre churches 

• Views from the Kingsdown ridge across the 

city centre 

• Views to Cannons Marsh 

• Views from public spaces e.g. Brandon Hill, 

Queens Square, Centre Promenade 

Focus Groups 

Two independently facilitated focus groups were 

held with participants selected from either the 

Citizen’s Panel or from respondees to the survey. 

Neither of the focus group participants were averse 

to new tall buildings in the centre of Bristol, per se. 

In fact many, particularly the younger participants 

and those with professional interest, were 

extremely enthusiastic about the idea. Others 

tended to be in favour, but with conditions, or 

preferred to reserve judgement for specific 

proposals. Thus, the conversation was couched in 

terms of underlying approval for rather than blanket 

opposition to the concept of tall buildings in 

Bristol’s city centre. 


Forum and Events 

The Tall Buildings SPD and the role of tall buildings 

in Bristol’s city centre has been considered at a 

variety of forum and events, including two lunch 

time events held at The Architecture Centre (12 May 

2004, ( June 2004), the Conservation Advisory Panel 

(15 June and 19 October 2004), the Harbourside 

Design Forum (10 June 2004) the Women in 

Property Group (12 August 2004), and the Central 

Area Planning Committee (27 October 2004). 

Written Responses 

15 detailed written responses to the draft SPD were 

received (Stage 1 Consultation). Key issues raised 

within the written responses include: 

• Need for site specific guidance, as 

recommended by CABE/English Heritage 

• Need to review views analysis, and 

methodology for view protection 

• Need to revisit guidance on Environmental 

Impact Assessments 

• Need to strengthen policies relating to 

Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings 

• Need for a clearer definition of tall buildings 

These points have been addressed within SPD1. 

13 external written responses to the revised draft 

SPD were received (Stage 2 consultation). Key issues 

raised include: 

• Support for site specific guidance but 

concerns about some of the sites designated 

in Temple and Old Market 

• Concerns about the legality of some 

requirements and the PANs relationship to 

existing policy 

• Concerns about guidance on clustering 

• Clarification required on conservation areas, 

urban design frameworks, definition of tall 

buildings etc. 

These have been addressed in the final SPD. 


APPENDIX C 

View Protection Framework 

Further to Section 3.2, Appendix C identifies key management issues for panoramic views identified in 

figures D and E. 

A Panoramic views into the city centre (Figure E) 

The unique topography of hills, river valleys and gorges has created a series of spectacular views 

across the city (see Fig E). Key vantage points providing panoramic views across the city centre include 

Brandon Hill, Cotham Hill, St. Michael’s Hill, Totterdown, Windmill Hill, Bedminster Downs and Ashton 

Court. It is interesting to note how many of Bristol’s cherished public parks occupy hill top vantages. 

Conversely, it is these same parks which form the back-drop to many of the cities most important 

views. 

Description of 

Vantage Point 

Windmill Hill 

This unexpected and 

spectacular view of 

the city centre is 

revealed when 

reaching the brow of 

the hill at the 

southern end of 

Victoria Park. 

Perrets Park in 

Knowle (to the South 

East), provides a 

another important 

northwards view into 

the city centre. 


Description of view 

Close range panoramic view northwards across the 

city centre. The Wills Memorial Building, Bristol 

University, Cabot Tower and St. Mary Redcliffe 

Church all break the skyline, as does the ever 

present BRI Chimney. Some bulky large scale 

development in the foreground (e.g. South Redcliffe 

Flats) impose themselves on the view, and are out 

of scale with the fine grain texture of townscape 

beyond. 

There is also a view north eastwards towards 

Temple Meads Station, although the Station 

building does not break the skyline. 

Management Strategy 

Long term replacement 

of large tower blocks in 

the foreground with a 

more varied and fine 

grain townscape 

Creation of a prominent 

landmark building close 

to Temple Meads Station 

that assists with 

orientation to the 

Station without 

obscuring the view to 

the Station



Vantage Point 

Ashton Court 

This vantage point is 

accessible on foot across 

fields about five 

minute’s walk from one 

of the Ashton Court car 

parks. 


Vantage Point 

Totterdown 

1. The pocket park at the 

junction of Wells 

Road/Firfield Street 

provides a panoramic 

view of the city centre in 

between a recently built 

pub and houses. 

2. Upper Street is a 

residential street used 

as a pedestrian route to 

access Bath Road via the 

steeply sloping 

Thunderbolt Steps 

Other good vantage 

streets include Park 

Street, Stanley Hill and 

Summer Hill 


A rural view eastwards to the city centre over the 

wooded valley of Leigh Woods. The Wills Memorial 

Building and Cabot Tower rise above these trees 

and break the skyline. Beyond the city centre dips 

away out of view. St. Mary Redcliffe is visible 

although it does not break the skyline. In the 

distance are the hills separating Bristol and Bath. 


1. Long-range panoramic view north-westwards 

towards the city centre, with Christ Church, St. 

Mary Redcliffe Church, the Will’s Memorial Building, 

and Bristol University all appearing on the skyline. 

Colourful residential terraces of Bedminster form 

the middle ground 

2. Long-range panoramic view north-westwards to 

Temple Meads Station, which is in danger of being 

lost within a townscape where large, bulky 

buildings dominate e.g. Tollgate House, Market 

Gate House, Marlborough House, Post Office Site 



Protection for the 

silhouette of Wills 

Memorial Building and 

Cabot Tower when 

viewed from this 

vantage point. 


The protection of the 

silhouette of land mark 

buildings when viewed 

from this vantage point 

The future development 

of Temple Meads will 

need to be mindful of 

the need to protect 

views to Temple Meads 

Station, and views back 

to the Totterdown ridge. 

Opportunities to exploit 

views from Thunderbolt 

Steps should be 

explored 



Vantage Point 

Bedminster Down 

This is a linear view that 

motorists experience 

coming into the city 

along Bridgewater Road. 



Expansive panoramic view across the city centre 

north eastwards. 

Whilst the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Christ Church, 

Cabot Tower, Wills Memorial Building, and Bristol 

University are all prominent, they are undermined 

by the presence of the Clifton Heights tower block, 

the BRI Chimney and the Telecoms Tower also on 

the skyline. 


The eventual removal of 

the BRI Chimney and 

possible replacement 

with an iconic structure 

of quality and 

distinction. 


the Clifton Heights tower 

block, and possible 

replacement with an 

iconic structure of quality 

and distinction. 

The protection of the 

silhouette of land mark 

buildings when viewed 

from this vantage point


B Panoramic views out of the city centre (Figure E) 


Vantage Point 

Cabot Tower, 

Brandon Hill 

Although not a 

particularly tall building 

at 32m, the Cabot Tower 

affords fantastic 360degree 

views across the 

city due to its elevated 

position (85m above sea 

level). It is open from 

9.30am to dusk daily, 

and is one of Bristol’s 

most popular visitor 

destinations 


Cabot Tower provides a sweeping view in all 

directions – in one turn it is possible to see Clifton 

Suspension Bridge, the SS. Great Britain, Wills 

Memorial Building, Bristol Cathedral and St. Mary 

Redcliffe Church. Whilst the Wills Memorial 

Building in the foreground asserts itself of the 

skyline, as does the cluster of buildings that belong 

to Bristol University, other city centre landmarks are 

more recessive. 

The roofscape of the city is particularly noticeable 

from this elevated vantage point, particularly of 

those buildings in the foreground. The large flat 

roofs of post-war development, punctured by ugly 

plant rooms tend to dominate over the finer grain, 

pitched roofs of an earlier period. 

From this vantage point, the setting of St. Mary 

Redcliffe amongst trees is particularly striking, as is 

the line of trees along Welsh Back. Otherwise, 

buildings tend to dominate. 

Cabot Tower provides a rare panoramic vantage 

point of the Floating Harbour 



Opportunities to 

remodel the roofscape 

of the city should be 

exploited, with green 

roofs being promoted to 

assist some of the more 

ugly post-war buildings 

to blend into the 

townscape 

Redevelopment of the 

harbourside area should 

protect glimpses to the 

Floating Harbour from 

this vantage point 



Vantage Point 

Christmas Steps, St. 

Michael’s Hill 

Glimpses south across 

the city centre are 

provided at a number of 

vantage points: 

1.Perry Road (as it 

passes the top of 

Christmas Steps) 

2. Tankard’s Close (at its 

junction with St. 

Michael’s Hill) 


Vantage Point 

Temple Meads 

Temple Meads is an 

important regeneration 

area in a low-lying area 

on the south-eastern 

edge of the city centre. 

The arena site sits in the 

south of Temple Meads 

at the foot of a steep 

escarpment, and is 

bounded on its easterly 

edge by the Floating 

Harbour. 



1. Expansive view southwards across the city 

centre. City centre landmarks such as St. Steven’s 

Church, St. James Church, St. Nicholas Church and 

All Saints Church compete with post-war office 

blocks in Lewins Mead (as well as Colston Tower 

and the former Bristol and West HQ) in asserting 

themselves on the skyline. 

2. The expansive view southwards across the city 

centre is obstructed by two large office blocks (Grey 

Friars and Fromesgate House) which spoil what 

would otherwise be a splendid view of the city. 

Both of these views are long panoramic views that 

extend as far as the Dundry hills 


The site affords expansive views upwards towards 

the Totterdown escarpment, with its attractive 

townscape of terrace houses that climb the steep 

contours. 



Grey Friars and 

Fromesgate House. Their 

replacement will need 

to be informed through 

an urban design 

framework which 

examines options for 

the Lewins Meads area 

as a whole. 


The relationship 

between the low-lying 

Temple Meads area and 

the residential 

community of 

Totterdown is an 

important 

consideration. This will 

involve careful 

consideration of the 

roofscape of the arena 

and associated 

development, as it is 

highly visible from the 

Totterdown area. Views 

up to the Totterdown 

ridge will also need 

consideration. This may 

involve establishing key 

viewpoints and framing 

these with buildings.



Vantage Point 

Bridges across the 

Floating Harbour 

Plimsol Bridge 

Cumberland Basin 

Bridge 

Prince Street Bridge 

Peros Bridge 

Redcliffe Bridge 

Bristol Bridge 

St. Phillips Bridge 

Temple Bridge 

Valentine Bridge 

All bridges identified 

provide important 

vantage points due to 

their elevated positions 

along broad and open 

vistas and high footfall. 



All vantage points identified provide 360-degree 

views across the city centre and beyond. As the 

Floating Harbour sits at the lowest point of the city 

centre, landmarks take on more prominence when 

viewed from here, with even the relatively 

unprominent Cathedral breaking the skyline. 

The topography of the city centre reveals itself from 

the harbours edge. The attractive tight-grained 

townscape of Clifton Wood, St. Michael’s Hill, 

Windmill Hill and Totterdown provide an attractive 

setting to many of the city centre’s landmarks. 


It would be impossible 

to protect every 

viewpoint of every 

landmark from the 

whole of the Floating 

Harbour, and therefore 

the bridges have been 

selected as the key 

vantage points from 

which viewpoints must 

be respected. (Read in 

conjunction with Linear 

Views section) 

Particular emphasis 

should be placed on 

protecting views to the 

Cathedral from the 

harbourside area as this 

is one of the few 

locations that the 

Cathedral asserts itself 

against the skyline. The 

eventual removal of 

buildings which impact 

on the silhouette should 

be sought (e.g. the 

former Bristol and West 

building and Colston 

Tower, when viewed 

from Cumberland Basin 

Bridge). 

Similarly views to 


from Valentine’s Bridge 

should similarly be 

protected from future 

development which 

might otherwise 

obscure this view. 


APPENDIX D 

Neighbourhood appraisal 

Building on the Guiding Principles for Locating Tall Building and the View Protection Framework, there 

are clearly some neighbourhoods within the city centre which are considered to be more appropriate 

for tall buildings than others. The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the Built 

Environment Policies of the Council and Figure G. 

Potential of each 

neighbourhood for 

Tall Buildings 

Broadmead is one of the 

city centre’s three 

regeneration areas and as 

such provides significant 

opportunities for future 

development 

Harbourside is one of the 

city centre’s three 




development 


Appropriateness of 

Tall Buildings 

Could be appropriate, 

particularly where it 

strengthened an existing 

cluster of tall buildings, 

signified a gateway into 

the city centre (i.e. from 

the M32) or improved the 

quality of an existing tall 

building 

Inappropriate. 

Key urban design issues 

Impact on nearby Conservation Areas 

including: 


• Kingsdown 



• Redcliffe 


• St. James Parade 


Impact on views identified in the View 

Protection Framework. Of particular 

importance will be the panoramic views from 

the Floating Harbour, Castle Park, Bristol 

Bridge, St. Phillips Bridge, Totterdown, 

Windmill Hill, Perrett’s Park, Cotham Hill 

Impact on localised views (to be identified in 

conjunction with the Planning Authority 

through the EIA Scoring Report) 

Impact on views to and from the Kingsdown 

escarpment 

Views from Harbourside to the surrounding 

escarpments and across the water are an 

essential characteristic of the City Centre


Old City: 

Limited opportunity 

Old Market: 

Limited opportunity 

Redcliffe: Opportunities 

exist to redevelop postwar 

light industrial and 

commercial sites for a 

higher density mixed use 

blocks 

St. Michael’s Hill: Limited 

opportunities for new 

development confined to 

the University area 

Inappropriate for new tall 

buildings and preference 

for removal rather than 

refurbishment of existing 

tall buildings. 

Could be appropriate, 

particularly where it 

strengthened an existing 

cluster of tall buildings, 

signified a gateway into 

the city centre or 

improved the quality of an 

existing tall building 


Could be appropriate for a 

stand-alone iconic 

building somewhere 

along the top of the 

Clifton-Kingsdown 

escarpment, but not at 

the base of the side of the 

escarpment where it 

masks the topography 


The Old City is characterised by a consistent 

urban grain and punctuated by medieval church 

spires and towers. This grain should be 

strengthened where missing or overdeveloped 

in the last 40 years 


including: 

• Kingsdown 



• Redcliffe 

• Broad Plain 




the Floating Harbour, Castle Park, St. Phillips 

Bridge, Temple Bridge, Totterdown, Windmill 

Hill, Perrett’s Park, Cotham Hill 




Impact on the townscape quality of Old 

Market Street and West Street 

A key objective is the restore the 

medium/high density grain of this historic 

area revealing a pattern of traditional streets 

and traditional street heights. 


including: 


• City Docks 

• Clifton 

• Cotham, Redland and Gloucester Road 

• College Green 

• Kingsdown 

• Park Street and Brandon Hill 


• St. James Parade 


• Tyndall’s Park 

• Whiteladies Road 




the Floating Harbour, Castle Park, Centre 

Promenade, Queen’s Square, College Green, 


Stokes Croft: Limited 

opportunities for new 

development 

Temple is one of the city 

centre’s three 




development 



Could be appropriate if 

not-detrimental to the 

context of the listed 

Temple Meads Station and 

St. Mary Redcliffe. 

Opportunities for high 

density perimeter blocks 

should be investigated 

ahead of stand-alone 

tower blocks. 

Bristol Bridge, Redcliffe Bridge, Prince Street 

Bridge, Pero’s Bridge, Cumberland Basin 

Bridge, Windmill Hill, Perrett’s Park, 

Bedminster Down, Bridgewater Road, Cotham 

Hill and the Downs/ Blackboy Hill. 




Complimentarily to other iconic buildings on 

top of Clifton-Kingsdown escarpment (Wills 

Memorial, Cabot Tower and University 

Buildings) 

The objective is to restore the relative heights 

and grain of the historic streetscape and 

traditional urban form. 

A detailed urban design framework needs to 

be prepared for the Temple Meads area to 

supplement policy guidance contained within 

this SPD. The framework would provide a 

detailed understanding of the height and 

mass appropriate for the area thus ensuring 

that future development is sensitive to the 

important historic context. 


including: 

• Arnos Vale 


• Kingsdown 


• Redcliffe 





the Floating Harbour, Castle Park, St. Phillips 

Bridge, Temple Bridge, Valentine Bridge, 

Redcliffe Bridge, Bath Bridge, Banana Bridge, 

Prince Street Bridge, Totterdown, Windmill 

Hill, Perrett’s Park, Cotham Hill 




Impact of views to the towers of Temple 

Meads Station along major pedestrian desire 

lines, and from the Station ramp 

Impact of views to and from Totterdown 

escarpment along major pedestrian desire 

lines


West End: Most of the 

opportunities in West End 

are limited to refurbishing 

existing tall buildings 

Inappropriate for new tall 

buildings and preference 

for removal rather than 

refurbishment of existing 

tall buildings 


Links to transport infrastructure, particularly 

pedestrian linkages to the Brunel Mile and 

onwards to the city centre 


APPENDIX E 

Visual Impact Assessment – guidance on 

methodology 

Stage 1 Identifying View Points 

The Planning Authority identifies a comprehensive 

list of long- and short-range viewpoints, clearly 

identifying the vantage point, and the direction, 

length and width of each view. Figure D,E and F 

provides guidance on some of the city’s key views 

which may be relevant to this exercise. This 

information is supplied to the applicant on an OS 

base plan. As a guide, long range views should be 

supplied at a scale of 1:10,000 (i.e. street names 

should still be visible), and short-range views should 

be supplied at 1:2500. The Planning Authority 

should identify vantage points that are easily 

accessible public places that naturally encourage 

pause and enjoyment of a view, and which relate 

well to the character and layout of their 

surroundings. They should not be busy traffic 

islands or road crossings, nor should they be inside 

buildings. It should be noted that bridges, public 

parks and hillsides provide particularly good 

vantage points. View points should be selected that 

enable a full exploration of the relationship of the 

proposed development to the following: 

• Landmarks 

• Conservation Areas 

• Listed buildings 

• Key escarpments 

• Existing clusters of tall buildings 

• Key open spaces (particularly busy locations or 

places where people linger to take in the 

view) 

• Key movement corridors (both vehicular and 

pedestrian) 

• Key gateways into the City 


Stage 2 Appraising View Points 

The applicant makes a site visit to each of the 

vantage points to take 50mm equivalent digital 

images of viewpoints identified in Stage 1. In many 

instances, it is likely that the view point to the site 

is obscured (e.g. by trees or buildings). It will still be 

important to photograph this viewpoint as it may 

be that the proposed scheme rises above the 

obstruction. The applicant will also be expected to 

scope out any other vantage points in the vicinity of 

those identified by the Planning Authority that may 

provide a better view to the proposed scheme. The 

applicant should supply the Planning Authority with 

photographs of each view point (Before Image). A 

Visibility Study (AVR1) should also be provided of 

each viewpoint. It should be clearly marked on the 

OS base plan where these view points differ from 

those identified by the Planning Authority. 

Stage 3 Preparing Accurate Visual Representations 

(AVRs) of View Points 

The Planning Authority reviews the photographs 

provided by the applicant, and cross-references 

what has been supplied back to the OS base plan, to 

ensure that view points are the correct direction, 

length and width. The Planning Authority then 

selects those views points for which a more 

accurate visual representation (AVR) is required (see 

Table A). The level of detail required may differ for 

each view point, ranging from a simple line 

depicting the outline of a building to a fully 

rendered representation. The Applicant will be 

expected to clearly label each image produced with 

its AVR category and a date. It is recommended that 

viewpoints to accompany an EIA should be provided 

at the accuracy of AVR 3-5. For AVR’s 3-5, it is 

suggested that the following methodology is 

followed: 

• 50mm equivalent digital images are taken of 

the key viewpoints; 

• Surveys are commissioned to provide spot 

heights of viewpoints and key buildings 

accurate to +/-50mm; 

• A digital terrain model is constructed from 

elevation detail;


• The proposed building parameters (including 

landscaping) are entered digitally and 

imported into the digital terrain model; 

• Digital viewpoints at 1.67m elevation 

(emulating viewer height) are created; 

• AVRs are created. 

In the early stages of project development, it is 

likely that a number of simple AVRs will be 

requested (AVR 1&2). When reviewing these AVRs, 

the Planning Authority may then wish to 

understand a reduced number of view points in 

more detail, and will request further modelling 

accordingly (AVR3,4&5). AVR’s should be presented 

on a ‘before-and-after’ basis. 

Note on the Bristol City Centre 3D Computer Model: 

The 3D computer generated views used in this 

document were created by Bristol City Council’s 

Visual Technology Team using our 3D City Centre 

Model. The Bristol City centre 3D computer model 

covers an area from Temple Meads Station in the 

east to the entrance to the Floating Harbour in the 

west and is used for a wide range of projects from 

planning visualisation to publications and mapping. 

The model was created in 1997 and has since been 

refined and detailed as uses for the model have 

expanded. The contoured terrain and road network 

are generated from a mixture of survey data, digital 

terrain mapping and aerial photography. The 

buildings shown have been individually modelled 

using architect’s drawings and historical 

information from Bristol City Council’s planning 

archive. 

Visual Technology are able to offer this service to 

both internal and external clients. This valuable 

resource is ideal for visualisations to planning 

applications within the city centre. 



Table A: A Guide to Using Visual Images of Development Proposals (Adapted from draft guidance prepared by the GLA, 2003) 

Advantages 

Warning 

Uses 

Accuracy 

Description 

AVR Category 

Quick and cheep to 

produce. Good as a 

starting point to 

understand the context 

of a proposal and 

where it might be seen. 

AVR 1s can be difficult 

to present to the lay 

audience. As digital 

photos are used they 

might look accurate but 

should not be 

presented as more than 

an initial assessment of 

visibility. 

Best used for initial 

relatively cheap studies 

and conceptual work. 

For example to check 

where a proposal can 

be seen from and so 

help identify viewing 

points for further work. 

The size and shape of 

the proposal is shown 

accurately but its 

surroundings will be 

only partially accurate. 

No rendering normally 

provided. 

A simple depiction of 

the shape of a proposal 

shown on digital 

photographs. 

AVR1 Visibility Study 


Relatively quick and 

cheep to produce. Can 

be useful tools when a 

design is being 

developed. 

Because the AVR 2 does 

not use a great deal of 

location 

information small 

errors in estimating 

alignment of different 

buildings can produce 

significant distortions 

in the final result. These 

pictures can look very 

real but they may not 

be accurate. They can 

be easily confused with 

more accurate AVR 4 or 

AVR 5 but should never 

be used in the same 

way. 

Good for explaining 

architectural or urban 

design concepts to lay 

audiences. If the 

building design used 

has enough 

information can be a 

useful first step in 

assessing a design 

concept. 

Uses an un-cropped 

photograph from a 

known location and a 

limited amount of 

geographical 

information on the 

relative positions of 

surrounding existing 

buildings. Provides basic 

information on what a 

proposal will look like in 

terms of materials and 

design. 

Rendered computer 

model of a proposed 

building combined with 

a photograph of its 

surroundings (using a 

package such as 

PhotoShop). 

AVR2 Approximate 

Photomontage 

Accurate depiction of 

the position, shape and 

size of a proposal 

shown on a high 

resolution photograph. 

The proposal is shown 

as a silhouette only 

without rendering. 

A very good and wellestablished 

way of 

depicting the position 

and size of 

development proposals. 

As these pictures do not 

include rendering they 

can not show the likely 

appearance of a 

proposal. Wire frame 

outlines or solid block 

infill make it hard to 

assess the relative 

prominence of a proposal 

in a view. They are also 

relatively expensive to 

produce and so are not 

normally used early in 

the design process. 

These pictures are 

widely and successfully 

used to accurately 

depict planning 

proposals. 

This is an accurate 

depiction of the position 

and size of the proposal. 

As it makes no attempt 

to show materials or 

external design there is 

no room for inaccuracy 

in that respect. 



size of the proposal but 

with selected 

architectural details 



AVR3 Accurate 

Silhouette


Expensive to produce. It 

can be difficult for users 

to understand that not 

all architectural 

features are being 

depicted and so the 

picture is an indication 

of appearance only. The 

proposed building will 

probably look as real as 

the existing buildings 

shown around it and 

this can lead to misuse 

of the picture. 

Good depiction of 

skyline or streetscape 

impact of proposals. 

Potentially these 

pictures are a useful 

way of examining 

appearance when a 

design is still being 

formulated. Most 

commonly AVR 

submitted with major 

planning applications. 

Position, size and shape 

is accurate but rendering 

is indicative depicting 

major architectural 

features only. 

Transparency and 

solidity, floor plate 

positions and elevation 

rhythms normally 

indicated but the picture 

is not a fully accurate 

indication of what the 

building would look 

like. 



size of the proposal but 

with selected 

architectural details 



AVR4 Accurate 

Photomontage 

Only depict the details 

available when the 

picture is produced. 

These pictures are very 

expensive to produce 

and so updates as a 

design changes can be 

hard to justify. 

Very good pictures for 

assessing the likely 

impact of a proposal. 

Easy to understand and 

hard to misinterpret. 

Particularly useful for 

highly sensitive 

locations where 

architectural detail is 

going to be very 

important to overall 

impact. 

These pictures are 

essentially as accurate 

as is possible using 

current technology. 

Every effort is taken to 

ensure the proposal 

looks totally real from 

adding people to the 

insides of buildings to 

making sure 

development proposals 

are reflected in the 

windows of 

surrounding buildings. 

Although subjective 

assumptions are still 

made as to light 

saturation, colours etc 

information is taken 

from the photograph of 

the surrounding area to 

ensure consistency 

throughout the picture. 

Accurate depictions of 

both position, size and 

shape, and external 

appearance of a 

development proposal.. 

AVR5 Accurate 

Photo-reality 



APPENDIX F 

Sustainability Appraisal Report 

Participation in the production of SPD1 and formal 

consultation of the draft, outlined in the 

accompanying consultation statement, has 

informed and influenced the response to refine, 

enhance effectiveness and sustainable development 

performance. The Strategic and Citywide Planning 

Policy team of the City Council has undertaken this 

sustainability appraisal to focus direction and 

content, to assess the effects of draft SPD1, to 

inform an appropriate response to options and 

mitigation, to help respond positively to objectives 

set and to meet regulatory obligations. 

The following framework sets the objectives of the 

sustainability appraisal to measure and guide SPD1. 

It allows a methodical investigation and test of the 

sustainable development objectives of the City 

Council and the objectives of SPD1. Commentary 

within the framework describes the response to 

each particular objective and the relationship 

between choices made in respect of policy guidance 

options and sustainable development indicators. 

The sustainability appraisal has been designed to 

reflect the appropriate level of detail required for 

such a supplementary planning document. It 

focuses on the significant effects of tall buildings on 

relative sustainability and potential mitigation. As 

this appraisal is a component of SPD1 and should be 

read as a single document, to avoid unnecessary 

duplication, information within the body of SPD1 is 

not repeated in detail. 

Effective implementation will be influenced by a 

number of factors outlined within SPD1, such as for 

example, the promotion of good practice via 

architectural competition, the involvement of CABE, 

English Heritage, Bristol Conservation Advisory 

panel etc; community participation as required by 

the emerging Statement of Community 

Involvement, the use of sustainability profiles and 

the Bristol’s Local Development Framework’s Annual 

Monitoring Report. 


Conclusions 

The Bristol Local Plan provides the critical land use 

and sustainable development policy framework to 

underpin the consideration of new tall buildings. 

Nevertheless, the sustainability appraisal 

demonstrates how SPD1 can enhance the relative 

sustainability of tall buildings from both a spatial 

and detailed perspective. 

SPD1 will contribute to better sustainable 

development practice in a number of ways, for 

example 

· spatial guidance seeks to focus new tall 

buildings in accessible locations; 

· there is an emphasis on seeking to maximise 

the positive impact tall buildings may bring to 

the City's skyline whilst safeguarding Bristol's 

cultural assets; 

· criteria is developed to ensure tall buildings 

does not significantly harm residential 

amenity; 

· direct economic benefits from such major 

development projects for those 

disadvantaged are advanced; 

· it seeks to ensure people are involved and 

inform decision making; and 

· encourages the employment of sustainable 

construction good practice to, for example, 

maximise energy efficiency. 

By clearly indicating how the application of SPD1 

may enhance relative sustainability will decrease 

the likelihood of ill informed, unsustainable 

submissions and decisions whilst increasing the 

possibility for great planning, excellent urban 

design, and exceptional architecture that helps 

address Bristol's sustainable development 

ambitions.


Objectives of the Tall Buildings Policy Advice Note 

SPD1 has been drafted to meet the following 

objectives. 

• To ensure that any proposed new tall building 

would reinforce the attractive and varied 

qualities of Bristol’s built environment in 

order to create a positive image and identity 

for Bristol. 

• To ensure any new proposed tall building 

would be of a high standard of design and of 

architectural excellence, ensuring that it is 

sympathetically integrated within the local 

and city context, and respects principal views 

across the city. 

• To ensure any proposed new tall building 

satisfies sustainable development objectives 

(as expressed through sustainability 

appraisal). 

• To ensure that any proposed new tall building 

would preserve or enhance the character and 

appearance of Bristol’s Conservation Areas, 

and other areas, and listed buildings of special 

interest and character. 



Sustainability Appraisal (SA) 

objectives 

(Source: Bristol Local Plan, 1997 (BLP), 

Proposed Alterations to the BLP, 2003; 

SA of BLP 2002; SA Good Practice 

Guide, 2003.) 

1.0 ECONOMIC 

1.1 

Promoting economic growth and 

prosperity, reversing decline and 

maintaining high and stable levels of 

sustainable economic growth. To 

reinforce and maintain the viability of 

Bristol for work, shopping, leisure, 

tourism and culture for local people, its 

workforce and visitors. 

1.2 

To promote economic development 

and regeneration across the City and 

to maximise investment in areas of the 

City with greatest opportunity, in 

particular to develop the potential of 

the city centre, Avonmouth and South 

Bristol. 

1.3 

To promote opportunities for local and 

regional leisure, sport, art and tourism, 

to meet the needs of Bristol residents 

and visitors to the City. 


The relationship and relative impact of the Tall Buildings 

SPD and its objectives to SA Objectives 

Comment – Existing planning policy already accepts the principle 

that tall buildings within the city. SPD1 provides greater clarity to 

enable an appropriate response to such a principle. Providing for 

a range of development options within the city may be 

considered to enhance the economic potential of Bristol. SPD1 

provides greater surety for such a development option within the 

city centre and consequently is likely to have a positive effect on 

this objective. 

Targets and indicators to assess performance of SPD1 against 

objective. 

Bristol City Council (BCC) monitors economic performance, 

employment capacity and supply and the subsequent ability of 

the city to accommodate new development. It will, however, be 

difficult to measure directly SPD1’s impact on this objective. 

Comment – The reason for focussing on the city centre is 

addressed within the body of SPD1. Significant new investment 

arising from major development projects within the city centre is 

a positive response to this objective. However it should be 

equally appreciated that alternative forms of development, 

which accommodate the same floorspace volume, may well have 

a similar positive impact. 


objective. 

Bristol City Council (BCC) monitors new office developments. 

Options and responses. 

Spatial considerations are covered within the body of SPD1. 

Comment – The quality of the built environment will influence 

the attraction of Bristol to visitors. High quality new 

development, together with the existing built heritage, may have 

a positive impact in the promotion of the city to visitors. 

Public art as an important component of a successful 

design/architectural scheme is strongly promoted through SPD1. 


objective. 

Visitors surveys provide the means to consider the reasons why 

people choose to visit the city. This can be used to consider 

whether new tall buildings have influenced visitors decision.


2.0 SOCIAL 

2.1 

Improving social and economic equity 

and opportunity for everyone and 

reducing social exclusion. 

2.2 

Ensuring everyone has a decent home. 

To maintain and enhance housing 

areas, to facilitate a wide range of 

housing of varying tenure and develop 

vacant and derelict sites in housing 

areas, to increase the supply of 

housing to meet people’s needs and 

Structure Plan allocations. 

2.3 

To ensure that land use and 

development contributes positively to 

improving health 


Comment – Through S106 agreements, SPD1 seeks to ensure 

potential economic benefits to meet such an objective are levied. 

A specific SPD is being prepared to clarify requirements and 

support effective delivery. 


objective. 

Economic benefits to address social exclusion are a corporate 

priority. S106 agreements monitoring reports are published every 

6 months to allow transparent scrutiny. 


S106 contributions are a material development cost. The local 

planning authority is often lobbied to minimise S106 obligations 

expectations. An option for the City Council may have been to 

not require the above contributions. The positive impact of such 

measures and the mutual benefits recognised determined the 

retention of such a consideration. 

Comment – Tall buildings may include residential 

accommodation, including a proportion of affordable housing 

contributing positively to this objective. 


objective. 

Bristol’s urban capacity studies and residential monitoring allow 

the city to address housing need. Tall buildings may provide an 

important contribution to the supply of new housing provision. 

However, it should be equally appreciated that alternative forms 

of development, which accommodate the same floorspace 

volume, may well be able to accommodate a similar number of 

new homes. 


The benefits of mixed use including housing are promoted within 

SPD1. 

Mitigation – methods/techniques 

Mixed use tall buildings including residential are to be promoted 

where the principle for a tall building exists. 

Comment – Relative air quality affects good health. The 

requirement to locate any new tall building within an accessible 

location, close to essential services, facilities and attractions. To 

contribute towards public transport improvements and/or the 

pedestrian environment and to provide limited car parking, and 

requiring an associated green travel plan will have a positive 

effect on the number of visitors/occupants driving motorised 

vehicles. Consequently SPD1 will make a positive contribution to 

meeting this objective. 


objective. 

Air quality is measured within the city centre and sophisticated 

modelling available to consider the impact of major new 

developments on air quality is required as a consequence of 

Environmental Assessment regulations. 


Varying levels of car parking were considered. Minimal levels are 

promoted. 


As above 


2.4 

Improving accessibility of homes, jobs, 

services, facilities, public transport, and 

the environment for everyone. 

2.5 

To enable local people to gain access to 

jobs of a sufficient number, type and 

quality. 

2.6 

To ensure that land use and 

development contributes positively to 

community safety. 

2.7 

To encourage the provision of mixed 

uses in support of sustainable 

communities. 

3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL 

3.1 

To adopt transportation policies which 

reduce congestion in the City. This will 

include priority for and promotion of 

public transport, park and ride sites, 

pedestrians and cyclists. The principal 

traffic corridors will be identified, there 

will be promotion of "safer routes" in 

the city and traffic calming measures 

will be taken. 

3.2 

To ensure that the management of the 

environment and the quality of form 

and activity related to new 

development is sustainable, conserves 

and reinforces Bristol’s attractive and 

varied physical environment, creates a 

positive image and identity for the 

local area and enhances the quality of 

in Bristol. 


Comment – Accessible locations within the city centre will enable 

visitors/occupants of any tall building to access services, facilities 

and public transport locally. 

Comment – It should not be assumed the distinguishing feature 

of this form of building, i.e. that it is tall, will impact on this 

objective. However, providing for a range of development options 

within the city may be considered to affect the economic 

potential of Bristol. SPD1 provides greater surety for such a 

development option within the city centre and consequently is 

likely to have a positive affect on this objective. As SPD1 requires 

any tall buildings to be within accessible locations, jobs created 

will be relatively convenient. 

Comment – All forms of development, low or tall, are required to 

satisfy this objective. Such an obligation under policy B4 of the 

Bristol Local Plan is addressed. 


The benefits of mixed use including housing are promoted within 

SPD1. 


Mixed use tall buildings, including residential, are to be 

promoted where the principle for a tall building exists. 


An option for SPD1 was to concentrate on the aesthetics of tall 

buildings leaving other Plan policies to address such 

environmental matters. However, the significant movement 

issues associated with a tall building require an integrated 

approach to ensure impact can be managed in a sustainably 

responsible manner. 


The need to satisfactory provide for the movement implications 

are implicit within SPD1. The submission of a Transport Impact 

Assessment, green travel plans etc, will help to mitigate potential 

adverse impact. 

Comment – It is evident Bristol City Council is anxious to ensure 

any new tall building makes a positive contribution to the quality 

of the urban form, satisfactorily respects the built heritage and 

due to their intensity of associated activity, tall buildings are in 

the right location. 


The statement of community consultation highlights how the 

options have been explored and tested to ensure such an 

objective may be successfully realised. The spatial 

recommendations and assessment criteria demonstrate the 

response to meet expectations.


3.3 

To protect and enhance Bristol’s 

important green open spaces, 

including its wildlife habitats and 

networks of green corridors, 

recreational and amenity spaces, and 

historic landscapes and parks, 

balanced with the need for 

development. 

3.4 

To protect and promote district and 

neighbourhood centres which include 

a good range of facilities for people 

living and working in the city and to 

direct new community services and 

commercial development towards 

accessible, mixed use and viable 

centres of activity. 

3.5 

To maintain/enhance biodiversity. 

3.6 

To maintain enhance landscape 

distinctiveness. 

3.7 

To improve air quality. 

4.0 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY 

4.1 

Greater energy efficiency and use of 

renewable energy. 

Comment – New city centre tall buildings are likely to occur on 

brownfield sites as the open space within the city is finite and 

recognised as integral to the needs of city centre residents, 

workers and visitors. Existing Plan policy will be applied to 

protect/mitigate against the impact on valuable space, wildlife 

and amenity interests. It is evident the quality design of space 

around tall buildings is essential, and will provide the 

opportunity to enhance existing open space and other civic and 

natural assets. 

Comment – The city centre provides the most accessible and 

suitable townscape location within Bristol for such buildings. Due 

to its regional significance as the centre of economic/cultural 

activity, the city centre is promoted as the appropriate location 

within the city for significant office based uses (the likely use for 

new tall buildings) in accordance with existing land use policy. 


SPD1 will not prevent the consideration, in principle, of other 

locations within the city for tall buildings however due to the 

characteristics of other district and town centres and those of tall 

buildings, the city centre is the most suitable location in 

accordance with Bristol’s spatial strategy and the current first 

choice of the development/commercial office sector. 

Comment – see point 3.3 

Comment – Tall buildings have a significant impact on the 

landscape. Commentary within SPD1 demonstrates how tall 

buildings may enhance the distinctiveness of the city, and if 

successful, in a positive fashion. 


Choices in tall building design will affect relative impact. Creative 

and striking examples will add to the distinctiveness of the city 

centre skyline. Impact may be moderated or exaggerated by the 

approach undertaken. SPD1 sets out how an appropriate 

response to the particular character of Bristol should be 

appreciated to inform the urban design and architecture i.e. to 

make the tall building responsive and particular to Bristol. 

Comment – see point 2.3 


Comment – To meet this objective SPD1 is explicit in how new 

tall buildings can respond in an environmentally responsible 

manner. 


Technical building regulations require a minimum response to 

such matters and an option was for SPD1 to concentrate on 


4.2 

Reducing development on Greenfield 

land. 

4.3 

Reducing waste of disposal. 

4.4 

Reducing the consumption of minerals 

from primary source. 


aesthetic considerations rather than sustainable construction 

and design. However, the remit for planning, emphasised by new 

Draft Planning Policy Statement 1, demands a more 

rounded/holistic approach. The opportunity for tall buildings to 

perform environmentally successfully. 


SPD1 promotes, within individual specific sections, good practice 

in relation to energy efficiency, water consumption, microclimate 

impact minimisation, and sustainable use of materials making a 

positive impact on addressing this objective. These elements 

have been informed by technical expertise within the City 

Council, local and national emphasis and associated initiatives. 

Comment – SPD1 promotes a form of development on 

Brownfield land within the city centre minimising the loss of 

Greenfield sites. 

Comment – Plan policy exists to ensure recycling is provided for 

and suitable storage is integral to the design of new significant 

development projects. 


objective. 

The City Council has targets to maximise recycling and minimise 

waste disposal. Performance of major sources of waste maybe 

evaluated and better practice encouraged. 


Reference to waste minimisation is not explicit in SPD1 as 

provision for recycling is a generic policy issue. However to raise 

the profile and significance of this objective, specific reference 

could have been included. 


Significant developments will be informed by specialist expertise 

within the City Council to ensure a positive approach can be 

employed. 

Comment – A specific section within SPD1 promotes an 

environmentally responsible approach to the re-use of materials, 

the choice of new materials and the unavoidable disposal of 

materials. 


objective. 

As with many of the above objectives the development control 

process can evaluate the relative sustainability of any future tall 

building and test whether planning objectives have been met to 

inform any planning application. 


The approach employed is affected by the scope of a local 

planning authority to require good practice in relation to this 

matter i.e. can planning permission be refused if mineral 

consumption is not minimised. 


The City Council has provided specific advise on sustainable 

construction as a resource to inform such developments to which 

SPD1 refers.


APPENDIX G 

Proposed Alterations to the Bristol Local Plan, 

Policy B7A 

Proposals for tall buildings are coming forward in 

greater numbers than for some time and raise 

particular issues requiring specific policy. Tall 

buildings are defined as those that are substantially 

taller than their neighbours and/or which 

significantly change the skyline. The issue of height 

is a significant factor to be considered in assessing 

the design quality and environmental impact of 

new buildings. In exceptional circumstances tall 

buildings can make positive contributions to city 

life, by virtue of their size and prominence. 

However, they can also harm the qualities that 

people value about a place. 

Tall buildings are only one possible model for high 

density development. Whilst tall buildings with a 

large total floor area have a correspondingly large 

impact on their location, this can be equally true of 

large compact developments which are not so tall. 

In addition, the existence of a tall building on a site 

does not necessarily mean that a new replacement 

tower will be acceptable in principle. 

Whilst supplementary planning guidance will be 

produced to provide detailed advice it should be 

noted that proposals for tall buildings are likely to 

require a full Environmental Impact Assessment. In 

addition they must be accompanied by very high 

standards of illustration including accurate and 

realistic representations of the building and all the 

significant near, middle and distant views affected. 

This will require a methodical 360 degree view 

analysis and relative height studies, to show what a 

scheme would look like in context at varying 

heights. In addition proposals must be presented in 

the context of an urban design study/masterplan of 

the immediate and wider area, based on a full 

character appraisal. 


B7A PROPOSALS FOR TALL BUILDINGS WILL ONLY BE 

CONSIDERED WHERE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE 

HAS BEEN MADE TO EACH OF THE FOLLOWING 

CRITERIA:- 

(i) RELATIONSHIP TO CONTEXT, INCLUDING 

TOPOGRAPHY, BUILT FORM, AND SKYLINE; 

(ii) EFFECT ON THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT AT A 

CITY-WIDE AND LOCAL LEVEL; 

(iii) RELATIONSHIP TO TRANSPORT 

INFRASTRUCTURE PARTICULARLY PUBLIC 

TRANSPORT PROVISION; 

(iv) ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE OF THE 

BUILDING; 

(v) CONTRIBUTION TO THE PUBLIC SPACES AND 

FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE MIX OF USES; 

(vi) EFFECT ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT, 

INCLUDING MICROCLIMATE AND GENERAL 

AMENITY CONSIDERATIONS; 

(vii) CONTRIBUTION TO PERMEABILITY AND 

LEGIBILITY OF THE SITE AND WIDER AREA; 

AND 

(viii)SUFFICIENT ACCOMPANYING MATERIAL TO 

ENABLE A PROPER ASSESSMENT INCLUDING 

URBAN DESIGN STUDY/MASTERPLAN, A 360 

DEGREE VIEW ANALYSIS AND RELATIVE 

HEIGHT STUDIES. 

Implementation: Through the Development Control 

process and by the use of supplementary planning 

guidance.

tall buildings spd1 - Bristol City Council

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