Moves to redevelop city eyesore site

BRISTOL'S cabinet councillors have taken another step towards the redevelopment of one of the city's worst eyesores.

They have agreed to start compulsory purchase order proceedings over The Island – the site which includes the derelict George and Railway Hotel and the empty Grosvenor Hotel.

Councillor Anthony Negus said: "This is an excellent way of taking this matter forward – it's going to remove a long-term eyesore from Bristol's skyline."

Mr Negus said the issues over the site were complex and had led to its deterioration during the past 25 years.

One of the major stumbling blocks had been that the site involves three landowners – including the city council. But they had never been able to reach an agreement as to the best way to redevelop the site.

The Liberal Democrat-run Cabinet agreed to go ahead with a CPO as part of a deal with Standard Commercial Property Development which owns the George and Railway Hotel.

Under the arrangement, the developers would pay for the costs of a CPO in exchange for support for its redevelopment scheme.

They were given planning permission two years ago for two six-storey buildings, including restaurants and bars at street level, and 48 parking spaces.

But they have not been able to go ahead because the site is not under single ownership.

The Grosvenor Hotel is owned by Earcloud Limited, while the council owns surrounding land and part of the highway.

Part of the deal would be for the council to sell its interest in the site for £500,000.

Mr Negus told last night's meeting the site was so important because it stood on a gateway to the city and within the city's enterprise zone.

He said: "We see this site as central in helping to bring life and vigour and economic activity back into this part of Bristol."

Councillor Jon Rogers welcomed the move and hoped that a similar kind of CPO arrangement could be used for two other high-profile sites in the city: Westmoreland House and the adjoining Carriageworks in Stokes Croft.

Strategic director Will Godfrey said in his report to councillors that a negotiated settlement had consistently failed over the past 10 or 15 years.

He said until the deadlock could be resolved, any development of the site was unlikely to take place.

The council has two years to execute the CPO if further negotiations once again break down.

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