Temple Quay

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Temple Quay seen from Valentine Bridge. Bristol and West Building on the left, RBS's Trinity Quay on the right Sunny morning - Temple Quay - Feb 2012 - panoramio.jpg
Temple Quay seen from Valentine Bridge. Bristol and West Building on the left, RBS's Trinity Quay on the right

Temple Quay is an area of mixed-use development in central Bristol, England. The project was initiated by Bristol Development Corporation in 1989, under the name Quay Point until 1995. In that year it was handed over to English Partnerships, under whom development eventually started in 1998. It is bounded by Temple Way (the A4044) to the west and Bristol Temple Meads railway station to the southeast; to the northeast the development was bounded by Bristol Floating Harbour until 2002, when development of Temple Quay North started on the harbour's other side. In 2012 the whole area became part of Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone.

Temple Quay includes a significant amount of office accommodation occupied by UK Government departments and agencies including Homes England, The Planning Inspectorate, Insolvency Service, Care Quality Commission, Ofsted and English Heritage. [1] [2]

History

Rivergate, a new street within Temple Quay, which follows the course of the medieval Portwall Rivergate, Bristol - geograph.org.uk - 475663.jpg
Rivergate, a new street within Temple Quay, which follows the course of the medieval Portwall

A section of the Portwall, which was a part of Bristol's 13th-century city wall, with a deep ditch on its outer side, formerly ran from southwest to northeast across the site of the modern development. This section ran from the medieval Temple Gate, at the end of modern Redcliffe Way, to the medieval river bank, now the Floating Harbour, where the wall terminated with a fortified tower called Tower Harratz. The wall's course through the site in medieval times was marked up to the 20th century by Pipe Lane. [3]

From 1841, the area southeast of Pipe Lane was developed by the Great Western Railway as a goods yard for Temple Meads station. The original goods shed, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1841–2, was soon extended, and a dock was excavated alongside it, to allow the transfer of goods on and off barges in the Floating Harbour. [4] The goods shed was rebuilt and expanded in 1874–6, when the dock was filled in and replaced with a new barge wharf, and again in 1924. It was eventually closed in August 1982 and demolished. [5]

Originally called Quay Point, the Temple Quay development was the largest project initiated by Bristol Development Corporation. From 1989 to 1995 the corporation considered office or retail possibilities, until in 1995 it decided on a mixed-use development, to also include residential use, and named it Temple Quay. In December 1995, not yet having found a developer for the site, and about to be wound down, the corporation transferred its rights on the site to English Partnerships. In 1998 work began on remodelling the road access via Temple Gate. [6] The developer eventually found for Temple Quay was Castlemore Securities. When Castlemore went into administration in 2009, development continued in the hands of the administrator, PricewaterhouseCoopers. [7]

Valentine Bridge and The Eye Reflections - Temple quay - Feb 2012 - panoramio.jpg
Valentine Bridge and The Eye

The Bristol and West Building, completed in 2000 to a monolithic butterfly plan, dominated the waterfront. By 2002, the development south of the Floating Harbour was largely complete and a new phase was started on the other side of the harbour, called Temple Quay North. [8] This includes The Eye, a 13-storey tower which is eye-shaped in plan. [9]

In 2004 Six Portwall Markers, a sculptural group by John Aiken consisting of a sequence of six black granite blocks, was positioned along Rivergate, the modern street which follows the course of the Portwall. There is a view through the northernmost one down to the remains of a medieval watergate. Further north, the foundations of Tower Harratz lie under the Bristol and West Building. [10]

An S-shaped footbridge, supported by a raking mast, was built across the harbour in 2000, [8] named Valentine Bridge. [11] Another footbridge, named Meads Reach, was built in 2008, entirely out of stainless steel. It is covered in 55,000 perforations, which create vivid lighting effects at night. The surface was given dimples for slip resistance, [12] but in 2015 it was coated with polyurea to provide a better non-slip surface. [13]

In 2012, the entire Temple Quay development area became part of Bristol's enterprise zone, the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. [14]

In August 2015, Entrepreneurial Spark, a UK-wide business incubator network, opened a hub on the top floor of the Royal Bank of Scotland's Trinity Quay building in Temple Quay North. [15] Managed by NatWest, the hub provides free space, facilities and guidance for startup companies. 80 companies were selected for the first intake in 2015. Intakes occur every six months, with the most promising companies allowed to stay for up to 18 months. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Temple Meads railway station</span> Major railway station for the city of Bristol, England

Bristol Temple Meads is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is located 118 miles 31 chains away from London Paddington. It is an important transport hub for public transport in the city; there are bus services to many parts of the city and surrounding districts, with a ferry to the city centre. Bristol's other major station, Bristol Parkway, is a more recent station on the northern outskirts of the conurbation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Harbour</span> Harbour in Bristol, England

Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of 70 acres. It is the former natural tidal river Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was prevented from going out permanently. A tidal by-pass was dug for 2 miles through the fields of Bedminster for the river, known as the "River Avon New Cut", "New Cut", or simply "The Cut". It is often called the Floating Harbour as the water level remains constant and it is not affected by the state of the tide on the river in the Avon Gorge, The New Cut or the natural river southeast of Temple Meads to its source.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Harbour Railway</span>

The Bristol Harbour Railway was a standard-gauge industrial railway that served the wharves and docks of Bristol, England. The line, which had a network of approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) of track, connected the Floating Harbour to the GWR mainline at Bristol Temple Meads. Freight could be transported directly by waggons to Paddington Station in London. The railway officially closed in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spike Island, Bristol</span> Human settlement in England

Spike Island is an inner city and harbour area of the English port city of Bristol, adjoining the city centre. It comprises the strip of land between the Floating Harbour to the north and the tidal New Cut of the River Avon to the south, from the dock entrance to the west to Bathurst Basin in the east. The island forms part of Cabot ward. The area between the Docks and New cut to the east of Bathurst Basin is in the neighbourhoods of Redcliffe and St Philip's Marsh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buildings and architecture of Bristol</span>

Bristol, the largest city in South West England, has an eclectic combination of architectural styles, ranging from the medieval to 20th century brutalism and beyond. During the mid-19th century, Bristol Byzantine, an architectural style unique to the city, was developed, and several examples have survived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabot, Bristol (former ward)</span> Human settlement in England

Cabot was a council ward that covered the centre of Bristol, England. It took its name from the Cabot Tower, a memorial tower on Brandon Hill that was built to commemorate John Cabot's voyage and "discovery" of North America. The ward was abolished in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Park, Bristol</span>

Castle Park is a public open space in Bristol, England, managed by Bristol City Council. It is bounded by the Floating Harbour and Castle Street to the south, Lower Castle Street to the east, and Broad Weir, Newgate and Wine Street to the north. Its western boundary is less obviously defined and has been the subject of controversy, perhaps because the area around High Street and St Mary le Port Church, though not part of the park and always intended for development, is often considered at the same time as the park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Bridge</span> Historic bridge in United Kingdom

Bristol Bridge is a bridge over the floating harbour in Bristol, England. The floating harbour was constructed on the original course of the River Avon, and there has been a bridge on the site since long before the harbour was created by impounding the river in 1809. The current bridge was completed in 1768 and is a Grade II listed building.

Redcliffe, also known as Redcliff, is a district of the English port city of Bristol, adjoining the city centre to the northwest. It is bounded by the loop of the Floating Harbour to the west, north and east, together with the New Cut of the River Avon to the south. Most of Redcliffe lies within the city ward of Lawrence Hill, although the westernmost section, including the cliffs and hill from which the area takes its name, is in Cabot ward. Bristol Temple Meads station is located in Redcliffe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netham Lock</span>

Netham Lock is the point at Netham in Bristol at which boats from the River Avon, acting as part of the Kennet and Avon Canal, gain access to Bristol's Floating Harbour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumberland Basin (Bristol)</span> Place in Bristol, England

The Cumberland Basin is the main entrance to the docks of the city of Bristol, England. It separates the areas of Hotwells from the tip of Spike Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underfall Yard</span> Boatyard in Bristol with mechanism for maintaining water and silt levels in the harbour

The Underfall Yard is a historic boatyard on Spike Island serving Bristol Harbour in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bathurst Basin</span>

Bathurst Basin is a small triangular basin adjoining the main harbour of the city of Bristol, England. The basin takes its name from Charles Bathurst, who was a Bristol MP in the early 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Cut, Bristol</span> River in Bristol, England

The New Cut is an artificial waterway which was constructed between 1804 and 1809 to divert the tidal river Avon through south and east Bristol, England. This was part of the process of constructing Bristol's Floating Harbour, under the supervision of engineer William Jessop. The cut runs from Totterdown Basin at the eastern end of St Phillip's Marsh, near Temple Meads, to the Underfall sluices at Rownham in Hotwells and rejoining the original course of the tidal Avon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Centre, Bristol</span>

The Centre is a public open space in the central area of Bristol, England, created by covering over the River Frome. The northern end of The Centre, known as Magpie Park, is skirted on its western edge by Colston Avenue; the southern end is a larger paved area bounded by St Augustine's Parade to the west, Broad Quay the east, and St Augustine's Reach to the south, and bisected by the 2016 extension of Baldwin Street. The Centre is managed by Bristol City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashton Avenue Bridge</span> Bridge

The Ashton Avenue Bridge is a pedestrian, cycling and busway bridge in Bristol, England. Grade II listed, it was constructed as a road-rail bridge as part of the Bristol Harbour Railway. It now carries a Bristol MetroBus guided busway route and National Cycle Network cycle routes.

Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone is an enterprise zone in Bristol, England, focused on creative, high-tech and low-carbon industries. Covering an area of 70 hectares, it is based around Bristol Temple Meads railway station, which is being redeveloped by Network Rail. It also contains the area around the existing Temple Quay development, and the Silverthorne Lane and Avon Riverside areas. It includes the site of the planned Bristol Arena, and the site of the University of Bristol's planned Temple Quarter Campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Feeder Canal</span>

The Bristol Feeder Canal is a body of water in Bristol, England, that connects the Floating Harbour with the River Avon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redcliffe Caves</span> Tunnels in Bristol, England

Redcliffe Caves are a series of man made tunnels beneath the Redcliffe area of Bristol, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh Back, Bristol</span> Wharf and street in the city of Bristol, England

Welsh Back is a wharf and street alongside the floating harbour in the centre of the city of Bristol, England. The wharf and street extend some 450 metres (1,480 ft) along the west side of the harbour between Bristol Bridge and Redcliffe Bridge. At the northern end, the street and wharf are immediately adjacent, but to the south they are separated by a range of single story transit sheds. The wharf is a grade II listed structure and takes its name because it was freqented by vessels from Welsh ports.

References

  1. "Is Whitehall of North back on track in city?". Manchester Evening News . 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  2. Winnie Agbonlahor. "Civil service jobs to leave Whitehall for suburbs". Civil Service World. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  3. Ponsford, Michael (1986). "Bristol". In Aston, Michael; Iles, Rob (eds.). The Archaeology of Avon. Bristol: Avon County Council. pp. 152–4. ISBN   0-86063-282-2.
  4. Binding, John (2001). Brunel's Bristol Temple Meads. Hersham: Oxford Publishing. pp. 110–5. ISBN   0-86093-563-9.
  5. Maggs, Colin G. (1996). Rail Centres: Bristol. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 110–20. ISBN   0-7110-2476-6.
  6. Oatley, Nick; May, Andrew (1999). "'Out of touch, out of place, out of time': a valediction for Bristol Development Corporation". In Imrie, Rob; Thomas, Huw (eds.). British Urban Policy: An Evaluation of the Urban Development Corporations . London: Sage Publications. pp.  190–6.
  7. "Bristol building work 'will be completed'". Bristol Post . 4 March 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  8. 1 2 Foyle, Andrew (2009). Pevsner Architectural Guide, Bristol. New Haven: Yale University Press. p.  267. ISBN   978-0-300-10442-4.
  9. Clensy, David (3 May 2016). "Twenty years of architectural evolution for Bristol". Bristol Post . Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  10. Merritt, Douglas; Greenacre, Francis; Eustace, Katharine (2011). Public Sculpture of Bristol. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. p. 237. ISBN   978-184631-638-8.
  11. Gardner, Rachel (12 January 2015). "Repair work to Bristol's 'dangerous' Valentines Bridge hit by delays – while cyclists banned from riding over cheese grater bridge". Bristol Post . Archived from the original on 17 January 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  12. Spring, Martin (23 July 2010). "Meads Reach footbridge, Bristol". Building Design . Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  13. Pavid, Katie (12 February 2015). "Cheesegrater bridge in Bristol to be dismantled and resurfaced to prevent slips and trips". Bristol Post . Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  14. "An enterprising idea with a radically new approach". Bristol Post . 8 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  15. Clensy, David (29 November 2016). "E-sparks – where fledgling firms find their wings". South West Business. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  16. Yong, Michael (16 September 2015). "Entrepreneurial Spark hub by NatWest launches in Bristol". South West Business. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.

Bristolharbourmap.png

  1. Prince's Wharf, including M Shed, Pyronaut and Mayflower adjoining Prince Street Bridge
  2. Dry docks: SS Great Britain, the Matthew
  3. St Augustine's Reach, Pero's Bridge
  4. Bathurst Basin
  5. Queen Square
  6. Bristol Temple Meads railway station
  7. Castle Park
  8. Redcliffe Quay and Redcliffe Caves
  9. Baltic Wharf marina
  10. Cumberland Basin & Brunel Locks
  11. The New Cut
  12. Netham Lock, entrance to the Feeder Canal
  13. Totterdown Basin
  14. Temple Quay
  15. The Centre
  16. Canons Marsh, including Millennium Square and We The Curious
  17. Underfall Yard
  18. Bristol Bridge and Welsh Back

Coordinates: 51°27′04″N2°34′59″W / 51.451°N 2.583°W / 51.451; -2.583