Planning received for affordable homes and community space in south Bristol

We are over the moon to announce that in less than 100 days, WeCanMake has received planning permission for six genuinely homes and a community space in South Bristol. The Rodfords Mead development will be built using our MultiMax system (developed with Waugh Thistleton Architects), and is the outcome of an 18-month collaborative design process with local residents and stakeholders.

Against the backdrop of the government’s falling housing delivery numbers, a planning system plagued by delays, public distrust of developers, and persistent local opposition to new builds, this scheme offers a live example of how community-led housing could help meet the 1.5 million homes target, while building better for people and the planet.

Our Rodford Dreams project shows what is possible when communities lead – unlocking neglected bits of land for more homes and the essential social infrastructure to support people to live well.

The scheme is the outcome of an innovative land disposal policy developed by Bristol City Council that transfers sites within its stock of publicly owned land to community groups to develop affordable housing.

Councillor Barry Parsons, Chair of Bristol City Council’s Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said, “Bristol has an urgent need for more affordable homes and I welcome the commitment and innovation that WeCanMake and their Multimax product bring to the city to help meet this need. This is an example of community-led housing at its very best and I look forward to seeing new homes and community facilities developed at Rodford Mead and watching progress on the other two sites in their development pipeline.”

Originally, the site’s planning brief allowed for four two-storey homes, but by engaging local residents, WeCanMake co-designed a three-storey scheme that increased density and added a community space that residents supported.

Melissa Mean, Director of WeCanMake, said, “The 1.5million target needs to be about much more than just delivering units. It’s about creating a nation of neighbours where the process of making new homes creates opportunities for social connection between diverse people”.

Read the full press release.
Coverage in the Architects’ Journal.
Coverage in the Bristol Post.