Exciting Plans for Bridge Farm to be unveiled at Open Day

Bridge Farm Housing Project, the Community-led sustainable housing project at Bridge Farm, Glenfrome Road are delighted they can hold an open day on 1st August at the farm for people to look at the planning proposals, and chat to all involved.

The Bridge Farm approach is very different to conventional housing development. At its heart is community involvement, sustainability, affordability, self-build, and lots of green space.

There is a heartfelt drive to enhance the existing farm buildings, and to make the site usable by local people in the area. It is recognised that there is an incredible need for routes to affordable homes, and there is the need to build sustainably for the benefit of all our futures. The community group behind the project plan to keep an ample portion of the land for food growing, and for people to come and enjoy the open space.

It is a complex process aiming to marry together all the ideas for the one site, and designs have been developed for the site that enables all uses. The open day gives the perfect opportunity to show and discuss the plans.

Within the proposals are plans to build 30 new homes including 8 flats and to restore the farmhouse and outbuildings. It is also planned to enable the creation of homes on the site where the residents are involved, whether through self-build or self-finish, or maybe simply in helping out during the development. The farm outbuildings will be brought back to life as workshops, a cafe and living spaces.

The community group behind Bridge Farm is Ashley Vale Action Group (AVAG), who successfully delivered the self-build project beside the St Werburghs City Farm. They know the importance and benefits shared community spaces can bring to both residents and local people using the site.

Jackson Moulding of AVAG explains, “Our aim is to create connection spaces across the farm, with the growing spaces, the café and the workshops. We have designed in a Community Hub, which will provide a shared resource for the residents and other users of the site. There are other community housing projects with similar spaces that bring incredible extra community value and increase the wellbeing of residents.”

The open day takes place on 1st August from 11-4, it will be held outside with social distancing. More details can be found here: https://bridgefarmbristol.co.uk/