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Student flats to be built on site of famous department store
It was once the site of one of Bristol’s most prestigious department stores outside of which the IRA detonated a bomb in 1978.
The former shop, Maggs, gives its name to the building, Maggs House, whose upper floors could now be turned into more than 125 student flats as part of plans within a newly launched consultation.
The building on the Clifton Triangle has seen a number of different businesses occupy its ground floor retail units in recent years including Rise, Cau and Wahaca – but they all currently sit empty.
is needed now More than ever
Developers will only reveal that “a major discount food retailer” is being lined up here on Queen’s Road, with 127 purpose-built student accommodation flats to be contained within former office space on the floors above.
Maggs House owners Schroders Capital say that they want to “reconfigure the building so that it can meet the changing needs of the local community and help contribute to an already thriving city centre”.
Clifton-based Stride Treglown have been appointed as architects for the project, which would see a reconfiguration of the upper floors, a new fourth floor added, and the basement refurbished to provide amenity and recreational space for the student residents.
The student accommodation will comprise a mix of six-bedroom ‘cluster flats’, two-bedroom studios and single studios – image: Schroders Capital
Schroders Capital asset manager, James Pentlow, said: “The refurbishment of Maggs House will create opportunities for students to live a sustainable lifestyle within touching distance of the university’s main campus and a range of local amenities.
“Purpose built, high-quality student homes will reduce the pressure on the local housing market and create opportunities for students to live close to the campus, which isn’t always the case given the acute shortage of purpose-built student homes in Bristol.
“We want to ensure that this building has a positive impact on the local economy once again, and we hope the community will share our enthusiasm about bringing this prominent building back into active use.”
Main image: Schroders Capital
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