Background Information

Our Roots

Bristol Community Housing Foundation (BCHF) was created in 1997 to redevelop a Bristol City Council (BCC) estate of more than 600 houses, creating nearly 1000 new homes in total. 

Originally built in 1926, the homes were pre-fabricated off site using reinforced concrete.  However, over time it has become clear that the buildings were structurally flawed, with water seeping into the concrete, causing the reinforcing steel to rust and creating concrete ‘cancer’.  As many of the homes were suffering from perpetual damp and were structurally weakening, a decision was taken to redevelop the entire estate.

BCHF has formed a unique partnership with Bovis homes and BCC to create a mixture of housing association and privately-owned homes.  Once complete, the development will be Bristol’s largest mixed-tenure housing project.

In order to finance the redevelopment the land was handed over by the City Council to BCHF. BCHF then sold half the land to a private development company; Bovis Homes,   the income generated was then used to build the new social housing. Bovis are building over 500 built homes on its own land and were also contracted to build the 400+ social housing for rent . The homes for rent and for sale are mixed together with very little to tell them apart.

The Upper Horfield redevelopment is the largest mixed tenure housing project in Bristol. BCHF has been very careful to involve the residents in all these changes and tried to keep the sense of community that was prevalent on the estate before the redevelopment.

The project allowed better design in the buildings and streets. The buildings are designed to higher eco standards and are easier and cheaper to keep warm and dry. The whole development area is a home zone providing shared street space for people and cars.

The quality of the local environment is much improved being more attractive for people, providing spaces for children to play safely and slower traffic on the streets.

You can read the Creating Excellence case study of BCHF's redevelopment of Upper Horfield by clicking here.

Further information

Oona Goldsworthy

Chief Executive

Bristol Community Housing Foundation

400 Filton Avenue,

Horfield,

Bristol

BS7 0LJ

Tel: 0117 947 0501

Email: oona@bchf.co.uk

Website: www.bchf.co.uk