Bristol apartments on stilts to be built over car park

An apartment block on stilts is set to be built above a Bristol car park.

This will be the first in a wave of a new projects aimed at solving the city's housing crisis.

Eleven "high-quality, affordable, low-carbon homes", called ZedPods, on a raised steel deck would be created at Chalks Road car park in St George.

The flats will be rented by a "mixed community" and will potentially include young people in temporary accommodation at risk of homelessness.

The development is one of the first two being trialled under the Bristol Housing Festival banner, a five-year programme of activities spearheaded by the city council, looking at new ways of providing homes to people who could not otherwise afford them.

Bristol City Council intends to grant the "air rights" above the car park to developers on a 30-year lease at no charge, and the existing parking spaces will not be lost.

The ZedPods have "very high energy efficiency", using solar power and electric car charging points.

A public consultation event, run by Bristol Housing Festival, to discuss the proposals and get feedback from the community in St George will take place at the Beehive Centre in Stretford Road, from 3pm to 8pm on Friday, March 1.

The other proposed development is for 34 modular apartments for young people on a council car park at Alexandra Park, Fishponds.

Plans have been submitted to the city council by housing association United Communities for the affordable LaunchPad homes to help young people in financial hardship break out of student rentals and supported housing.

Half of the apartments will be let via Bristol University to students and the other 17 will be let to care leavers, via the charity 1625 Independent People, and key workers.