New civic square at Brabazon gets green light from planners

Plans for a new 4,120m² public square at Brabazon, designed by landscape architects Grant Associates, have been approved by South Gloucestershire Council.

The new public space will be one of the primary gateways to the New Town at Brabazon, which is becoming firmly established as one of the most exciting new city districts in the country.

Commissioned by YTL Developments, the new public square will serve as a central civic space and the arrival point for passengers arriving by train at the new station, which is currently under construction.

On the East side of the square will be a landmark new eight-storey Grade A office building, which has now received planning consent. To the West, visitors will be guided through towards the new Arena for Bristol and to the neighbourhood beyond.

The square forms a key element of the masterplan for Brabazon. This thriving new city district, being built on the historic former Filton Airfield, is one of the UK’s most exciting examples of urban regeneration, located on one of the most strategically significant areas of brownfield land in the country.

Once complete, Brabazon will include up to 6,500 new homes, 2,000 beds of student accommodation, and 86 acres of public squares, parks and playing fields. Over 3.7m square feet of commercial space will support up to 30,000 jobs, while over £100 million is being invested in sustainable transport infrastructure.

Located immediately north of the new station at Brabazon – connecting to Bristol Temple Meads in under 15 minutes - the square has been conceived as a flexible area of public realm. On event days at the new Arena, it will accommodate visitors in managed queuing lanes, while on non-event days it will host local and seasonal markets. Generous tree planting will provide natural shade and weather protection, while a seasonal garden along the southern edge of the square offers a space to pause, relax, and connect with nature.

The design also promotes sustainable transport, with 100 secure cycle parking spaces distributed throughout the square, and seamless integration with the wider network of high-quality walking and cycling routes currently being built at Brabazon.

Grant Associates has been working in close partnership with YTL Developments for over a decade, helping to shape the landscape vision for Brabazon. This includes the original masterplan and open space strategy, detailed designs for residential neighbourhoods and street corridors, as well as landscape-led planning applications for both the Arena and Brabazon Park — which will be the largest new urban park in the southwest for 50 years.