Bristol scheme to build homes above car parks gets green light

Modular home manufacturer ZEDpods has received planning permission from Bristol City Council for 11 houses to be built above a car park in the city.

The scheme, including nine one-bedroom pods and 2 two-bedroom pods, will be the first development to be built as part of the five-year Bristol Housing Festival. They will be built on the Chalks Road car park, next to St George Park in Bristol.

The homes have been optimised for energy efficiency and use solar panels to generate renewable electricity in the day. They also include heat pumps for low energy heating, controlled ventilation which recovers usable heat from inside the building, triple glazing, LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances.

The project is a collaboration between Bristol Housing Festival, ZEDpods Ltd, the YMCA Bristol, Bristol and Bath Regional Capital and Bristol City Council.

It has been called an ‘environmental and socially’ focused development which will deliver affordable housing in the area for young people and others at risk of the housing crisis.

Jez Sweetland, Project Director for Bristol Housing Festival said: ‘Bristol City Council’s decision to support this development is great news for Bristol.

‘Our initial plans were for 7 pods, however, we are now able to provide 11 pods through this planning approval.

‘We are excited that this Festival project is a quality, low carbon build with great sustainability credentials and we look forward to seeing the pods completed.’

Some of the pods could be on-site in time for the next Bristol housing Festival exhibition in mid-October. They will be assembled at the Peterborough-based factory of Lesko Modular Group.

Photo Credit — ZedPods