A green business park is to be built in south Bristol in an effort to make one of the less affluent areas of the city a hub for environmental and low carbon businesses.
Up to 350 jobs could be created in the area if enough businesses sign up to use the Filwood Business Park, a part of the wider regeneration of Knowle West which will result in 150 new homes along with a public park.
Bristol mayor George Ferguson said: “This is a really important development for south Bristol as well as being a flagship green building for the city delivered during 2015 when Bristol is European Green Capital.
“This facility will support the development of environmental and low carbon companies as well as encouraging employment, entrepreneurship and business start-up in the local area, where there is a very great need.”
At a cost of £11.6m, the business park is set to be built to the highest environmental standards and has been designed by architect Stride Treglown.
With space for offices and workshops, all tenants will be able to buy into a range of business services, including high speed broadband, a boardroom and other meeting spaces.
The park is being paid for with £5.37 million from the European Regional Development Fund, with additional support from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.
David Warburton, head of the Homes and Communities Agency in the South West, added: “The business park will create a high-quality gateway to the area, and complement the proposed high quality housing development and new park on the site.”
Councillor Jeff Lovell, chair of the Knowle West Project Board, added: “The process of regeneration for Filwood is finally underway and hopefully this will underpin the wider aspirations of our community.”
