00:00In the heart of Bristol's Western Harbour, Gorham Homes, a housing firm owned by Bristol City Council, is set to begin detailed design work on the conversion of Abond, a Grade 2 listed former tobacco warehouse dating from the early 20th century.
00:16Located next to Spike Island and overlooking the River Avon, the building is poised to be transformed into 96 apartments, with 58 for sale, 29 for social rent, and 9 designated for affordable home ownership.
00:30No planning permission has been submitted yet, but preparations are now underway in line with the Council's strategy to revitalise the Western Harbour area.
00:39Nearby, the neighbouring B-Bond warehouse, currently housing the Bristol archives and community facilities, is also being assessed for future residential or mixed-use developments, though it remains at an earlier feasibility stage.
00:52Beyond the warehouse conversions, plans as part of the wider Western Harbour master plan include additional housing, public spaces, walking routes and enhanced links to the floating harbour.
01:03Abond's redevelopment follows recent Council-approved projects, such as Baltic Wharf flats and new homes at Hengrove Park, signalling a shift towards brownfield housing schemes.
01:14Local heritage groups welcome the effort to retain the historic character of the bonded warehouses, but some community voices caution that any major population growth in the harbour area must be matched by improvements in local amenities, services and transport connectivity.
01:29The Western Harbour area has also been identified for improved flood defences and upgraded walking and cycling links, which developers say are essential to support any long-term growth in riverside housing.
