Bristol Temple Quarter joins our 'Innovation Cities' forum

Image: Bristol Temple Quarter - showing relationship between the University of Bristol's TQEC site and Temple Meads Station taken in 2025 (courtesy BTQ LLP)

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Karen Mercer, Chief Executive of Bristol Temple Quarter, is returning to contribute to our 'Innovation Cities' forum at The University of Bristol's TQEC this October.

Karen brings extensive regeneration experience to Bristol, including as Delivery Director for Brent Cross Town, a major housing and infrastructure scheme in London that included the delivery of a new railway station. 

In recent news, Bristol Temple Quarter has announced that Homes England will step back from its formal Board membership as the programme moves into a new phase of on‑the‑ground delivery.

It states:

'With the selection of Muse as the preferred private sector development partner and major construction activity beginning later this year, the partnership is now at a point where local leadership can confidently drive the next stage of delivery.

'BTQ LLP was established in March 2024 to accelerate delivery of one of the UK’s most ambitious city centre regeneration programmes. Its formation formalised more than a decade of collaboration between Bristol City Council (BCC), the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA), and Homes England.

'Homes England remains fully committed to the success of Bristol Temple Quarter. While the agency is changing the way it supports the project, it will continue to play an active role in the project, city and wider region. Homes England’s land around Bristol Temple Meads Station will remain part of the programme and will be brought forward by Muse and BTQ LLP.

'Muse will continue working with BTQ LLP to develop the vision for Temple Meads West ahead of a planning submission in early 2027. Later this year, BTQ LLP and Kier will begin construction of the new Southern Gateway transport hub at Temple Meads station. And in September, the new Eastern Entrance to the station will open alongside the University of Bristol’s Enterprise Campus.'

Image: aerial view of Bristol Temple Quarter development area - courtesy Buro Happold

In addition, Bristol Temple Quarter Limited Liability Partnership (BTQ LLP) and Bristol City Council have published the final draft of a masterplan framework for St Philip’s Marsh.

It says:

'St Philip’s Marsh forms a large part of the wider Bristol Temple Quarter (BTQ) area and is a major opportunity to deliver a sustainable, mixed-use neighbourhood with thousands of homes, employment and industrial land, community infrastructure, and new greenspaces in central Bristol, while supporting regional growth ambitions.

'The final draft document follows extensive public and stakeholder engagement, including two previous rounds of engagement in Summer 2025 and early 2026, which has helped to shape this latest version.

'The masterplan sets out a number of key moves, many of which respond directly to public feedback. The first round of engagement identified Feeder Road as the preferred location for a new local centre and supported its pedestrianisation between Avon Street and Albert Crescent, with vehicular traffic rerouted via Chapel Street. This has been carried into the masterplan as a district centre along the Feeder Canal, near the new eastern entrance to Temple Meads Station and the University of Bristol’s Enterprise Campus.

'Both rounds of public feedback emphasised the need to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport to improve connectivity to and from surrounding neighbourhoods, while continuing to recognise the practical need for private vehicle access, servicing and HGV movement. The masterplan reflects this balance in its street designs.'

Following a recent round of consultation, the masterplan will be finalised before submission to the Local Planning Authority ahead of an aimed-for committee endorsement in late September.

If endorsed by the council, the masterplan will help to guide future development alongside the Local Plan, helping to ensure delivery remains aligned with the BTQ partners’ shared vision for the area.

Bristol Temple Quarter states:

'The publication of the St Philip’s Marsh masterplan is the first in a series of anticipated milestones this year. Muse, BTQ LLP’s selected development partner, will continue working with BTQ LLP to develop the vision for Temple Meads West ahead of a planning submission in early 2027.

'Later this year, BTQ LLP and Kier will begin construction of the new Southern Gateway transport hub at Temple Meads station. In September, the new Eastern Entrance to the station will open alongside the University of Bristol’s Enterprise Campus.'