Development partners have been chosen to work with local residents on proposals to transform a former hospital in Bristol into a new community with homes, jobs and improved open space.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has chosen Linden Homes and Curo as partners to work with a newly formed Community Development Board, which will be a partnership involving local people and groups to regenerate the former Blackberry Hill Hospital in Fishponds.

The partners will work together to agree a masterplan for the site before Linden and Curo seek to secure planning permission for nearly 300 new homes, a third of which would be affordable, with around 1,500 sq m of employment, community and retail provision and improved open space. It is anticipated that the proposed development will support the regeneration of the area by unlocking around £60m in private investment and creating nearly 60 new jobs.

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Local residents and representatives who have expressed an interest in joining the HCA’s Community Development Board have been told about Linden and Curo’s appointment this week and the first meeting of the group will be held next month. That meeting will be used to help select those who will as members of the new board of 15 people.

David Warburton, HCA Head of Area, said: "This development would bring significant benefits to the local community and we are committed to consulting local residents to ensure that any proposals for the site reflect their ambitions for fantastic new development which they can be proud of. Now we have a strong partnership in place, we can look forward to getting on with the task of creating a vision for Blackberry Hill which will make a real and lasting difference to the area."

(CD)