Timber Mills is part of Atlas Place, a regeneration area identified as Central Fishponds (Policy DS7) in Bristol City Council’s Local Plan for housing-led development on brownfield land. The site is currently closed off to the public, offering little benefit to the local area. Bristol’s democratically elected councillors have supported this location for growth as part of the city’s strategy to provide more homes in well-connected areas. 

Timber Mills sits within the wider West of England region, positioned between Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire’s employment hubs, including Emersons Green and the Science Park, where the Council has prioritised the East Fringe for job growth. This development will unlock millions of pounds for Fishponds and Hillfields infrastructure, including schools, healthcare, public spaces, and transport improvements, benefiting both new and existing residents. 

• 2021 – Engagement with Bristol City Council began  

• 2022 to 2024 – Contribution to the development of the Atlas Place masterplan  

• 17 March to 11 April 2025 – Public consultation period for Timber Mills 

• Late 2025 – Outline planning application submission  

• 2026 – Submission of Reserved Matters application for Phase 1  

• 2027 – Preparation of construction details and start on site  

• 2030 – Completion of Phase 1 expected  

• 2030 to 2040 – Delivery of full development in 2 to 4 phases

The Atlas Place Framework prioritises sustainable transport, reducing car dependency to prevent congestion. Timber Mills will feature a mobility hub, secure cycle parking, and Car Club spaces, promoting walking, cycling, and public transport use. While designed for sustainability, the development will provide 400 parking spaces, with many located internally within the ground floor of buildings and 40 on-street, ensuring sufficient parking without impacting surrounding streets. 

Timber Mills benefits from some of East Bristol’s most significant bus services, including routes 46, 47, 48, 49, and their express ‘X’ services, providing frequent connections to Bristol city centre, Emersons Green, and beyond. Residents will also have direct access to the Bristol to Bath Railway Path, as well as for-hire e-scooters and e-bikes, offering multiple low-carbon travel options. 

Additionally, the way people work is changing, with more Working from Home (WFH) than ever before. To support modern working habits, Timber Mills will provide state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, ensuring high-speed internet access and enabling home-based and hybrid working. 

Bristol City Council is leading road and junction improvements, including potential upgrades to Filwood Road. Timber Mills will contribute monies through Section 106 agreements, which will be agreed with the Council and could include investment in local bus services, cycle route extensions, junction improvements, and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes. These contributions will ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of both new and existing residents​ 

Census data shows that around two-thirds of homes in this part of Bristol have either no car or just one. Our neighbourhood will be different from the existing Fishponds community by making the most of the site’s unique advantages, its location on the BBRP and one of the busiest bus routes in the South West, the area’s diversity of services and facilities and the availability of for-hire personal transport though the delivery of Car Clubs. This means future residents will have less need for private cars to commute or travel for leisure. That said, we’re still providing 440 parking spaces for those who do require them. 

We’re not expecting a direct replica of Fishponds or Hillfields’ existing population. Instead, we anticipate a shift in household composition, reflecting how Bristol’s communities continue to evolve and the change in how people travel. 

Take Bedminster, Southville, Clifton and Redland, once dominated by mostly older, single-family households, these areas have transformed into vibrant hubs for urban professionals who rely on walking, public transport, and e-scooters. Fishponds itself has changed dramatically over the past two centuries, shifting from a predominantly owner-occupied community in large homes to a far more diverse and dynamic mix, including younger and older generations studying, living and renting their homes, something unimaginable to past generations. 

Atlas Place is the next step in that transformation. We are seeking to embrace change, and with it comes private investment, new community and leisure facilities, and a richer, more diverse neighbourhood, benefiting both existing and future residents. 

We are aware through existing consultation that this is a very important matter for the community.  

Bristol’s healthcare system, like many across the UK, is under pressure. Timber Mills will not reduce access to GP or dental appointments; instead, it will contribute to expanding local health services. This could either be provided on-site or through a financial contribution. Ongoing discussions are required and are planned with Bristol City Council and NHS Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) -the organisation responsible for planning NHS services in the area. This could result in additional GP or dental capacity within existing practices or even a new healthcare facility within Atlas Place. Note – this process is subject to the recently announced Government NHS reforms where ICBs could change.  

Additionally, Timber Mills will be delivered in phases over at least ten years, giving ample time for local health services to adapt and expand in line with demand. The Council and NHS partners will continue to assess requirements throughout this period, ensuring services keep pace with the community’s needs. 

The shops and commercial spaces at Timber Mills are designed to complement, not compete with, existing businesses in Fishponds and Hillfields. With 1,600 new homes, more people will live, shop, and spend locally – boosting footfall and demand for local traders, cafés, and services. 

The development will include new retail and business space, much of which will be suitable for small, independent businesses rather than large national chains. This ensures that the area retains its local character while also providing new affordable workspace for entrepreneurs. The aim is to create a thriving neighbourhood where existing businesses can benefit from increased trade, rather than face displacement. 

Atlas Place is being delivered as a coordinated regeneration project, ensuring that transport, green spaces, and community infrastructure are planned holistically across all three sites. Timber Mills, Graphic Packaging International, and Filwood House and Verona House are being developed in partnership with Bristol City Council, ensuring that new roads, cycleways, and public spaces connect seamlessly and that community facilities are appropriately located to serve new and existing residents. 

The three development teams are working together regularly to ensure that Atlas Place is delivered as a well-integrated neighbourhood, maintaining consistent transport links, density distribution, and infrastructure investment. The planning application will be supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment, which will consider construction phasing and management plans to ensure that the sites can be delivered in a sustainable and co-ordinated manner.  

Timber Mills and the wider Atlas Place development will bring significant new investment to improve community facilities, infrastructure, and public spaces. Through Section 106 agreements, the development will provide money for Bristol City Council to allocate towards school expansions, healthcare facilities, improved road networks, enhanced cycle paths, and upgraded public transport. 

The project is phased over at least ten years, allowing time for local services and infrastructure to evolve alongside new housing. Fishponds and Hillfields can effectively cope with the demands on services and infrastructure through strategic planning and investment. Higher-density development supports the viability of local shops, healthcare facilities, schools, and community spaces by increasing the local population, ensuring that these services are well-utilised and sustainable. 

Additionally, improvements in public transport, walking, and cycling infrastructure will help reduce car dependency, easing pressure on roads and parking. Upgrades to utilities, such as water, energy, and broadband, can be integrated into the development process to future-proof the area. With careful planning, these neighbourhoods can become more resilient, accessible, and better equipped to meet growing demands. 

The primary schools near the site currently have a lot of available space for children. Last year, there were 1,429 empty spots across the 14 schools closest to the proposed development. This means the schools were running at 21% below their full capacity. 

Bristol City Council is phasing the opening two new secondary schools, which will provide a total of 2,500 student spots once fully operational. This will help reduce the strain on secondary schools in the area. However, many secondary schools in Bristol are predicting a significant decrease in the number of students in the coming years, especially the 11 schools in the Bristol North Secondary Planning Area. 

Timber Mills has a higher density (262 homes per hectare) because it is located closer to major transport links than other sites within Atlas Place. It sits near some of East Bristol’s most significant bus routes (46, 47, 48, 49, and their ‘X’ services), the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, and for-hire e-scooters and e-bikes, making it an ideal location for a sustainable, well-connected neighbourhood. 

Bristol City Council’s Local Plan encourages higher-density housing in well-connected areas to make the best use of brownfield land​. High-density development is well-suited to this site as it makes the best use of un-constrained brownfield land, revitalising underutilised spaces which is in single ownership, while preserving green areas for parks and community facilities and allowing best practice placemaking. By concentrating housing and amenities, it supports better public transport, reduces car dependency, and fosters a more walkable, connected community. Additionally, the increased population density makes local services, shops, and infrastructure more viable, contributing to a more sustainable and vibrant urban environment. Other examples in the city may include Wapping Wharf or Paintworks in Bristol.  

While Timber Mills is more compact, Graphic Packaging (54 homes per hectare) and Filwood House (87 homes per hectare) create a balanced overall Atlas Place density of 146 homes per hectare. This ensures a variety of housing types while maximising the site’s potential to support infrastructure improvements that will serve the Fishponds and Hillfields community for decades to come. 

Residents of Atlas Place will have easy access to employment hubs across Bristol and beyond. Timber Mills is located near Stapleton Road Station, providing quick rail connections to Bristol Temple Meads and the wider region. The area is also served by key bus routes (46, 47, 48, 49, and X services), linking to Emersons Green, the Science Park, and central Bristol—major employment centres for technology, healthcare, education, and finance. 

Atlas Place itself will feature commercial spaces and workspaces, supporting local businesses and job creation. Additionally, with state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, many residents will have the option to work remotely or in co-working spaces, reducing commuting needs and supporting changing work patterns. 

Yes, the land will be fully assessed and remediated before any homes are built. As with all former industrial sites, a comprehensive environmental assessment will be carried out to identify any contamination and determine the appropriate remediation strategy. 

Timber Mills will follow strict UK environmental and safety regulations, ensuring that all necessary cleanup work is completed before construction begins. This could include soil treatment, decontamination, and ground remediation to make the site fully suitable for residential development. The development will be monitored and approved by relevant regulatory bodies, ensuring it meets the highest safety standards for future residents. 

A significant proportion of homes at Timber Mills will be affordable, providing a mix of social rent, shared ownership, and other affordable tenures to ensure housing is accessible to a range of incomes. 

The exact number will be agreed with Bristol City Council through the planning process, in line with local housing policies and needs. As part of Atlas Place, this development will help address Bristol’s housing shortage by delivering affordable homes in a well-connected, sustainable neighbourhood. The project aims to support local families and key workers who need high-quality, affordable housing options in Fishponds and Hillfields. The development seeks to provide a range of tenures including open market sale, purpose-built homes to rent, purpose-built retirement living and affordable housing. Timber Mills is seeking to be a diverse and mixed community catering for all.  

Timber Mills is designed to be a low-carbon, highly sustainable neighbourhood, supporting Bristol’s commitment to reaching net zero by 2030. The development will feature energy-efficient homes, using high-performance insulation and fabric, air-source heat pumps, and rooftop solar panels to reduce carbon emissions. 

The scheme also promotes low-carbon transport, with extensive cycle routes, public transport connections, a mobility hub, and for-hire e-bikes and scooters to reduce car dependency. While achieving full carbon neutrality depends on national energy policies and grid decarbonisation, Timber Mills will be built to the highest sustainability standards, significantly cutting emissions and environmental impact in line with Bristol City Council’s climate goals.