Bristol's Sorting Office: Get it sorted!

In 2015 the former Sorting Office on Cattle Market Road, derelict for 18 years and long considered an eyesore, was acquired by Bristol City Council for an estimated £5.4 million. The Council has budgeted up to £2m for the Sorting Office's demolition with “The aspiration...to develop a high quality commercially led, high density mixed use development that re‐imagines this high profile, strategically significant site…”.

The public ownership of the iconic former Sorting Office makes it a community asset and affords Bristol a unique opportunity to pursue a development which meets the needs and aspirations of the people of Bristol. By replacing 'commercially led' with 'community led', the site could become a vision worthy of our city, meeting Bristol’s needs as defined not by commercial boundaries alone, but by the community who own it.

What kind of developments on this high profile city centre site could really serve the communities of Bristol? Do we need to knock down the building - and spend £2million doing so? Does the site need yet another vacant area of rubble, waiting for commercial interests to redevelop it, like at least five other currently empty sites in the Enterprise Zone have so far failed to do? Rather than commercially-led overpriced flats, half-empty office blocks, and national chain stores; could we see community-led council housing, food production and eating, local shops and makers, learning centres, social enterprise, reuse of resources, renewable energy, sustainable transport, art and performance, beautiful spaces and more? If the people were given a voice in the area’s development, what would we envision?

So far, public involvement in determining the future of this publicly owned building and site has been practically non-existent. The council have only consulted on a ‘Spatial Framework’’ for the totality of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, and there has never been a full public consultation on plans for the Cattle Market site itself. As a public asset, shouldn’t we, the community, lead its future? A genuine process of engagement, involvement and collaboration with the city’s residents, community stakeholders, progressive thinkers and academics, would result in a creative, pioneering and shared vision - truly representative of both the progressive nature of our city and its needs.

We the undersigned therefore demand that Bristol City Council call a halt to current plans to demolish the Sorting Office, and hold a transparent, participatory and collaborative consultation in order to create a shared, community-led vision for the future of the Cattle Market site, which meets the needs and aspirations of the people of the city.

#BristolGetItSorted