Revitalising Lockleaze Through Regeneration and Partnership

CLIENT: Bristol City Council
CONTRACT: JCT Design and Build 2016
PROCUREMENT: Westworks DPS

Overview

Cameron Housing forms part of Bristol City Council’s major new build housing programme, delivering over 140 new homes across three city sites. The programme will provide vital, affordable council housing that is safe, secure, and energy-efficient for families across Bristol, transforming small brownfield sites into sustainable new communities.

Stepnell’s Cameron Housing development continues the regeneration of the Lockleaze neighbourhood, replacing the long-vacant Cameron Centre, library, and police station with 37 new homes and a new community space.

The scheme comprises two purpose-built apartment blocks:

• Block A1, a four-storey building with a café and shared community hub
• Block A2, a three-storey timber-frame block providing modern, affordable homes

Both buildings are designed to complement the surrounding area and encourage a strong sense of community, aligning with the Council’s ambition to create inclusive, high-quality neighbourhoods.

The project adopts a fabric-first, low-carbon approach, featuring timber-frame structures, PV panels, EV charging, and ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) to create warm, efficient homes with reduced energy bills for residents.

Procurement & Design Approach

Procured through the Westworks DPS under a two-stage design and build route, Stepnell’s early involvement enabled meaningful collaboration with the design team to optimise the build methodology.

The original concept proposed a traditional concrete frame with masonry façades; this evolved into a hybrid solution combining a reinforced concrete podium for the café and communal areas, with timber-frame upper levels to enhance buildability and sustainability.

Further efficiencies included:

• Adoption of a panelised MMC system, allowing work to continue year-round and reducing critical-path delays.
  
• Drainage rationalisation, consolidating four highway connections into one — reducing excavation, cost, and community impact.
  
• Early procurement of offsite-fabricated steelwork and podium components to accelerate programme delivery and reduce on-site congestion.

Site Surveys & Risk Mitigation

Extensive site investigations supported the design process, including geotechnical, contamination, topographical, utility, and UXO surveys due to the area’s former police station use.

Early demolition removed asbestos and allowed for regrading across a 1.5-metre level difference, reusing over 12,000 tonnes of crushed material on site.

Stepnell also engaged key supply chain partners early — procuring steel and podium elements offsite to accelerate installation and reduce programme risk.

Programme & Phasing

A detailed logistics plan established a one-way system through the site, mirroring the final access layout. The rear green space, initially used for material storage and GSHP drilling, will become a communal landscaped garden upon completion.

Local Employment & Skills

In line with Bristol City Council’s social value commitments, 85% of the workforce (including consultants) are sourced within a 30-mile radius.

Key achievements include:

• Upskilling: a former handyman, gained banksman and forklift qualifications.
  
• Training: a team member is completing an NVQ pathway toward site management.
  
• Community Engagement: Stepnell team members are active participants in Mental Health Roadshows, mock interviews, and local mentoring programmes.
  

Social Value & Community Impact

Social value is at the heart of the Cameron Housing scheme. Stepnell’s dedicated site team continues to engage with local schools, charities, and community organisations, delivering volunteering, employability, and wellbeing initiatives that build stronger local connections.

• Volunteering:
  
  • Southmead Development Trust “Ranch Playpark” clean-up and maintenance.
  • Lockleaze Community Trust refurbishment, including cleaning, painting, and landscape works.
  • Local green space improvements around St James Church and Gainsborough Square.
    
• Education & Employability:
  
  • Mock interviews hosted at Abbeywood Community School.
  • Mental Health Awareness Roadshow delivered to local attendees.
  • Ongoing mentoring with schools and community organisations.
    
• Local Collaboration:
  
  • Partnerships with Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust, North Bristol Advice Centre, and community charities such as Help Bristol’s Homeless and Emmaus.

These initiatives build community resilience and directly support the Council’s wider social inclusion goals.

Environmental Strategy

Aligned with Bristol’s goal of creating low-carbon, energy-efficient council housing, the Cameron development integrates sustainable materials and technologies that reduce operational energy use and long-term running costs.

Key measures include:

• Timber-frame structures: Enhancing energy efficiency and reducing embodied carbon.
• Ground Source Heat Pumps: Delivering renewable heating and hot water.
• Photovoltaic panels & EV charging: Supporting a shift toward net zero.
• Circular resource use: Reuse of 12,000 tonnes of crushed demolition material and repurposing of scaffold mats through local suppliers.

These steps significantly reduce construction waste, embodied carbon, and long-term running costs.

Community Collaboration

A core feature of the scheme is the Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust’s new community space within Block A1. Designed collaboratively with end-users, the facility will host meetings, events, foodbank operations, and local support services, providing a flexible and welcoming hub that directly benefits residents.

Conclusion

The Cameron Housing development is a key part of Bristol’s ongoing new build housing programme, which is delivering hundreds of safe, affordable, and energy-efficient homes citywide.

Through close collaboration, sustainable construction, and social value delivery, Stepnell is proud to help create vital new council homes that not only meet housing need but also strengthen communities across Bristol.