Filwood Broadway reaches transformation milestone

Work to improve Filwood Broadway is getting closer as Bristol City Council has approved a series of road and parking changes that will help reshape the high street into a safer, greener and more welcoming place for all the community. 

Approved changes include:

• Pedestrianising Barnstaple Road between Kinvara Road and Marwood Road and integrating the front of Filwood Community Centre into the green space and new paved market square.

• Introducing two-hour waiting restrictions, to the northern section of Filwood Broadway beyond Hartcliffe Road, to improve parking turnover for visitors to local shops and services.

• Creating new Disabled and loading parking bays to support accessibility and local businesses.

• Adding road humps to slow down vehicles and make the area safer for all road users.

The project also includes planting 42 trees, adding a separated cycle route that connects to Filwood Greenway, along with new seating, public art, lighting, rain gardens and more.

This stage of the project has been reached because the council has approved the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), required to make changes to the road layout and parking arrangements, following a statutory consultation.

In response to feedback from residents, businesses and stakeholders, an additional four parking spaces have been added outside The Sandwich Stop.

Work will initially focus on the northern section, north of Hartcliffe Road, until funding is secured for the southern section of the project.

Construction on this first phase of improvements is expected to begin in Autumn 2026.

If funding becomes available, plans for the southern section will be developed and consulted on in the future, including a review of the parking arrangements set to be introduced in the first phase.

The improvements are part of ongoing work to support Filwood Broadway as a lively, accessible and welcoming local high street.

This work is being funded as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Transforming Filwood regeneration project, awarded to Bristol City Council via the former Levelling Up Fund.

Wider project

The wider regeneration project includes:

• 48 new council homes, a space suitable for a small supermarket, and a further 560 square metres of commercial/community space under construction on the former cinema and planned at 4-16 Filwood Broadway.

• Expansion and refurbishment of Filwood Community Centre, with work underway.

• Shop front improvements and a new, long-term high street strategy.

• A new Multi Use Games Area at Filwood playing fields, as part of wider plans being delivered by Bristol Robins Foundation.

• Street, pavement and green space improvements along Filwood Broadway, including wider pavements, seating, planters and new trees.

Comments

Cllr Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said: “This is an exciting step forward for Filwood Broadway. Replacing tired, outdated road and pavement surfaces with high-quality materials and giving more space for pedestrians will make a big difference to the area.

“These improvements will contribute to the regeneration of Filwood Broadway, creating spaces where people want to shop, dine, play and socialise.”

Cllr Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, added: “These plans are about making Filwood Broadway a place that works better for people. By improving the street layout and public spaces, the area will be safer and more pleasant, helping create a high street where people want to spend time.

“This is a key part of our Healthy Streets approach – putting people and communities at the heart of transport schemes.”

Image by Jez Mcneil, CC-BY-SA-3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Filwood_shops.jpg (Altered with AI to fit website’s image format size)