A planning application is expected to be submitted for approval later this year

Bristol University Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus

Bristol University is aiming to start construction on its £300m new campus in 2019, pending planning approval.

The university has unveiled its ‘vision’ for the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, near Bristol Temple Meads Station, and will run a public consultation online from 19 June to 21 July.

The new campus will focus on digital technologies, and include an expansion of the university’s Engine Shed enterprise hub and a new student village. The development will also feature public realm improvements, new cycle and pedestrian links to the surrounding area, and landscaping.

The derelict former Royal Mail sorting office, which stands on the 2.8 hectare site, will be demolished prior to construction.

The university said that “designs for the campus are in their infancy and will be informed by the outcome of the consultation”, adding “there are ambitions to develop landmark buildings and public spaces”.

It will work with Bristol City Council “to ensure the campus complements plans for the [nearby] Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone”.

After the initial consultation, a second round of consultation will follow in September, before an outline planning application is submitted to Bristol City Council later in the year. Applications for individual buildings will follow, with further consultation in 2018 and 2019.

The university wants the campus to open for the start of the 2021/22 academic year.

Professor Hugh Brady, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Bristol, said: “Our new campus is very much a work in progress and we would welcome people’s feedback, on everything from education provision, research and innovation to community engagement and transport links.

“We don’t know exactly what it will look like yet, but we do know that we want it to feel welcoming to everyone and to be a place for the whole city to learn, explore and enjoy.”

Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, said: “I look forward to the development of plans for the new University of Bristol Enterprise Campus planned for the heart of the Enterprise Zone.

“This new world class facility has the potential to turn a derelict site into an inclusive home for digital excellence, offering a vast range of opportunities and building on the city’s reputation as a leading digital city.”