Plans submitted for 70 affordable extra care homes in South Bristol
A detailed planning application has been submitted for 70 affordable extra care homes for older people as part of the second phase of The Fosseway development in Hengrove.
The proposals have been brought forward by Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life, and form part of a wider 200-home neighbourhood being delivered on a former school site that has been empty for more than a decade.
The wider Fosseway scheme is being developed by Goram Homes, Bristol City Council’s housebuilding company. Once both phases are complete, the development will provide 200 homes in total, including 135 affordable homes. This represents 67.5% affordable housing, significantly above the 30% required through planning.
All 70 homes proposed in Phase Two would be made available for social rent, the most affordable housing tenure. They would be allocated through Bristol City Council’s adult social care team to residents who have an identified need for both care and affordable housing.
The extra care scheme has been designed to help older residents live independently while still having access to care and support when needed. Plans include a mix of one and two-bedroom homes, landscaped gardens and a restaurant that would also be open to the wider local community.
Phase One of The Fosseway is already under construction by Vistry Group, Goram Homes’ development partner for that part of the scheme. It will deliver 130 homes, half of which will be affordable. The first homes from Phase One are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
Councillor Barry Parsons, chair of Bristol City Council’s Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said the application was an important milestone for the development. He said:
This planning application marks an important milestone for The Fosseway and demonstrates how we are using council-owned land to deliver the affordable, high-quality homes local communities urgently need.
If granted permission, Phase Two will provide much-needed specialist housing for older residents, enabling people to live independently while remaining connected to their communities and accessing care and support as their needs change.
Together with Phase One, this development reflects our commitment to creating mixed-tenure and inclusive neighbourhoods for Bristol.
Christiana Makariou, development director at Goram Homes, said
We’re very proud to be working with Anchor to bring forward 70 high-quality extra care homes that will support older residents to live independently in a safe and supportive environment.
The Fosseway is a great example of how we can work with partners to create mixed, intergenerational communities that respond to Bristol’s diverse range of housing needs.
Oliver Boundy, executive director of development at Anchor, added:
We’re delighted to be progressing plans to deliver 70 affordable extra care homes at The Fosseway in south Bristol. These homes are designed to help people enjoy later life with independence, dignity and the reassurance of on-site care when it’s needed.
Outline planning permission for the wider Fosseway site, including Phase Two, has already been granted. If the detailed application is approved, Anchor will take ownership of the Phase Two site and begin work on the extra care homes.
Earlier this month, Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, visited The Fosseway to see progress on the new neighbourhood. She was joined by project partners and local representatives, including Cllr Tim Kent, ward councillor for Hengrove and Whitchurch Park.
The Fosseway is one of five sites being brought forward by Goram Homes as part of its 2026/27 Business Plan, which was approved by Bristol City Council earlier this month. The company aims to deliver more than 1,000 homes across Bristol by 2030/31, including more than 500 affordable homes.
