Bristol Harbourside, Millennium Promenade

Set within Bristol’s historic industrial waterfront, the Millennium Promenade was one of the last areas to be completed as part of Crest Nicholson’s wider Bristol Harbourside residential development. Most of the Site was of very little ecological interest, having previously been used for construction activities in relation to other phases of the Harbourside development, although the Floating Harbour abutting the Site to the south-west was designated as a Bristol Wildlife Network Site.

Habitat and detailed botanical assessments were undertaken to inform the Environmental Statement’s ecological chapter and subsequent Code for Sustainable Homes assessment. Our primary recommendations were measures aimed at protecting the Floating Harbour from accidental pollution events and for the creation of an ecologically rich public realm as part of a high-density residential development.

Working with the project landscape architects, Grant Associates, we designed a linear meadow covering over 700 square metres, extending the length of the Millennium Promenade. Species were selected which were tolerant of relatively dry conditions and which would provide a long season of (low-growing) flowering plants for visual interest and nectar source for insects. The sward also had to be sufficiently robust to withstand regular passage by residents and visitors. The meadow was created on two opposite banks and was bisected along its axis by the Promenade. A wet grassland sward at the base of the embankments graded into riparian planted swales designed to absorb rooftop and hard-standing runoff. The development also included a variety of faunal refuges.