Track record

71 Park Street, Bristol

Expert advice to enable the redevelopment of an end of terrace property to deliver student accommodation

Party Walls

Service

Residential

Industry

Dan Tapscott

The project

This project involves a development of 19 student accommodation units, situated on Bristol’s busy, fashionable, ’West End’ Park Street. The site comprised an underused end of terrace low rise retail premises at street level with a restaurant above.

Rapleys has a longstanding track record dealing with properties along Park Street, including previous Urban Creation projects, so were in a strong position to advise on this scheme.

In 2019 members of Rapleys’ Planning team achieved planning permission for 71 Park Street. Our Neighbourly Matters team has subsequently supported the client in party wall and access matters to enable the development

Construction work was to commence soon after site acquisition and so the progression of matters arising under the Party Wall etc Act 1996 as well as obtaining the necessary consents for access was urgently required to enable the works to proceed.

Of particular note, one of the Adjoining Owners was in the process of subletting their bar/restaurant and so the negotiation and agreement of Awards including the preparation of a photographic Schedule of Condition was needed ahead of further parties coming into the frame resulting in additional costs and potential delays to obtain the necessary consents.

Rapleys was ideally located and experienced to deal with this project and advise on any matters arising accordingly, to the satisfaction of the client and Adjoining Owners.

Our solution

Rapleys initially met with the client on site in order to gain a greater appreciation of the outline proposals and the interrelationship between the property and its neighbours.

Thereafter we requested detailed drawings, the project programme, and the scope of the works to review alongside Land Registry searches of the neighbouring properties, undertaken to identify the relevant Adjoining Owners. The team was then able to discuss and inform Urban Creation of the areas requiring notification and consent as well as number of Adjoining Owners we would be liaising with.

With the property being an end of terrace site, considerations for temporary and then permanent support was necessary during the demolition and construction phases. With the neighbouring restaurant and bar, the construction methodology also required careful attention to ensure minimal business disruption.

Due to restricted access to enable the photographic Schedule of Condition, a drone was used.

Through a diligent approach, all parties were in agreement with the proposals and via negotiations with their appointed surveyors, all the necessary documentation was agreed and put in place in good time, enabling the works to proceed.

“We love working with Rapleys’ Building Consultancy Group. They make a very complicated party wall process seem simple. They provide clear, concise and effective communication to enable our construction works to proceed without delay. Highly recommended.” Jonathan Brecknell, Urban Creation

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