Works to create 67 social rent homes at the Old Brickworks development in Bedminster have fully restarted.

Led by Bristol housing association, Brighter Places, with contractor Markey Construction managing the works, the completed scheme will deliver eight three bed terraced houses and 59 one and two bed flats.  The much-needed homes will all be available at social rent which is typically around 50% less than local market rent.

Markey were appointed in September 2025 to complete the development after the previous contractor fell into insolvency in 2023.  A comprehensive condition survey of the previous works by manufacturers and specialists identified elements that were still fit for purpose and others that needed replacing.   Markey Construction are doing the remedial works as part of their contract to ensure the quality of every new home at the Old Brickworks.

All the homes will have carbon-reducing technologies to create comfortable, energy-efficient homes with minimal energy bills.  A fabric-first approach is using building materials to reduce energy consumption and heat loss plus every home will have a Ground Source Heat pump to  maintain a regular temperature.

The project has been supported with a grant of £3,581,620 from Bristol City Council and £8,710,000 funding from Homes England.   It is due to be completed in Spring 2027.

The visit was followed by a drop-in event where local residents met representatives from Brighter Places and Markey Construction and found out more about the development and how to apply for one of the completed homes.

Anna Klimczak, Chief Executive at Brighter Places said; “It is great to see the Old Brickworks development works moving ahead.  At Brighter Places our focus is on delivering much-needed, good quality homes that people can afford to live in and run.  We can now put the external challenges and delays behind us and look forward to providing social rent homes that are properly affordable in the local area.”

Richard Dudgeon, Managing Director from Markey Construction Limited said; “We are delighted to be appointed for this project by Brighter Places to bring much needed affordable housing in Bristol and thank them for the great opportunity to demonstrate our expertise and experience.”

Bedminster Ward Councillor, Ellie Freeman said; “I am so pleased to see the site busy again, and the development progressing to deliver the housing that is so needed here. I especially welcome developments like this that provide homes that are easy to keep warm and affordable for those who would otherwise struggle to stay in Bristol.”