Bristol City Council Approves Filwood Broadway Transformation 2026

Key Points

• Bristol City councillors have approved work to radically transform Filwood Broadway, one of Bristol’s most deprived high streets
• The project includes a new paved market square, 42 new trees, a separated cycle route, and parking restrictions
• The transformation is part of a £14.5 million Levelling Up Fund project awarded in January 2023 by the previous government
• Bristol City Council is contributing an additional £1.72 million alongside the Levelling Up funding
• Filwood Broadway in Knowle West has experienced years of shop closures, anti-social behaviour, and empty sites
• Construction on the first phase north of Hartcliffe Road is expected to begin in Autumn 2026
• The project will pedestrianise Barnstaple Road between Kinvara Road and Marwood Road
• Two-hour waiting restrictions will be introduced on the northern section of Filwood Broadway beyond Hartcliffe Road
• New Disabled and loading parking bays will be added to support accessibility and local businesses
• The project includes a new Filwood library and community space in the former Filwood Cinema site
• A new multi-use games area with improved floodlights will be created at Filwood Playing Fields
• 17 flats and 13 houses, all classed as affordable, will replace the old cinema building
• Road humps will be added to slow vehicles and improve safety for all road users
• The scheme includes new seating, public art, lighting, and rain gardens

Bristol Council (Bristol Express News) June 10, 2026 – City councillors have approved work to radically change Filwood Broadway, marking a significant milestone in the revitalisation of one of Bristol’s most rundown high streets after more than a decade of awaiting redevelopment. A new paved market square, loads of trees, a new cycle route and parking restrictions are among a raft of measures which the city council is about to implement as part of measures to revitalise the area.

How much funding is backing the Filwood Broadway regeneration project?

The transformation is part of a much bigger £14.5 million project still ongoing from the previous Government’s Levelling Up fund, which was awarded to Filwood Broadway in January 2023. Bristol City Council is contributing an additional £1.72 million of council funding alongside the Levelling Up award, bringing the total investment to enable multiple projects identified in the Filwood Broadway Framework. As reported by ITV News West Country, Labour councillor Tom Renhard, cabinet member for housing, stated on 7 February 2023 that

“It’s really exciting that we’ve recently been awarded over £14 million from the Levelling Up fund. It’s really good for Filwood and will allow us to realise our vision to regenerate the high street, get more affordable housing built in the area, and revitalise the public realm”.

What specific infrastructure improvements will Filwood Broadway receive?

Approved changes include pedestrianising Barnstaple Road between Kinvara Road and Marwood Road and integrating the front of Filwood Community Centre into the green space and new paved market square. The project also includes planting 42 trees, adding a separated cycle route that connects to Filwood Greenway, along with new seating, public art, lighting, rain gardens and more.

Creating new Disabled and loading parking bays will support accessibility and local businesses, while road humps will slow down vehicles and make the area safer for all road users.

Introducing two-hour waiting restrictions to the northern section of Filwood Broadway beyond Hartcliffe Road will improve parking turnover for visitors to local shops and services.

Work will initially focus on the northern section, north of Hartcliffe Road, until funding is secured for the southern section of the project.

What community facilities are being created as part of the project?

The improvements include a new Filwood library and community space in the former Filwood Cinema building. A new multi-use games area, improved floodlights and better facilities at Filwood Playing Fields will be created, alongside development of Filwood Community Centre with an art gallery, music studio, theatre space and more room for visitors.

The old cinema on the Broadway is due to be demolished and replaced by 17 flats and 13 houses, all classed as affordable, with planning permission given for new buildings that will include ground-floor commercial space for shops or community use.

The parade of shops and housing from 4 to 16 Filwood Broadway is also planned to be redeveloped, with new housing and commercial space. Extensive improvements to Filwood Broadway High Street will feature new events space, children’s play areas, new street furniture, better accessibility and signage as well as more public art. Renovation of properties on the Westside of Filwood Broadway and revitalising the parade of shopfronts on the Eastern side will complete the high street regeneration.

When will construction begin on Filwood Broadway?

Construction on this first phase of improvements is expected to begin in Autumn 2026. As reported by the Bristol Post, work to improve Filwood Broadway is getting closer as Bristol City Council has approved a series of road and parking changes that will help reshape the high street into a safer, greener and more welcoming place for all the community.

Previously, work on redesigning the layout of Filwood Broadway was due to start in May or June 2024 and was expected to take between 12 to 14 months to complete, finishing in summer 2025, though the timeline has since been updated.

Why has Filwood Broadway needed this regeneration for so long?

The Knowle West centre has seen shops close, anti-social behaviour and empty sites for years, but is now undergoing a massive facelift. Filwood Broadway, in Knowle West, has been promised a regeneration project for more than a decade, but work is finally due to start.

Levelling up funds were applied for to redevelop a rundown shopping street that has been awaiting redevelopment for more than a decade, as reported by the BBC in June 2022. Over £14.5 million from the Levelling Up Fund will help Filwood Broadway become the attractive centre of Filwood, making it a better place to live, work and visit.

New community facilities will be created, derelict buildings will be repurposed, and the high street will be regenerated as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Transforming Filwood regeneration project, awarded to Bristol City Council via the former Levelling Up Fund.

The £14.5 million award is investing in six capital projects on Filwood Broadway: a re-imagined and retrofitted Community Centre, new Library, public realm, Multi-use Games Area (MUGA), high street activation and improvements.

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Background: The Development of Filwood Broadway Regeneration

Filwood Broadway’s regeneration journey began when Levelling up funds were applied for in 2022 to redevelop the rundown shopping street that had been awaiting redevelopment for more than a decade. In January 2023, Filwood was officially awarded £14.5m of funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, with the city council initially proposing to contribute £1.2m before the final council contribution was set at £1.72m. The project emerged from the broader Knowle West Regeneration Framework, which had been in development since 2013.

The Transforming Filwood regeneration project was awarded to Bristol City Council via the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s former Levelling Up Fund, with the capital programme moving into the construction/transformation phase of works throughout 2025.

The six capital projects identified in the Filwood Broadway Framework include comprehensive improvements addressing housing, community space, public realm, and commercial activation. Bristol City Council’s cabinet agreed to spend £1.6m on redesigning the layout of the street on 7 February 2023, marking formal council commitment to the project.

Prediction: How This Development Will Affect Knowle West Residents and Local Businesses

The Autumn 2026 construction start will directly impact residents living north of Hartcliffe Road, where the first phase will begin, with temporary disruption during building work but long-term improvements to safety and accessibility.

The 42 new trees and separated cycle route connecting to Filwood Greenway will improve environmental quality and provide safe cycling infrastructure for local residents. Two-hour waiting restrictions on the northern section will improve parking turnover, making it easier for visitors to access local shops and services, potentially increasing footfall for businesses.

Local businesses on Filwood Broadway should expect increased customer access following the new events space, children’s play areas, and improved street furniture, which will make the high street more attractive for visitors.

The new Disabled and loading parking bays will improve accessibility for customers with mobility needs, potentially expanding the customer base for shops. The affordable housing development of 17 flats and 13 houses replacing the old cinema will bring new residents into the immediate area, creating additional local demand for shops and services.

The new library and community space in the former Filwood Cinema, along with the expanded Filwood Community Centre featuring an art gallery, music studio, and theatre space, will provide residents with enhanced community facilities that were previously unavailable.

The new multi-use games area with improved floodlights at Filwood Playing Fields will offer young people improved recreational opportunities, addressing concerns about anti-social behaviour by providing structured activities. Residents should anticipate the area becoming

“a safer, greener and more welcoming place for all the community”

as council officials have stated.

The pedestrianisation of Barnstaple Road between Kinvara Road and Marwood Road will transform that section into a pedestrian priority zone, improving safety for families and children while creating space for the new market square where community events can take place.

Road humps designed to slow vehicles will reduce traffic speeds throughout the area, making it safer for pedestrians, particularly children using the new play areas. The rain gardens and public art installations will enhance the visual appeal of the high street, potentially increasing property values over time.