Homes that rose from former Bristol swimming baths secure new management company

A creative development of 31 affordable homes on the site of an historic Bristol swimming baths is to be looked after by Principle Estate Management.

Speedwell Baths on Whitefield Road, to the north-east of the city centre, first opened in 1937 and were a favourite leisure destination for tens of thousands of city residents for nearly 70 years

They were then closed in 2005 by Bristol City Council and lay derelict for years before they were demolished in 2019.

Abri Housing Association has now developed a mixture of one and two-bedroomed apartments in a new, five-storey complex and has awarded the contract to manage the 31 residences to Principle.

It is the second management project that Principle has won from Abri, following a contract to manage affordable homes in Dean Street, in the St Paul’s area of Bristol, last summer.

Joe Jobson, joint managing director of Principle, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with Abri and this continues our growth in the great city of Bristol.

“We have worked with Abri throughout the design and build process and ensured all maintenance and service contracts have been set up and were ready on resident occupancy.

“Abri have a lot of exciting schemes in the pipeline and we are really pleased to be part of this journey with them, and this is a business relationship I look forward to building on for the long term.”

Sean Gill, management company manager at Abri, one of the largest housing providers in the south, said: “Our new development on the Speedwell Swimming Baths sites will provide further much-needed affordable housing in the city."

Principle looks after over 8,000 units in more than 300 developments across the UK, as well as rented commercial and residential properties.