Sir Robert McAlpine to start works at Bristol Temple Quarter next month

Published by

Daniel Face

Woking construction firm Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed to the University of Bristol’s new £500 million Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, with work set to begin next month.

Situated on Cattle Market Road next to Temple Meads station, the site will be home to 4,600 students and 650 university staff, with residential accommodation on Temple Island for around 900 students.

It is hoped that the new campus will bolster the University of Bristol’s reputation as a global destination for world-leading research, education, and innovation, providing a hub in the West of England for data science, the creative industries, and cyber and quantum technology.

At its heart will be a 38,000 square foot academic building, set to house the University’s Business School, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre, and digital engineering research groups. There will also be dedicated facilities for enterprise and community partners.

University leaders are keen to welcome local communities to the campus, with plans to host lifelong learning programmes, events, festivals, and research activities for the public in the evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, said: “Today really is a landmark day – not just for the University of Bristol but for the city as a whole.

“The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus has been designed to meet the needs and nurture the aspirations of our students, staff and partners across the city and the wider region. It provides outstanding facilities to build on our collective strengths in research, innovation, learning and societal change.

“We are delighted to be working with Sir Robert McAlpine to bring these new facilities to life.”

The development comes off the back of the University’s new TQ Research Hub, opened on nearby Avon Street in 2022. This location currently houses the Bristol Digital Futures Institute, which will be soon joined by the University’s Dental School and later the creative technologies programme MyWorld.

These projects represent part of the wider development of Bristol Temple Quarter, which will offer a modern, thriving gateway to the city and to the West of England. Following regeneration works, the area is predicted to contribute £1.6 million to Bristol’s economy.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, added: “Temple Quarter will help deliver even more of the sustainable homes, innovation, jobs, and infrastructure that Bristol needs, including for the communities in and around the regeneration area.

“Delivering the University of Bristol’s new Enterprise Campus will help our city continue to strengthen its position at the centre of our regional economy. This is another milestone for Temple Quarter, after we secured £95 million last year to help transform Temple Meads.

“Our landmark investment will help to unlock 22,000 new jobs and 10,000 new homes in this part of our city – bringing a £1.6 billion annual boost to Bristol.”

The University of Bristol is working alongside Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority, Network Rail, and Homes England to bring the new development to fruition. AECOM is providing consultancy services, while Osborne Clarke is advising the University on construction procurement and contracts.

Daniel Face

Born and raised in Berkshire, Dan fell into journalism after completing his bachelor’s degree in English at UCL. Writing for The Business Magazine and local Biz News sites has given him the opportunity to chat with all manner of small business owners and share their success stories with a wider audience. Outside of work, Dan enjoys live music, board games and quiz shows, and is making a slow but persistent effort to learn Spanish.