BZL Avonmouth

Background

Avonmouth Pre-Demolition

In 2001, St. Modwen entered into an agreement with Australian company BZL to develop 70 acres of surplus land at its Avonmouth zinc smelting plant. Planning consent for a first phase of 62,000 sq ft of industrial/distribution units was obtained and these were developed by St. Modwen. In 2003, BZL closed its zinc smelting operation and sold the entire 212 acre site to the company. As part of the acquisition, St. Modwen assumed all the environmental obligations for the site from BZL. In the subsequent year the company has cleared the site, taken control of the remaining landfill and decontamination operations and prepared a masterplan.

Plant demolition in action

Partnership

Avonmouth is a story of two partnerships. The first with BZL started as an exercise in realising value on surplus land, but culminated in facilitating a clean exit for BZL from its last UK operation. The second is an evolving one with Bristol City Council as St. Modwen's masterplan provides a major employment site, recreating the jobs lost by the smelter's closure.

Regeneration

Avonmouth Demolition in Progress

In a surprisingly short time with no intervening period of dereliction the zinc smelter plant was demolished at a cost of some £2m and a robust regime for the site's future safekeeping put in place.

Over 90,000 sq. ft. of warehousing units have been built, let and sold in Phase 1 with a further 165,000 sq.ft pre-sold in Phase 2. The site is masterplanned, including outline planning approval, and is capable of accommodating a further 600,000 sq.ft of employment space on the initial 55 acre brownfield site.

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