Liz Lake Associates were appointed by Bristol City Council to prepare a Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment for the Arena Island development on land adjacent to the central train station and a short walk from the city centre. A former diesel depot, the proposals included a radical transformation into an iconic landmark, providing Bristol a world-class 12,000 capacity entertainment venue.

This one-of-a-kind project for the city of Bristol demanded an in-depth analysis of current baseline conditions through desk study, field work and photographic study. This identified a number of sensitive receptors including the adjacent Grade I listed Temple Meads Railway Station, Conservation Areas, the Arnos Vale Cemetery and residents of nearby neighbourhoods. High resolution LIDAR mapping data, which can identify individual buildings, was used to produce a detailed ZTV which informed our chosen viewpoints.

Consideration was given to local planning policy guidance on tall buildings, which highlighted a number of important views across the city which take in the site. With no Landscape Character Assessment to inform the baseline, a comprehensive Townscape Character Assessment was undertaken to identify the widely contrasting character areas around the site; Residential, Industrial, Business District and City Centre Mixed Use areas.

The TVIA was submitted within the Environmental Impact Assessment as part of the planning application and the scheme has now been approved. The TVIA assessed the impact which the development might have on the local townscape character and the visual amenity during the construction phase and at completion. During the assessment process architectural and landscape mitigation measures were developed to integrate this large-scale of project into the surrounding industrial, residential and commercial neighbourhoods.

While the arena has since moved to Brabazon, LLA’s assessment of the site has helped guide its capacity for future development.