Students become first residents of Bedminster Green as University of Bristol’s Metal Works opens to residents

On the weekend of 14 and 15 September, 819 University of Bristol students moved into the newly built Metal Works building on Dalby Avenue, becoming the first official residents of the Bedminster Green regeneration area.

Completed by developers Watkin Jones, the Metal Works offers accommodation offers five 12 bed apartments, and includes 15,000 square feet of amenity space including a gym, laundry room and cinema room. The Metal Works additionally includes a large ground floor unit which opens out onto Whitehouse Lane. The unit currently remains empty whilst the owners seek a tenant.

Many of the East Street businesses are offering student deals to welcome the new arrivals to the area including discounts on food, drink and student essentials. Share Bristol’s Library of Things has stocked up on items including those bulkier but infrequently used kitchen items like larger saucepans, slow cookers, tabletop grills, BBQs and bread makers.

Students living at the Metal Works are not permitted to have cars, so Bristol City Council’s Active Travel Team and Fresh are working together to make sure students are able to easily access the active transport options available. The Bedminster Green regeneration project team will soon be writing to the students to welcome them to the area, which will include information on local public transport and walking and cycling routes in and around the local area.

The students won’t be the only residents for long. They will be joined in 2025 by the new residents of Stafford Yard, the new development by Dandara Living, further down Malago Road.