Source: Bristol Evening Post 18th November 2011
In the final part of his story about the General Hospital, Gerry Brooke looks at what its redevelopment will mean for the city’s heritage.
Although, Bristol’s General Hospital began life in nearby Guinea Street in 1832 in converted buildings, the Italian style edifice which we see today, dominating the Bathurst Basin, didn’t open until 1858. Founded by non conformists, many of them Quakers, the idea was to provide cheap and easily accessible hospital facilities for the ever growing population of South Bristol.
Finished to the designs of local architect William Gingell, the new hospital was built on the site of Acraman’s ironworks, which has filed for bankruptcy. Like many other utilitarian buildings, the General Hospital has been adapted, modified and extended many times over the past 150 years. Occupying a much smaller area than today, the original building consisted of two four storey blocks joined by a central tower. One of these blocks faced the Bathurst Basin, part of the floating Harbour, and the other the newly built course (The New Cut) of the muddy River Avon.
In order the generate extra income for the fledgling hospital, the specially built ground floor was let out as dockside warehousing. Despite the continuing existence of the Infirmary (BRT) which has been founded 100 years previously, the new hospital evidently served a growing need and expansion followed.
In 1890, a new ‘live in’ nurses home was built on the corner where Guinea Street meets the Floating Harbour.
A few years later George Oatley’s architectural practice designed a Guinea Street extension and in the early years of the 20th century the same architect designed the elegant south wing and lodge buildings. The cast iron balconies seen on many postcards from the time were a 1916 adornment where wounded soldiers from the trenches of the Western Front could be seen resting during their convalescence.
Changes and additions made in the pre NHS 1930’s were not so successful, falling to add anything of real value to the buildings architectural style. During a Second World War bombing raid on the City docks, the building was badly damaged, losing its French style mansard roof and lower cupola. The founding of the NHS in 1948, with the hospitals inclusion, led to many alterations and additions which were both cheap to implement and short term in their nature.
The General, which has 80 beds, is currently being used as a rehabilitation hospital for the elderly and those who have suffered from the effects of strokes. Outpatient facilities including clinics, physiotherapy, and a day assessment service for the elderly. The hospital also houses a sleep clinic and a sleep studies department.When the general finally closes next summer these services will be moved to the BRI and the new South Bristol Community Hospital at Hengrove.
Money from the sale to City & Country – some £6 million, will go towards the redevelopment work at the BRI. Once empty the new owners will start work on converting the building into quality flats and apartments. City & Country are an award-winning family run business who specialise in restoring and converting historic properties by turning them into desirable housing of exceptional quality and character.
Bath architects Fielden, Clegg Bradley along with landscape experts Grant Associates and consultants CSJ Planning, have been taken on board for the project. Despite the hospital being Grade II Listed, deciding exactly what buildings to keep and what to discard will be a major headache for the developers and their architects.
What for instance, can you do with a narrow tower which once housed a steam powered lift? And should the cupola, so central to the original design be restored?
To this end, City & Country have been putting their ideas and plans before the public this autumn and asking them, via a comments form, for their views on the redevelopment. Although the time for consultation is fast running out, an electronic version of the comments form is available on the company website, which also tells you about the current plans.I’m sure that City & Country would be grateful for further input, however late in the date.
www.cityandcountry.co.ukFor more details, please log on to their website.
Should the council’s planners agree, it’s hoped to breathe new life back into the site by allowing public access into, and through, the development, which would be carefully landscaped. One plan would be to create – using features already in place – an ornamental and tree covered courtyard. Carparking for residents would be situated below ground level, not in the present brick built; ground floor buildings which I am told are not really suitable. These say the architects would make the perfect location for small shops, cafes or studios with space for sitting out by the dockside. There would be limited vehicle access.
Another plan, and a rather controversial one, is to build a tall apartment tower, which could be up to 16 storeys high, in the centre. Over the next few years, in this major development will be making a significant difference to this rather neglected end of the floating harbour.
Now’s the time say City & Country to make your voice heard.