From Disused Garage Plot to Affordable Homes

Work to turn a council-owned disused garage plot in Bristol into affordable housing thanks to the innovative Gap House concept has reached its final stage of construction.

The first factory-made panels, which will be used to create the external walls of the homes, have been lifted onto site and are now being installed in stages due to the constrained nature of the site.

Designed by multidisciplinary design practice BDP and built by contractor Beard and SIP (structural insulated panel) specialist Etopia, the nine one-bedroom, two-storey sustainable homes on Bell Close, Horfield, have been commissioned by Bristol City Council’s Housing Development team and funded by the local authority’s Housing and Landlord service.

The homes are being built using modern methods of construction (MMC), with the high-performance structural insulated panels (SIPs) manufactured off site, before being brought to Bristol by lorry and carefully lifted into position by crane. The installation of the internal walls, floors, and roofs is also underway. Groundworks had already taken place in preparation for this phase of work.

BDP originally showcased its Gap House concept design at the Housing Festival Expo in 2018, as a proposed way of helping to meet the city’s acute need for housing and revitalising neighbourhoods.

The Gap House concept was refined as part of an Innovate UK programme supported by the Housing Festival, designed to explore the potential for MMC housing. This year, it  featured in the Housing Festival’s Social Rent Housing: The MMC Playbook, a guide for local authorities, which highlighted Gap House as “an innovative approach to successfully unlocking land and overcoming challenges for successful creation of new housing”.

Each home will be highly insulated with low energy lighting to support minimal heating requirements and will use renewable energy generated by solar PV panels and air source heat pumps, resulting in low environmental impact and running costs.

The homes will include an open-plan kitchen-living area and a bathroom on the ground floor, with a bedroom and storage on the first floor. Large windows will allow for maximum natural light. The entrance to each property has been designed to promote a ‘front porch culture’ with green space and outdoor seating in front of each home to encourage social interaction and community cohesion.

Councillor Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee at Bristol City Council, said:

“The council welcomes the progress of these innovative new homes for social rent, which will help meet housing need in the city.  Utilising small pieces of brownfield land to deliver much needed affordable homes is a priority for the council and the learning from this, and other similar projects, will help us make better use of our smaller sites for affordable housing delivery.”

Adam Darby, associate architect in BDP’s Bristol studio, said:

“The Gap House has the potential to bring huge benefits to cities up and down the country where there are thousands of disused garage plots sitting empty, which could be transformed into much-needed housing. Having first conceived the idea of the Gap House some years ago, it is fantastic to see the project coming to fruition and nearing the moment when people can start moving in. A once derelict site will have a new lease of life, revitalising the neighbourhood and providing high quality homes.”

Matt Cooper, director of Beard’s Bristol office, said:

“The Gap House design is a thoughtful way to bring back to life disused urban spaces, and could contribute to addressing the housing crisis and improving local communities. Over Beard’s 135-year history, we have been involved in many residential projects, but none quite like this. Working with factory-made panels and within the limits of a small site has presented challenges that the team has embraced. It has been exciting to apply the innovative new methods to create sustainable, contemporary and affordable homes in the city.”

Andrew Tatt, head of delivery at Etopia, said:

“The Gap House project serves as an example for councils across the country. When driving through cities and towns, you see many underused plots of land, like garage sites, which could be repurposed to help address the housing crisis and revitalise these neglected spaces. BDP, Beard, and Etopia have demonstrated that, with careful planning, these sites can be transformed effectively—not just with any buildings, but with high-quality, fabric-first constructions that incorporate the latest technology and are designed to meet future standards.”