Purpose

•Bristol City Council (BCC) is proposing
to construct the Bristol Regional Cycling Hub (BRCH) in Lawrence
Weston and Shirehampton, Bristol.
•The site for the proposed BRCH has significant geotechnical
risk because it is located over an unregistered landfill site that
has in turn been placed over a sequence of soft compressible
alluvial soils. Over the years, several ground investigations have
been undertaken but there are significant gaps in studies carried
out to date that need to be addressed to ensure the ground is safe
and structurally stable for the intended use.
•BCC has appointed Structural Soils Ltd (via BCC Highways
Framework Lot 11- Geotechnical and Soil Investigation Works on or
adjacent to the Highway) to carry out ground investigation works
that will enable identification of cost-effective solutions to
remediate contamination at the project site.
•A key decision report was submitted to the Transport and
Connectivity Committee on 12 September 2024, and all four
recommendations in the report were approved by the Committee
including:
oAuthorise the Executive Director Growth and Regeneration, in
consultation with the Chair of the Transport and Connectivity
Committee, to take all steps required to bid for, accept, and spend
CRSTS funding (inclusive of the recently awarded funding of
£813k) for procuring and awarding contracts for development
and delivery of the project, which may be over the key decision
threshold.
oThe above recommendations will apply to other funding
opportunities that may arise during the project’s life cycle,
but the Committee will be updated on any such funding
opportunity.
•The spend is essential to deliver the facility as set out in
the approved Outline Business Case, and the ODN relates to
expenditure of up to £150k for ground investigations that are
required prior to commencement of any construction work at the
project site. The expenditure is covered by the £2.142m CRSTS
funding that has been approved to date by the West of England
Combined Authority (WECA) – comprising an initial grant of
£813k that was awarded in 2024 and additional grant of
£1.329m that was awarded in March 2025.

Content

Approval of this expenditure will enable
progression of land remediation options and aligns with key
decision of the Transport and Connectivity Committee on 12
September 2024.

Alternative options considered

There is no alternative for this expenditure,
and it cannot be delayed because the CRSTS spending deadline is
March 2027 by which time this project needs to be delivered.