Plans submitted for Black South West Network's new centre for enterprise and culture

Plans have been submitted for a new centre for Black enterprise and culture in Bristol.

The plans will see the transformation of Black South West Network's (BSWN) current base in St Paul's into a new centre for the organisation. The network, which works for race equality across the South West, has been working alongside Askew Cavanna Architects on the proposed plans.

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BSWN and Stokes Crofts-based Askew have been exploring the potential for retrofitting, renovating and extending the current BSWN base, a 19th Century Coach House, to create a Centre for Black Enterprise and Culture. In recent years, BSWN has grown significantly and in 2021, to facilitate a further scaling-up of their services and impact, the enterprise acquired the lease for the Coach House from Bristol City Council.

The lease of the coach house, which is situated in the heart of the Afro-Caribbean community, was formally extended to a 125-year lease via a Community Asset Transfer in early November 2023, where the group has 10 years to raise the funds for the project.

The proposed scheme aims to remedy the damage to the building, improve natural light and ventilation, reduce regulated CO2 emissions, lower energy bills, resolve existing safety issues and make the whole building accessible for the first time. Developed through extensive engagement with BSWN, local businesses, neighbours, and current and potential building users, a key objective is to address the lack of flexible and affordable workspaces for small business and start-ups across the city.

Leading the scheme is architect Claire Miller, who has been designing with charities and action groups in Bristol and the South-West for the past 10 years.

Ms Miller said: "It’s been a pleasure to work with the team at BSWN, who are unashamedly ambitious in their aims. Their willingness to take on a significant rejuvenation project with the public benefit in mind should be applauded."

The BSWN project briefing document, 2022 stated: "The Coach House will be a space that re- imagines and redefines the concept of cultural expression and enterprise development. It will be a place that is alive with the historic and contemporary cultural heritage of the Black and Minoritized communities of the Southwest and beyond."