East Street Placemaking & Public Realm Masterplan was commissioned by Bedminster BID, Bristol City Council and a developer consortium to reimagine one of Bristol’s most historic yet challenged high streets. Led by Project Director Michael Cowdy at McGregor Coxall, the project sets out a clear, community-led vision to restore East Street as a vibrant civic, social and commercial destination.

Developed through an extensive engagement programme, including the East Street Vision digital platform, workshops and surveys, the masterplan is shaped by over 6,100 community responses. This process informed six placemaking strategies focused on pedestrian priority, urban greening, cultural identity, flexible uses and economic activation.

The proposals transform a vehicle-dominated street into a people-first public realm through the relocation of bus services, integrated active travel routes, nature-based drainage and a significant increase in tree canopy and planting. At its heart sits East Street Square, a new civic space designed to host markets, events and everyday social life, supported by biophilic pocket parks and adaptable street infrastructure.

The masterplan was formally adopted by Bristol City Council and is being used as a strategic framework to guide investment, delivery and future change along East Street, balancing ambitious placemaking with the practical needs of local businesses and the wider community.