Bristol City Council 'committed' to redevelopment of Grosvenor Hotel after huge fire

Bristol City Council has said it is "committed" to redeveloping the Grosvenor Hotel - despite a fire that destroyed the already derelict building.

The fire broke out at the site near Bristol Temple Mead's station at around 10pm on Tuesday 18 October.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service crews fought the flames throughout the night, but there are now concerns about the stability of the building.

The cause of the fire is unknown and investigations are ongoing, with fire crews still at the scene.

The property is privately owned but has been empty for 20 years.

Following years of debate as to what should happen to the former hotel, Bristol City Council revealed plans to acquire it via a compulsory purchase order in November 2018.

Despite the damage to the building, the council says it still wants to continue with plans surrounding its redevelopment.

A spokesperson told ITV News West Country: "The mayor and cabinet have laid out plans to develop Temple Square, made up of The Grosvenor Hotel site, along with the old George and Railway Hotel and the land in between, which will complement our ambitions for the wider Temple Quarter regeneration programme.

"Proposals for Temple Square are for new employment space with a mix of ground floor uses.

"The listed George and Railway would be redeveloped, and a new building on the site of the Grosvenor Hotel would be constructed with the council having in place authority to compulsorily purchase the site.

"New high-quality public realm would be created between the office buildings to connect Temple Meads station with the Brunel Mile and the rest of the city.

"We await further details about the condition of the site, but we remain committed to our ambition to support the redevelopment of the area to create a world-class welcome to Bristol at Temple Quarter."