Landmark Retrofit and Reuse Tour in Bristol
21 July 2025 – More than 20 property professionals, architects, developers, academics, and heritage experts came together in Bristol on 13 June for a landmark event hosted by Don’t Waste Buildings (DWB)—exploring some of the city's recent retrofit and reuse projects in a tour and roundtable aimed at tackling the environmental and policy challenges facing building reuse in the UK.
Hosted by DWB co-founders, Leanne Tritton and Richard Nelson, the tour was led by Petr Esposito of Anomaly Architects, and featured contributions from developer Samuel Lawson Johnson (Kinrise) for Canons House. The walking tour offered insight into four key projects: Soapworks, Generator, 41 Corn Street & Gilbert House, and Canons House. Two sites were mid-development while the others showcased successful retrofit outcomes.
The event exposed the tension between heritage conservation, policy rigidity, financial blockers and environmental ambition—highlighting how outdated planning practices and tax policy actively disincentivise sustainable reuse. Participants called for urgent reform to planning and VAT systems to incentivise refurbishment over demolition and new-builds.
Key Issues Raised:
Refurbishment incurs 20% VAT while new builds are exempt—penalising sustainable approaches.
Planning delays of up to two years are deterring investment and costing projects millions.
Conflicts between heritage protection and environmental performance hinder progress.
Lack of council resources and inconsistent guidance create major uncertainty for developers.
Project Highlights:
Soapworks: A £250m investment grappling with complex heritage and structural challenges amid policy contradictions.
Generator: A celebrated retrofit achieving EPC A and BREEAM Excellent with flexible, mixed-use spaces.
41 Corn Street & Gilbert House: Delivered record rents through light-touch interventions and character-driven design.
Canons House: Kinrise’s transformation of the former Lloyds HQ aims to open the building to the public and reinvigorate the waterfront.
Roundtable Outcomes:
The day concluded with a roundtable discussion, under the Chatham House Rule, proposing:
A national retrofit-first policy approach with tax and planning reform.
Greater powers and flexibility for local planning officers.
Engagement of Historic England–who are seen as one of the more collaborative organisations–early in the design process.
Grassroots and political mobilisation to influence national policy.
DWB Co-founder Richard Nelson stated: "Bristol has the DNA for successful sustainable reuse. But without smart structural reforms, we risk losing valuable opportunities for wider economic growth and social impact. This tour has sparked a vital conversation we intend to take directly to government."
A follow-up meeting with local leaders and MPs–including an invitation to Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones MP, whose constituency is Bristol North West–is planned to continue momentum toward national change.
For full details and the event report, visit: www.dontwastebuildings.com
ENDS
Media Contact: Please contact Don’t Waste Buildings with any enquiries.
Download the full “Bristol Case Studies Tour & Talk Report” HERE. Also download the tour architectural deck prepared by Anomaly Architects HERE.
