Rund has been assisting Abri in expanding its development portfolio in Bristol, as we are commissioned as Employer’s Agent, Clerk of Works, and Principal Designer at The Old Brewery. The development won Best Residential Development in the Bristol Property Awards 2024 and was Highly Commended for Best New Development in the South in the First Time Buyer Magazine Readers' Awards 2024.
The development mixes old with new, refurbishing parts of the existing structures to create homes, shops, and offices ready to welcome the community and new homeowners in Spring 2025. As part of Abri’s strategic partnership with Homes England, grant funding has been used to make all the homes affordable. The scheme includes 107 new affordable apartments, offering a combination of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, with 98 available for shared ownership and nine for social rent.
The site is significantly restricted and surrounded by residential and commercial neighbours in the heart of Southville, an inner-city ward of Bristol. The development includes adapting some original brewery buildings to retain the site's industrial heritage. Seven commercial spaces are being created, including the conversion of the original brewery manager’s house, and these buildings will be used to offer new services for the local community, including food and drink outlets, offices and creative spaces. The project also has the provision to connect to Bristol City Council’s District Heat Network, providing low carbon heat.
The Old Brewery's redevelopment is one of Bristol's largest affordable housing developments. This is significant, especially considering a recent study by the University of the West of England (UWE). The study showed that unique challenges face the region, including a 200,000-home shortage and a 400 percent rise in house prices over the last 25 years, while average wages only went up by 83 percent during the same period. A significant percentage of second homes also exacerbated local affordability issues.
Our role has been instrumental in ensuring that all new buildings are built to the highest quality standards and complement the rich heritage and design of the site’s existing architecture. Due to its historical significance, the site presented unique challenges, and the project team worked closely with conservation specialists to ensure that new construction methods respected the site's industrial heritage while meeting modern building regulations.
We are involved in a broad scope of work, including managing contracts between Abri and McLaughlin & Harvey, implementing thorough quality control procedures, and ensuring all works adhere to strict health and safety requirements.
As Clerk of Works, our primary responsibility was to protect Abri's interests by ensuring construction quality met contractual standards. This involved:
• Regular site inspections and quality monitoring
• Compliance reporting to Abri and the project team
• Identification and resolution of potential issues before they impact the construction works and programme
• Documentation of construction progress and quality outcomes
In particular, Rund’s Clerk of Works service has played a crucial role in maintaining rigorous quality control across all aspects of construction. We have thoroughly scrutinised workmanship and materials, ensuring adherence to Abri’s specifications, statutory requirements, and industry best practices. Regular site inspections, including fire-stopping, M&E, and structural elements, have been key to tracking compliance and resolving defects early. A particular focus on this scheme was the integrity of the structural protection system. With the steel frame system forming a critical fire barrier, our team ensured all penetrations were properly sealed, installations followed technical specifications, and no compromises were made to fire resistance.
Beyond technical oversight, we have facilitated benchmark quality inspections to establish construction standards, tracked all non-compliance issues to resolution, and conducted pre-handover snagging to ensure completed units meet the required standard before occupation.
Our systematic photographic documentation also provided an invaluable reference resource during later construction phases, enabling informed decision-making when addressing unforeseen issues.
The ongoing success of this project underscores several valuable lessons in achieving the highest standards of quality in construction. The early integration of our Clerk of Works proved instrumental in ensuring that quality management has been seen as preventative rather than reactive, allowing our Clerk of Works to address potential issues before they developed into costly problems. The implementation of regular quality meetings created a collaborative environment where expertise was shared and challenges were addressed collectively, significantly enhancing workmanship standards across the development. These key learnings demonstrate that proactive quality management, collaboration, and thorough documentation are not merely supplementary but essential components of project success.
Our structured approach, including photographic reporting and strict turnaround times, has supported Abri in achieving a high-quality, safe, and durable development at The Old Brewery.
Read our case study on The Old Brewery here.