Filton guidebook

Filton was a small village outside Bristol until the manufacturing of aeroplanes and their engines changed all that in the years before and after the First World War.

With this growing industry came rapid expansion as new homes were built to cater for the ever-increasing numbers of workers required by the aircraft builders, the aerodrome, and the engineering works that had opened in the district.

This is still very much reflected in the housing stock of the Filton and Patchway area, which is dominated by semi-detached and terraced housing on small estates dating from between the wars.

In the Filton Park enclave, there are attractive 1930s homes with large gardens which are popular with young families, and the proximity of the golf club also appeals to older home buyers.

While Filton will always be associated with aerospace and its Concorde connections – it was the UK production base for the famous aircraft and the final landing point of the last operational Concorde – other industries have made their mark, too.

Organisations that have been attracted by Filton's excellent motorway and rail links include the Ministry of Defence who have a giant procurement HQ at Abbey Wood.

This led to the development of East Filton as well as further expansion of the area as a whole, and large swathes of new housing were built in neighbouring Stoke Gifford, Little Stoke and Bradley Stoke, all of which has spilled down into Filton itself.

Property prices in Filton vary enormously depending on the street or local area; generally, however, the whole place has been enjoying something of a regeneration, and there is an extremely healthy property market with prices that tend to be around the Bristol average.

A lot of this growing demand for housing is down to people discovering that Filton has much to offer buyers, including a large stock of solid period homes, excellent road, bus and rail links, and a high level of employment possibilities.

Filton also benefits from having a university, a very highly thought of college, a hospital and a large shopping mall within its borders or close by.

Forthcoming Developments

Filton is about to experience another massive expansion with two very large developments being built here.

Cheswick is a new "urban village" being built within walking distance of the University of the West of England campus.

The first of several "hamlets" which will make up the village is Tallsticks. This comprises 100 one- and two-bedroom apartments and two-to-four-bed homes including semi-detached and detached properties and three-storey villas, with prices not too far above the Bristol average.

Due to its proximity to the university campus, the developers are hoping it will attract  parents of students looking to buy a home for their offspring; similarly, a lot of interest is expected from property investors with an eye on the student let market.

Then there's the brand new village that is being developed on a 150-acre site at the North Field end of the old Filton airfield. This is a large scheme that is going to have an enormous impact not just on the local area but on North Bristol as a whole.

As many as 2,200 new homes, including 700 high quality "affordable homes", are planned as well as business and employment opportunities, shops, a primary school, a library and other local facilities.

This is expected to bring in around 6,000 additional residents to the Filton area.