Local Firm Secures First Major Contract To Transform The Historic Former Filton Airfield

The first major construction contract to transform the historic former Filton Airfield has been awarded to a local firm Vertase FLI.

The historic former Airfield - the birthplace of Concorde and supersonic travel – is set to become a new urban community, known as Brabazon.

Vertase FLI will carry out the necessary enabling works so that construction can begin later this Autumn.

The first phase of new homes at Brabazon have been designed by Stirling Prize-winning architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. The architecture of the 278 new properties reflects the heritage of the site, with the rooflines at Brabazon designed to echo the profile of an airplane’s tail-fin while also maximising light for the homes’ energy-efficient solar panels.

The announcement of the first contract by YTL Developments comes almost exactly 70 years after the Brabazon – the visionary aircraft from which the new neighbourhood takes its name – made its first flight.

The Brabazon first took off from Filton Airfield on 4th September 1949, in the process testing new technologies that paved the way for modern commercial aviation as we know it today. Brabazon is designed to live up to that legacy, creating a place for the next generation to live, work and thrive.

The works entail the excavation of over 18,000 cubic metres of earth, weighing over 38,000 tonnes. That’s equivalent to the weight of 300 Concordes. Vertase FLI has designed the works to be as sustainable as possible, ensuring that all of the excavated material will be reused on site.

Once construction begins later this year, YTL Developments anticipates that the first new homes at Brabazon will go on sale in late 2020, with the first residents set to move in early in 2021.

Rob Benson, Construction Director at YTL Developments, said: "Awarding our first construction contract is a major milestone in the transformation of this historic local landmark. Awarding this contract to a renowned local firm demonstrates how we hope this thriving new neighbourhood will create not only new homes but also new jobs and new opportunities for people and businesses across the local community.”

Michael Longman, Project Director at Vertase FLI, said: “We have been following the developments of this prestigious site for many years and we are delighted to be working with YTL Developments on this initial stage which we hope will be the first of many. The skills and expertise of my colleagues at VertaseFLI, many of whom live locally, will ensure we deliver this project in the most safe and sustainable manner possible."