Work begins on our new Snapdragons Nursery in Southville, Bristol

Architect’s image of the finished conversion

We’re really pleased to announce that planning permission has now been granted for Snapdragons Southville, meaning work can soon begin to transform the former Holy Cross RC Church on Dean Lane into a new Snapdragons nursery.

The church itself dates back to the 1920s and is a historic local building, so it’s important to us that the plans treat it with care and respect. The proposals, designed by StudioLime, take a sympathetic approach that restores the building while adapting it for its new use as a modern early years setting.

Inside the main church space, two new floors will be carefully installed within the large volume of the building. This makes the most of the generous height of the church while keeping the character of the space and preserving the exterior that people recognise.

Next door, the existing priest’s house will be demolished. In its place, we’ll build a new, smaller extension attached to the side of the church, providing the additional space needed for the nursery while sitting comfortably alongside the historic structure.

We’re excited that this project will give the building a new lease of life, bringing it back into active use and creating a fantastic nursery environment for families in Southville, Bedminster and the surrounding area. Now that permission has been granted, we’re looking forward to starting the renovation work and will be updating you with the progress.

The nursery is expected to open in summer 2027 and will have places for up to 160 children.