The Belvedere, previously known as the Bristol 192 helicopter, was designed and developed to an Air Staff Requirement for a General Purpose helicopter for the Royal Air Force.

While the design embodied certain principles which had been well proved in the Bristol Sycamore and, while useful information had been learned about the tandem configuration from the research 173 helicopter, the design of the Belvedere was new in all its engineering aspects. The machine was to be powered by turbine engines with more than twice the installed power of the 173; it was to be approaching twice the weight of the 173. The choice was the Napier Gazelle engine—the first turbine designed primarily for helicopter use. Hence, the helicopter was of new and larger design than that which had preceded it, and the engine was also of new design and type.