The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 14: Winter 2019 | Page 23

BATH 2020 How Bath is shaping up for 2020 Over recent years major developments in Bath have taken place, regenerating key brownfield sites within the city and investing in its future. With work starting on high profile schemes, some nearing completion and others pending planning approval, The Business Exchange takes a look at what 2020 holds for the city. Due for completion Bath Riverside, a significant development of new homes which began in 2011, will see the completion of the first phase which extends from the Homebase site alongside the River Avon to Midland Road. Over the past nine years developer Crest Nicholson has created more than 800 new homes alongside commercial units and public open space. Working closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES), the development has also seen the restoration of heritage asset Victoria Bridge, the creation of a new park and a range of art installations including stone carvings, sculptures and window etchings. On the horizon The Council’s ambitious scheme to develop Bath Quays took a step forward in 2019 with the appointment of Legal & General and its development manager Bell Hammer to develop Bath Quays North. The contract will see high quality offices and new homes, including affordable housing, constructed on the site near Churchill Bridge. Bath Quays North is a major part of the Bath Quays development, the council’s flagship regeneration project to create a new and vibrant quarter for the city’s flourishing businesses. It offers the potential to develop and grow Bath’s economy providing much needed business space for the city’s growing businesses and attracting quality employers to the city. The scheme is part-funded by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership through the Local Growth Fund and administered by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). Legal & General will deliver 20,000 sqm of new ‘Grade A’ office space creating up to 1900 new jobs and a minimum of 70 new homes on the Bath Quays North site. Pending planning approval In 2017 Bath City Football Club announced its intention to secure its long-term future in partnership with Greenacre Capital. The club, which is struggling with debt, submitted a planning application along with Greenacre to B&NES to create a new grandstand and facilities alongside a community hub and a 3G pitch. Other elements include affordable housing, co-living apartments and improvements to public spaces as well as Purpose Built Student Accommodation which will ensure the viability of the scheme and help to stabilise the club’s finances. Awaiting planning application submission Stadium for Bath is close to submitting a planning application for a new community-focused stadium, and a new home for Bath Rugby, at Bath’s Recreation Ground. The forthcoming application, which would include the regeneration of the riverside along the east bank of the River Avon between Pulteney Bridge and North Parade, follows extensive consultation with residents and representatives of the city. Stadium for Bath, which released a new image of the proposed scheme in October, says its aim is to create a new, world- class community and sporting stadium at the Rec. If given permission, the new 18,000 capacity stadium will not only retain Premiership rugby in the heart of the city but provide huge economic and citywide benefits. Additionally, the development will create hundreds of new jobs in construction, operations and hospitality and offer a multi-million pound boost to the city’s economy per annum through visitor spending. Bath’s Homebase site is also hoping for a new lease of life under the ownership of Guild Living which acquired the site in 2018. The intention is to redevelop the land into a unique retirement community for the over 65s. Once complete, this will provide much needed age-specific housing to help meet the demands of the local area. The plans, which are due for submission in the coming months, aspire to deliver a unique retirement community on the site which would include nearly 300 apartments, alongside facilities including a restaurant, a physiotherapy gym and pool, consultant rooms for GP surgeries, a children’s nursery and retail space for local businesses – all of which will be open to the local community. If approved, the scheme will provide a significant number of later-living homes for Bath, supporting the needs of the city’s growing population of over 85s which is expected to increase by 24% by 2021. Artist’s impression of the Bath Riverside development “The redevelopment of Bath Quays North will boost business, skills and job opportunities in Bath and the wider region, bringing new spaces for work, life and culture. Bath is ready to embrace this opportunity for renewal and show that the city is open for business.” Councillor Dine Romero, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council. Computer generated image of how the new Stadium for Bath might look “Keeping sport in the heart of the city is the catalyst for this project, but we are also incredibly proud of the opportunity to regenerate the riverside creating an amazing place for everyone to enjoy; of the significant social legacy we will build through the delivery of education and employment programmes being run on the site every day of the year and of the opportunity to promote grass roots community sport.” Tarquin McDonald, Chief Executive of Bath Rugby.. The vision for Bath City FC’s new-look club and community hub THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019 23